Overview
- Attorney Steven Mandell sent a letter Thursday night to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and acting general counsel Joseph Mazzara demanding immediate removal of three Sun-Times photos from agency social accounts or face suit.
- One disputed post was a “Cicero” graphic styled like the film Sicario that used a Michigan Avenue photo by Ashlee Rezin alongside DHS officials’ images.
- Another DHS video montage posted Tuesday on X used photos by Rezin and Sun-Times video journalist Zubaer Khan and coincided with CBP official Greg Bovino’s federal-court appearance over tear-gas use.
- The letter argues the unauthorized use falsely implies the newspaper’s endorsement and harms its credibility and independence, and it cites potential statutory damages of up to $150,000 per violation.
- As of Friday evening, the DHS posts remained online on X, and the agency had not issued a public response to the paper’s complaint.