ICE Agents Confront Syracuse Poll Worker Over Instagram Post on Election Day
On Election Day in Syracuse, New York, two ICE agents confronted poll worker Paigelynne Gonyea at her polling place, demanding she delete an Instagram post that named ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed protester Renée Good. The agents produced copies of her posts and driver’s license, issuing a warning notice for alleged doxing or threats. Gonyea refused to sign. Local election officials confirmed the law enforcement presence inside the polling place violated election law unless it was an emergency, raising concerns about voter intimidation and suppression of political speech critical of Trump's deportation policies.
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ICE Warns Syracuse Poll Worker to Delete Political Instagram Post
Syracuse resident and poll worker Paigelynne Gonyea was approached by two ICE agents at her workplace and ordered to delete an Instagram post. The post identified ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who was publicly named in news reports as the officer who shot and killed protester Renée Good in Minnesota. ICE cited potential violations of federal law (Title 18 Sections 115 and 119), which prohibit threats or doxing of federal officials. However, Gonyea's post did not include any personal contact information or explicit threats, merely naming Ross and calling for his indictment. The warning notice did not list the agent's name or contact information for follow-up. Gonyea has refused to delete the post and has contacted the attorney general's office, her congressman, the mayor, and the NYCLU. Civil liberties advocates, including FIRE, condemned the action as federal intimidation of protected political speech. The incident is compared to other recent cases of law enforcement targeting social media political speech.
Reason.comICE Warns Syracuse Poll Worker to Delete Political Instagram Post
Syracuse resident Paigelynne Gonyea, a poll worker, was confronted at her workplace by two ICE agents who issued a warning demanding she delete an Instagram post. The post had named ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who was previously identified in media reports as the agent who shot protester Renée Good. ICE cited potential violations of federal law (Title 18, Sections 115 and 119) concerning threats or doxing of federal officials. Gonyea denies threatening anyone or publishing private information, and has refused to delete the post. The warning notice notably left the agent's contact details blank, making it difficult to challenge. Legal experts, including FIRE attorney Adam Steinbaugh, condemned the incident as government intimidation of protected speech. The article draws parallels to other cases where political speech was treated as criminal threats under the Trump administration.
Reason.comICE Agents Confront Poll Worker Over Instagram Post on Election Day
On Election Day in Syracuse, New York, two ICE agents confronted poll worker Paigelynne Gonyea at her workplace, demanding she delete an Instagram post they claimed threatened federal agents. Gonyea, who frequently posts about immigration, believes the investigation stemmed from her sharing a news article identifying ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who killed Renee Good. The agents presented copies of her social media posts and driver's license, and handed her a warning notice. Gonyea refused to sign, arguing her post did not constitute doxing. Both Republican and Democratic elections commissioners confirmed the visit, with the Democratic commissioner noting that election law prohibits law enforcement from entering polling places except in emergencies. The article frames the incident as part of a broader pattern of federal law enforcement silencing critics of President Trump's mass deportation policies, citing a recent 30-year prison sentence for transporting protest materials in Texas.
The New RepublicICE Agents Track Down Poll Worker at Syracuse Polling Place, Demand Deletion of Instagram Post
On Election Day in Syracuse, New York, two ICE agents tracked down poll worker Paigelynne Gonyea at her polling place, demanding she remove an Instagram post they claimed threatened federal agents. Gonyea, who frequently posts about immigration, had shared a news article identifying ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Renee Good. Ross faced minimal consequences for the killing. The agents arrived with copies of her posts and driver's license, and handed her a warning notice threatening investigation. Both the Republican and Democratic elections commissioners confirmed the visit was not a hoax, with the Democratic commissioner noting that election law prohibits law enforcement from entering polling places unless responding to an emergency. The incident has raised concerns about potential voter intimidation and suppression of criticism against federal immigration enforcement policies.
The New RepublicICE Agents Confront Poll Worker Over Instagram Post on Election Day
On Election Day, two ICE agents tracked down Paigelynne Gonyea, a poll worker in Syracuse, New York, and demanded she delete an Instagram post they claimed threatened federal agents. Gonyea, who frequently posts about immigration, had shared a news article identifying ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who killed Renee Good and faced minimal consequences. The agents arrived at her workplace with copies of her posts and driver's license, issuing a warning notice. Gonyea refused to sign and criticized the intimidation tactic. Local election commissioners confirmed that law enforcement presence inside a polling place violated election law unless responding to an emergency. The incident raises concerns about federal law enforcement silencing critics of President Trump's deportation policies and potential voter intimidation.
The New Republic