New York man says feds visited his home over email criticizing ICE
New York governor proposes new anti-ICE measures
As Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty charges an ICE agent labeled ‘America’s most savvy prosecutor’ with assault, critics question her priorities. Separately, New York Governor Kathy Hochul is facing backlash for her extreme anti-ICE policies following a deadly New York City apartment fire started by an illegal immigrant. Victim families give emotional testimony at a hearing on sanctuary policies on Capitol Hill.
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A second New York resident said Tuesday that federal authorities warned him in an email that authorities deemed threatening after he criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s tactics.
David Streever of Rochester was en route to Finland last week when two police officers showed up at his home and handed his wife a warning note saying an email he sent earlier this year was considered a threat, his lawyer told the Associated Press.
Streever emailed Todd Lyons, who became the acting director of ICE in January after an ICE agent shot and killed U.S. citizen Renee Nicole Good during an immigration enforcement-related incident in Minneapolis.
In the email, Streever called Lyons a “monstrous human being” who “will never know peace.”
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Federal officers arrived at David Streever’s home in Rochester, New York, in June 2026. (David Streever via AP)
According to attorney Adam Steinbaugh, who represents Streever at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Streever said in his email: “The way you are protecting the blatant execution in Minnesota will lead to your downfall, even as you watch the videos. Eventually, even Trump will turn on you, and you will be a sad, despised man eating himself alive, ashamed of your pathetic weakness.”
Federal agents also tried to confront Streever at a New York City hotel after he returned from Finland, but hotel staff turned them away, Steinbaugh said.
Steinbaugh argued that the email was protected speech under the First Amendment and did not pose a legitimate threat.
“A real threat is a serious expression of intent to commit violence. This email doesn’t even come close,” Steinbaugh said. “This is political speech, the act of petitioning your government.”
Streever said he was shocked that federal officers showed up at his home to question him over his email.
“Like many Americans, I was deeply saddened by the shootings in Minnesota and felt compelled to do something,” he said in a statement to The Associated Press. “Writing a letter to the head of ICE seemed like the least I could do to express my sense of outrage. I never imagined it would lead to a knock on my door by federal officers.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE for comment.
Paigelynne Gonyea is presented with a form at a polling place in Syracuse, New York, on June 23, 2026. (Sheilia Milledge via AP)
“ICE investigates all credible threats against its employees and officers, including threats against the ICE Director,” it said in a statement to The Associated Press.
The warning to Streever was served the same week to Syracuse poll worker Paigelynne Gonyea, who said two federal officers confronted her at a polling place during the New York primary to question her about a social media post she made about Jonathan Ross, the ICE officer who killed Good.
Gonyea said he believed the warning to him stemmed from a January post in which he shared a photo of Ross with the caption, “I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be impeached.”
Her post, which is still online, was made after Ross was identified by the media.
According to the Associated Press, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Lauren Bis shared an image of a different social media post from Gonyea and said that in this post, the woman shared Ross’ address, but part of the post was redacted.
Bis said in a statement last week that Gonyea “committed a federal crime by sharing the address of an ICE law enforcement officer online” and that “if you slander our officers, we will investigate you and you will be brought to justice.”
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Free speech advocates argued that these incidents showed that federal law enforcement was violating Americans’ rights to privacy and free speech. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
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Free speech advocates, including those at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and the American Civil Liberties Union, argued that these two incidents demonstrate that federal law enforcement is violating Americans’ rights to privacy and free speech.
Nathan Freed Wessler, deputy director of the ACLU’s speech, privacy and technology project, said the First Amendment guarantees the right to criticize the government.
“No one should be followed around their home or hotel room by federal agents as punishment simply for sending an email expressing frustration and opposition to the government’s actions,” Wessler told The Associated Press. he said. “This is an abuse of power and a massive attempt to chill Americans’ constitutionally protected speech.”
ICE and DHS said they are investigating credible threats and disclosure of personal information to law enforcement. The government has not publicly provided a more comprehensive explanation for why Streever’s email was considered a threat.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
