A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from prosecuting a man for sending an angry but non-violent email criticising the agency's leadership. US District Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled that David Streever's email to then-acting ICE director Todd Lyons, though harsh in tone, amounted to protected political speech under the First Amendment, not a criminal threat. The case highlights concerns about federal agencies using intimidation tactics to silence critics following controversial use-of-force incidents.

Streever sent the email in January after two Minnesota protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by ICE-linked officers, telling Lyons he was a "monstrous human being" who would be remembered like a notorious Nazi official. ICE took no action for five months before officers visited, then tracked Streever to a hotel, to serve a notice warning he could face prosecution unless he stopped criticising the agency's leadership. Although ICE claimed to have dropped its investigation within a month, it never informed Streever, and a Department of Homeland Security social media post left him believing the probe was ongoing. Contreras found the warning had a chilling effect on Streever's speech and ordered ICE to halt enforcement of it while the litigation continues; ICE has not commented on whether it will appeal.