Journalist Don Lemon was taken into federal custody late Thursday night in Los Angeles, following an incident earlier this month in which a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, was disrupted during a protest tied to immigration enforcement.
Lemon, a former CNN anchor who now works independently, has repeatedly said he was at the church in a journalistic capacity, observing and reporting on the protest rather than participating in it. The demonstration occurred on January 18 at Cities Church, where protesters interrupted a service by chanting slogans opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The church’s pastor is an ICE official.
Federal prosecutors initially sought charges against eight people connected to the incident, including Lemon, citing a law designed to protect religious services from disruption. A magistrate judge reviewed the evidence and approved warrants for only three individuals, declining to authorize charges against Lemon and others because the evidence was insufficient.
After that ruling, the Justice Department attempted to overturn the decision by petitioning a federal appeals court. The appeal was rejected.
Despite those setbacks, Lemon was arrested Thursday night in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards, according to his attorney. “Don Lemon was engaged in constitutionally protected journalism,” said attorney Abbe Lowell. “He was doing what he has done for decades: reporting on events of public interest.”
Lowell called the arrest an attack on press freedoms and said Lemon will contest the charges aggressively. Prosecutors are pursuing accusations that include conspiring to violate civil rights and unlawfully interfering with religious worship. Justice Department officials have said they intend to prosecute individuals they believe crossed the line from protest into criminal conduct.
Lemon is expected to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Friday. His defense is expected to center on the claim that he was documenting events as they unfolded rather than engaging in the protest itself.
In a video posted earlier this week, Lemon addressed the incident directly. “When the protest happened, we reported on it,” he said. “We spoke to the pastor, members of the church, and the protesters. That’s journalism.”
Lemon left CNN in 2023 after a 17-year run and now hosts an independent YouTube program. He has been a vocal critic of President Trump and the administration’s immigration policies.
The arrest comes amid heightened unrest in Minneapolis, where aggressive federal immigration actions have sparked ongoing protests. Tensions escalated further after two demonstrators were killed in separate encounters with federal agents earlier this month, incidents that continue to draw scrutiny.
The situation has also created turmoil within the U.S. attorney’s office in Minneapolis. Several prosecutors have resigned following internal disputes over how the administration has handled investigations related to the shootings.
President Trump has recently suggested he is open to reducing federal enforcement activity in the area. The administration replaced the Border Patrol official overseeing Minneapolis operations with border czar Tom Homan, who has indicated a willingness to engage with local officials.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has requested assistance from other federal prosecutors across the Midwest to support ongoing cases tied to the protests.
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