By SUZANNE DOWNING
Jan. 30, 2026 – Federal law enforcement officials announced early Friday that former CNN journalist Don Lemon and three others were taken into custody in connection with a protest that disrupted a Sunday church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed in a social media post that federal agents acted at her direction to arrest Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy “in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota” on Jan. 18. She said additional details would be released soon.
The invasion in question occurred at Cities Church, a congregation that the invasion organizers said is pastored by a local official with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and disrupted a worship service as demonstrators chanted and called for a halt to federal immigration enforcement.
Federal authorities say this was a violation of federal laws protecting houses of worship and the constitutional right to worship free of interference.
Initial arrests began earlier this month, and several people have already been charged in related civil rights or federal obstruction cases.
Lemon, who left CNN in 2023 and now works independently, was reportedly in St. Paul covering the protest and documenting the events when demonstrators entered the church. But he was apparently one of the organizers of it as well. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, has maintained that Lemon was acting solely as a journalist and asserted that his coverage is protected under the First Amendment.
The church protest was part of a larger series of demonstrations in Minnesota tied to public outrage over federal immigration enforcement.
3 thoughts on “Don Lemon, three others arrested in connection with Minnesota church invasion”
It’s interesting to see the entitled crowd who think their rights usurp the rights of others, they think they can pick and choose which rights apply to them and which apply to others.
Stupid is and Stupid does: Don “Loser” Lemon
Well Don Lemon, churches are not public spaces. They are private property. If this group had set up across the street waved signs and yelled, that would be a First Amendment protected protest. You could have interviewed the pastor and congregants as they exited following the service. However instead of reporting the story, you decided to be part of the story. You were an activist not a bystander reporting on events. This cabal invaded a private space specifically to disrupt, harass and accuse, depriving congregants of the very First Amendment rights you claim for yourself. It appears from reports that you even help scout out the location.
We know Don Lemon, you scream “nobody is above the law”, but what you are really saying is, rules for them, but not for Don Lemon. Interestingly your protest is making it clear that you consider violent criminal illegals to also to be exempt from all those pesky laws ICE is trying to enforce.
I wonder if it ever dawned on Don Lemon, why there are ICE operations ALL over this country, yet somehow only a few locations experience this mayhem. Could it have anything to do with an attempt to distract from the massive fraud going on in Minnesota and California?