On July 2, 2010, photographer Lance Rosenfeld was detained by police and released only after authorities reviewed his images and collected his personal identification information, which they then shared with BP, the company responsible for the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Rosenfeld was on assignment for the non-profit media outlet ProPublica and the PBS television program “Frontline” when he was detained near BP’s refinery in Texas City, Texas.
Shortly after arriving in town, Rosenfeld was confronted by a BP security officer, local police, and a man who identified himself as an agent of the Department of Homeland Security, according to ProPublica. Police released the photographer after reviewing his images and recording his date of birth and Social Security number. The police officer then turned the information over to the BP security guard according to ProPublica.