She Posted About ICE. Five Months Later, DHS Agents Told Her to Take Her Post Down
She posted about ICE Five months – Paigelynne Gonyea, a content creator with a strong presence on social media, found herself at the center of a controversy when federal immigration agents approached her during a critical voting day. Known for her engaging TikTok videos and Instagram posts, Gonyea has amassed over 100,000 followers on TikTok, where she shares a blend of humor and reviews for skincare products. Her Instagram account, with more than 33,000 followers, occasionally highlights political issues, including incidents involving federal immigration agents. One such post, shared in January, drew attention to a violent event in Minneapolis, sparking a chain of events that culminated in a confrontation on Election Day in New York.
A Voicemail from Homeland Security
On Tuesday, the day of the New York election, Gonyea was at the Central Library in Syracuse, assisting with voter registration. She was not on her phone when a voicemail arrived from an individual claiming to be a Homeland Security special agent, calling from a New Jersey number. The message stated that the agent had “just been by your apartment” and obtained her contact information from her partner. He claimed to be reaching out about a post Gonyea had made on Instagram that allegedly “doxxed” an ICE agent back in January.
“We were just calling you in reference to a post that we believe you made on Instagram where you doxxed an ICE agent back in January.”
Gonyea denied the accusation to NPR, stating she had never released sensitive personal details about an ICE officer. While doxxing typically involves exposing someone’s private information, such as addresses or phone numbers, the Trump administration has sought to broaden its definition in recent months. The agent’s claim, however, lacked specific evidence, leaving Gonyea questioning the validity of the charges.
DHS Statement and Gonyea’s Response
After this story was first published, a DHS spokesperson issued a statement asserting that Gonyea had committed a federal crime by publishing an ICE officer’s address online. The agency argued that her social media activity violated a law against threatening or intimidating federal officials. Yet, DHS has not provided concrete proof to support this claim, leaving the situation open to debate.
Upon learning of the DHS statement, Gonyea asked for clarification, writing to NPR: “Where is the address? I literally have looked through my social media carefully and I do not see an address.” Her confusion underscores the ambiguity of the situation, as the agents failed to specify which post triggered their visit. Despite this, Gonyea insists the agents confirmed the post was about Jonathan Ross, an ICE officer linked to a fatal shooting in Minnesota.
Video Evidence and Legal Context
Gonyea’s encounter with federal agents was initially reported by Syracuse.com. She later shared details with NPR, explaining that during the election, she had called the agent back and told him she was working at a polling site. The agent insisted she come outside, but she felt uneasy about the request. “I don’t trust going outside or dealing with ICE agents at all in any capacity,” Gonyea said in an interview. Her colleague, Sheilia Milledge, a 70-year-old poll worker, echoed her sentiment.
“There’s too many people being kidnapped by ICE and I can’t run behind her,” Milledge told NPR. “I use a cane.”
While the agents were inside, Milledge and another poll worker recorded video footage. The clip shows Milledge attempting to contact city officials, clearly concerned about the agents’ presence. The video captures the moment when a man and a woman with ICE badges entered the library, prompting Gonyea to ask them to explain their actions. The footage highlights the tension between the agents and the poll workers, raising questions about the legality of their entry.
Under federal law, armed law enforcement officers are prohibited from entering polling places. It remains unclear whether the agents involved in this incident were armed, though the DHS confirmed their identities. Additionally, a recently passed New York state law bans immigration agents from entering voting sites, adding another layer to the controversy. The agents’ presence, therefore, may have violated both federal and state regulations.
Commissioner’s Comments on the Incident
Kevin Ryan, the Republican county election commissioner in New York, addressed the situation in a statement to NPR. He confirmed that the individuals with ICE badges were indeed real agents, as verified by a DHS contact. Ryan described the incident as “a comedy of errors from beginning to end,” suggesting that the agents’ actions were missteps. He also noted that Gonyea, as a poll inspector, should have been aware of the rules governing interactions with law enforcement during elections.
Ryan questioned the necessity of the agents’ confrontation, particularly on Election Day. “Why did they need to bring this up on the day people were voting?” he asked. This raises the issue of whether the agents were using the event as a pretext to target Gonyea for her social media activity. Despite the confusion, Ryan’s comments reflect a broader concern about the balance between law enforcement authority and voters’ rights during elections.
The Agents’ File and Gonyea’s Defense
Gonyea revealed that the agents had a file containing personal details about her, including her name, address, date of birth, height, weight, and eye color. She described the encounter as a sudden confrontation, where the agents requested her to sign a document accusing her Instagram account of violating a federal law against threatening or intimidating officers. The notice from ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility states: “YOU MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW” and urges her to “promptly remove and/or discontinue the aforementioned behavior.”
Despite the agents’ claims, Gonyea did not sign the document or delete any of her posts. She emphasized that the agents had not provided her with the specific post they were referring to, though they confirmed it was related to Jonathan Ross. Gonyea shared a screenshot of the post in question, which featured a photo of Ross alongside a comment identifying him as the officer who fatally shot Renée Macklin Good in Minnesota. “I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted,” she wrote in the post, showcasing her support for holding the officer accountable.
The incident has sparked discussions about the role of social media in political discourse and the reach of federal agencies into personal expression. Gonyea’s case highlights the potential for misunderstandings or overreach when law enforcement agencies target individuals for online activity. As the debate continues, the focus remains on whether her posts constituted a violation of the law or a legitimate critique of federal actions.
In the days following the confrontation, Gonyea’s followers have rallied around her, questioning the DHS’s approach and supporting her right to free speech. Meanwhile, the agents’ presence at the polling site has been scrutinized, with some arguing that it disrupted the electoral process and cast doubt on the legitimacy of their mission. The situation underscores the growing intersection between digital activism and federal oversight, as social media becomes a battleground for political expression and enforcement.
