NY Man Files Lawsuit Against ICE Over Home Visit After Email

David Streever, a U.S. citizen from Rochester, New York, filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday, claiming the agency violated his First Amendment rights by sending armed officers to his home after he emailed a senior ICE official criticizing the agency's conduct.

The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., names the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and senior agency officials as defendants. Streever alleges federal agents retaliated against him for protected political speech after he sent a strongly worded email to then-acting ICE Director Todd Lyons following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an immigration officer in Minneapolis earlier this year.

According to the complaint, Streever's January email sharply condemned Lyons over the incident, using inflammatory language but making no direct threat. While Streever was traveling in Finland with his daughter, ICE officers visited his Rochester home and delivered a warning notice to his wife. Later, they attempted to contact him at a New York City hotel after his return to the United States.

The lawsuit argues that the visit was intended to intimidate Streever for expressing his political views. It is supported by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which contends that criticism of government officials, even when harsh, is protected under the U.S. Constitution. Streever is seeking a court order preventing ICE from taking similar actions against him or others engaged in protected speech.

The case comes amid broader scrutiny of ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility, which has reportedly opened investigations involving critics of the agency, including people who posted about ICE operations on social media or emailed agency officials. The Department of Homeland Security has denied that it targets Americans for exercising their constitutional rights, stating that investigations are initiated only when communications could reasonably be interpreted as threats against federal personnel.