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Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has initiated assault charges against an ICE agent referred to as “America’s most unhinged prosecutor.” This move has raised eyebrows among critics who are questioning her priorities. In another development, New York Governor Kathy Hochul is under scrutiny for her strong anti-ICE stance following a tragic apartment fire in New York City that involved an illegal immigrant. The victim’s family provided heartfelt testimony during a Capitol Hill hearing regarding protective policies.
On Tuesday, a resident from New York shared that he received a warning from federal authorities after sending an email that was deemed threatening. David Strieber from Rochester was traveling in Finland when two police officers visited his home and delivered a notice to his wife concerning an email he sent earlier this year.
Strieber had reached out to then-acting ICE Director Todd Lyons in January after an ICE officer fatally shot American citizen Renee Nicole Good during an enforcement action in Minneapolis. In his email, Strieber referred to Lyons as a “monstrous human being” who would “never know peace.”
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“As you can see in video evidence, your defense of the obvious death penalty in Minnesota will ultimately lead to your downfall. Even Trump will turn against you, and you will be left a sad, despised man, consumed by shame for your weakness,” Strieber wrote, according to his attorney Adam Steinbaugh, who is representing him through the Individual Rights Expression Foundation.
There were attempts by federal agents to confront Strieber at a hotel in New York City after his return from Finland, but hotel staff denied them access. Steinbaugh contended that Strieber’s email was protected by the First Amendment and did not represent a genuine threat, stating that “a real threat indicates a serious intention to commit violence, and this email does not meet that level. It’s a form of political expression, an act of petitioning the government.”
Strieber expressed surprise at the federal agents visiting his home regarding a mere email exchange. “Like many others, I was deeply unsettled after the mass shooting in Minnesota and felt compelled to act. Writing to the ICE director seemed like a way to channel my anger. I never imagined it would result in federal agents knocking on my door,” he recounted.
Federal agents confirmed that they investigate all credible threats against their officers, including threats against the director of ICE. Paigelyn Gonia, a poll worker in Syracuse, shared that she faced scrutiny the same week Strieber received his warning, as two federal agents approached her at a polling site regarding social media comments about Jonathan Ross, the ICE officer involved in Good’s death.
Gonia believes her warning was in response to a January post where she shared a picture of Ross, stating, “I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted.” This post remains accessible online, made after Ross’s identity was publicized by the media.
Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Lauren Biss noted that Gonia had reportedly shared Ross’s address online, although parts of her post were redacted. Biss indicated that such actions could lead to severe legal consequences, asserting that personalizing federal officers would inevitably bring repercussions.
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Free speech advocates argue that these incidents illustrate federal law enforcement infringing on Americans’ rights to privacy and expression. Nathan Fried Wessler, deputy director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, emphasized that the First Amendment protects the right to criticize the government.
“No one should be tracked to their home or hotel by federal agents for merely expressing dissatisfaction with government action via email,” Wessler stated. “This is a clear abuse of power and an overt attempt to suppress constitutionally protected speech.” Both ICE and DHS have stated they are investigating credible threats against their officers and personal information but have not elaborated publicly on why Strieber’s email was seen as threatening.
