A U.S. citizen from Rochester, New York, has filed a federal lawsuit against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that federal agents retaliated against him for sending a sharply critical email to the agency's former acting director.
David Streever, who works as a musician and has no criminal record, sent a three-paragraph email in January to Todd Lyons, who was then serving as ICE's acting director. The email was prompted by Streever's outrage over the killings of two Americans by ICE officers during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. In the message, Streever called Lyons a "monstrous human being" and compared him to "America's Reinhard Heydrich, the butcher"—a reference to a high-ranking Nazi official. He wrote that Lyons' actions, captured on video, would lead to his downfall.
According to the lawsuit filed Monday in federal court, two DHS agents appeared at Streever's Rochester home in June while he was traveling in Finland. They handed his wife a warning notice that characterized the email as a threat. Streever's attorney, JT Morris of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), said the visit was an act of intimidation aimed at silencing political speech.
After Streever returned to the United States, DHS agents tracked him to a hotel in New York City, leaving repeated voicemails and requesting that he sign the notice. The lawsuit argues that the agency's actions violated Streever's First Amendment rights by retaliating against him for criticizing government leadership.
"Americans have a clear right to criticize government officials," Morris told The Washington Post. "When federal agents come to your door and ask you to stop engaging in political speech, it's an act of intimidation that the Constitution doesn't tolerate."
Streever expressed surprise that his private email prompted such a response. "I cherish our right to speak openly about issues of public concern," he said in a statement. "I hope others will not be discouraged from peacefully expressing their views, even when those views are critical of the government."
The lawsuit also names DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin as a defendant. In a statement released Monday, the agency categorically denied the allegations. "Any allegation DHS and its components are attempting to 'squash' free speech is categorically FALSE," the statement read. "ANYONE who assaults or threatens our law enforcement officers will face the consequences."
The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics, including the recent appointment of a new ICE director. The Trump administration has tapped former trooper and Marine Lance Schroyer to lead ICE as the agency continues to face criticism over its handling of deportations and civil rights. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court recently bolstered Trump-era immigration policies, adding to the contentious political landscape.
Legal experts say the case could test the limits of how far federal agencies can go in responding to harsh criticism from citizens. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which is representing Streever, has a track record of defending free speech on college campuses and in public forums. Morris emphasized that the lawsuit is not about the content of the email but about the government's response to it. "This is about the government using its power to intimidate a citizen for expressing a political opinion," he said.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a court order barring DHS from similar actions in the future. As the legal battle unfolds, it highlights ongoing tensions between national security measures and First Amendment protections, particularly in the context of immigration enforcement.
