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January 23, 2026 – USA –
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, now an independent journalist, was detained but not charged in connection with an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest that took place inside Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18–19, 2026, federal court filings and multiple news reports confirm. The protest — involving demonstrators who entered a Sunday service to call attention to perceived conflicts between church leadership and ICE leadership — became a flashpoint in debates over immigration policy, protest rights, and press freedom.
Lemon was present at the protest to document events and livestream portions of the demonstration, which interrupted the service with chants against immigration enforcement. He identified himself as a journalist on multiple occasions and conducted interviews with protesters and church members during his nearly seven-hour livestream, asserting that his role was to report rather than participate in the action.
In the days following the protest, federal prosecutors sought to bring criminal charges against Lemon under statutes including the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) and civil rights conspiracy laws that bar interference with religious worship and constitutionally protected rights. However, a federal magistrate judge in Minnesota declined to sign a proposed criminal complaint against Lemon, concluding that the government had not presented sufficient probable cause for him to be charged at that early procedural stage. The judge’s decision effectively meant Lemon would not face immediate criminal charges related to the protest.
Three other individuals involved in the protest — including civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly — were arrested and charged with federal offences such as conspiracy against rights. The Department of Justice described the action as a civil rights violation connected to the disruption of worship services, though some local officials and commentators characterised the prosecution as politically motivated.
Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, emphasised that the magistrate judge’s rejection of charges confirmed that his presence at the event was consistent with First Amendment-protected journalistic activity, asserting that covering the protest was part of his professional duty and not criminal conduct. Lemon himself has indicated that, although the DOJ could attempt to pursue charges through other legal mechanisms, he remains committed to his work as a journalist.
The episode has fuelled debate over the boundaries of journalistic activity during protests, the application of federal law to media coverage of civil unrest, and the perceived risks journalists face when reporting on contentious political issues. It also highlights broader tensions in Minnesota involving immigration enforcement, civil liberties, and federal prosecutorial strategies amid public criticism of ICE operations.
Reference –
A former CNN journalist was arrested but not charged at an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church
