On 29/01/2026, Thursday night, journalist Don Lemon, who used to be an anchor for CNN, was arrested by the federal government in Los Angeles while covering the Grammy Awards. Abbe Lowell, Lemon’s lawyer, said that the arrest was because Lemon was involved with anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protesters who stormed Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, earlier this month, stopping a service and starting fights. Lowell called the move a “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment” and promised to fight it in court.
Dozens of protesters targeted a pastor at Cities Church who was said to be connected to ICE. This happened during a time of high tension over President Trump’s immigration policies. Lemon livestreamed the event, claiming it as protected journalistic work after 30 years in the field, though footage showed him arguing with church members. Federal charges are said to use the Enforcement Act of 1871, which was meant to stop Ku Klux Klan violence, to say that interfering with civil rights like religious practice is a crime.
Lowell said that the Trump Justice Department was using resources against Lemon to take attention away from bigger problems, like the deaths of two Minnesota protesters who were allegedly killed by federal agents. He stressed Lemon’s role in revealing the truth and holding those in power accountable, saying that the arrest goes against constitutional protections. Lowell said in a statement on Friday morning, “Don will fight these charges very hard.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi called the church scene “horrific” during a Minneapolis visit but avoided naming Lemon directly. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said that Lemon tried to avoid conspiracy charges by saying he was doing his job as a journalist.
