Don Lemon, former CNN anchor, arrested by Federal agents over anti-ICE church protest

Don Lemon has been arrested in Los Angeles over anti-ICE protest that disrupted a Minnesota church service

Former CNN anchor and independent journalist Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles on January 30, 2026, in connection with an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota earlier this month. Lemon’s lawyer confirmed the arrest and said it stemmed from his reporting on the demonstration, which targeted a church where protesters believed a pastor worked for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The demonstration took place on January 18, when activists entered Cities Church during Sunday services, chanting and confronting worshippers as part of a protest against immigration enforcement policies. Lemon livestreamed parts of the incident, interviewing participants outside and inside the church as the service was interrupted.

Federal authorities allege Lemon violated federal law by participating in or aiding the disruption, potentially implicating statutes such as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and civil rights protections tied to interference with religious worship. Prosecutors had previously tried to charge Lemon, but a federal magistrate judge in Minnesota rejected their bid to approve charges earlier in January, finding insufficient evidence at that stage. Nonetheless, the Department of Justice ultimately moved forward, and Lemon was taken into custody while covering the Grammy Awards in California.

Lemon’s legal team, led by attorney Abbe Lowell, has described the arrest as an unprecedented attack on press freedom. In statements to media, Lowell emphasised Lemon’s three decades as a journalist and contended that his presence at the protest was strictly professional rather than participatory. “Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work … was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said, framing the arrest as a violation of First Amendment protections.

Supporters of Lemon, including some media figures and civil liberties advocates, have criticised the Justice Department’s actions, arguing that targeting a reporter for documenting a protest sets a troubling precedent for press freedom in the United States. Critics of the protest itself, including some congregation members and conservative commentators, have called the church disruption a violation of religious rights and argued that legal action is appropriate.

At the time of his arrest, it was not yet publicly clear what specific charges Lemon would face. Prosecutors in similar cases have pursued civil rights or interference charges against protest leaders, and authorities could seek to refile or pursue grand jury indictments. Lemon remains in custody pending further legal proceedings, and his legal team has pledged to vigorously contest any charges in court.