Federal agents recently visited two individuals in New York to issue warnings over harsh criticisms of government officials, raising alarms among civil liberties advocates about free speech protections.
In Rochester, two federal officers went to the home of David Streever last week regarding an email he sent to then-ICE interim director Todd Lyons.
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The message compared Lyons to a Nazi official and criticized him over protesters killed by federal agents in Minnesota.
The email contained no direct threats of violence.
Separately, in Syracuse, ICE officials issued a formal warning letter to Paigelynne Gonyea over an Instagram post about a fatal shooting involving an agent.
The post shared a name previously published by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and called for an indictment without issuing threats.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) challenged the actions, arguing they constitute unlawful intimidation.
"Free speech is the bedrock of a free society, and the First Amendment squarely prohibits ICE agents from intimidating Americans for nothing more than repeating information from a newspaper report," said Adam Steinbaugh, FIRE senior attorney.
Legal experts noted the actions contrast with administration promises to protect citizens from government-facilitated censorship.
Jacob Mchangama, executive director of Vanderbilt University's Future of Free Speech think tank, pointed out in a November 2025 column that President Emmanuel Macron has initiated legal proceedings against people mocking him as a Hitler-like figure.
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