A poll worker in Syracuse, New York, was confronted by two federal officers at a polling place during the state’s primaries. The officers were reportedly responding to a social media post made by the poll worker, Paigelynne Gonyea, in which she criticized an ICE officer who fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis.

Details of the Confrontation

Gonyea said the officers gave her a written notice stating that she might be in violation of federal laws that prevent publicly posting personal information about federal officers. However, Gonyea’s post did not include the officer’s address, and she has no intention of taking it down. The incident has sparked concerns about the protection of First Amendment rights and the potential intimidation of voters and poll workers.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security considered Gonyea’s post ‘doxxing,’ which is the act of publishing personal information about someone online. However, Gonyea’s post did not include the officer’s address, and she has argued that she was exercising her right to free speech. The incident is being reviewed by the New York Attorney General’s Office, and a representative for the governor’s office said they had not heard of any similar incidents in the state.

Reaction to the Incident

Advocates have considered the encounter intimidating, and some have argued that it could have a chilling effect on free speech. Rep. John Mannion, a Democrat who represents the area in Congress, sent a letter to the DHS Secretary calling for the department to review the incident and ‘put a stop to any ICE activities that target protected speech.’ The incident has also sparked a debate about the balance between protecting federal officers and preserving the right to free speech.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.