January 31 2026, 08:15 
Federal agents have arrested gay journalist Don Lemon for covering an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota. His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, called it “a stunning and troubling effort to silence and punish a journalist for doing his job.”
“Don will call out their latest attack on the rule of law and fight any charges vigorously and thoroughly in court,” he said.
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On January 18, a group of protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul, chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good.” One of the church’s pastors, David Easterwood, is the acting field office director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Lemon, who used to be a CNN host but is now an independent journalist, was at the demonstration and broadcast it.
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The current administration decried the protest as an attack on a “house of worship” and, specifically, “Christian worshippers,” and conservatives denounced it as a sign that protestors had gone too far, even though ICE agents have been entering churches as well to arrest people who may or may not be undocumented immigrants.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) asked a federal magistrate judge for an arrest warrant for eight people at the demonstration, including Lemon. The magistrate signed off on arrest warrants for three of them, but not Lemon. The DOJ appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, but a three-judge panel refused to overturn the magistrate judge’s decision in a ruling last Friday that was published on Saturday. On Monday, the DOJ said it would no longer try to arrest Lemon.
The New York Times is reporting that Lemon was arrested late Thursday in Los Angeles on charges connected to the Cities Church protest, although it’s not clear what those charges are. The DOJ has not said yet who granted it a warrant for his arrest.
“Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church, and members of the organization,” Lemon said in a video before he was arrested. “That’s it. That’s called journalism.”
“The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable,” attorney Lowell said. “There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing his work.”
“Arresting a journalist for doing his job is a blatant assault on the First Amendment and press freedom,” said out gay New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher on Instagram following Lemon’s arrest. “This kind of intimidation has no place in a democracy and must be condemned unequivocally.”
Lemon has long been critical of the president and his administration, and he made headlines last year when he called out Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) to her face for her use of transphobic slurs. The president reposted a message on Truth Social demanding Lemon be jailed for reporting on the protest, according to Deadline.
Lemon is expected to appear in court later today.
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