Fired CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested Thursday by federal authorities following a disruptive ICE protest inside a Minnesota church, a stunning and humiliating turn for a media figure who once enjoyed near-immunity as a protected face of cable news.
Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents in after prosecutors moved forward with charges tied to a January 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul. The ICE protest erupted during a Sunday worship service and quickly descended into chaos, forcing congregants to leave and triggering a federal civil rights investigation.
🚨 IT’S OFFICIAL: Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has been ARRESTED by federal agents in Los Angeles in connection with the anti-ICE mob that stormed a church in Minneapolis during a Sunday service.
Terrorizing churchgoers and children is not OK. pic.twitter.com/tSTbX8aD1h
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) January 30, 2026
According to federal officials, Don Lemon was not merely present as an observer in the Minneapolis area church. Investigators allege the fired CNN host actively involved himself in the ICE protest inside the church, engaging with demonstrators and confronting parishioners while the service was underway. Authorities say that conduct crossed the line from journalism into direct participation in unlawful activity.
The protest targeted the church after activists learned one of its pastors also served as an ICE field office leader. Demonstrators entered the sanctuary chanting slogans and disrupting worship, an act federal officials say directly interfered with the congregation’s constitutional right to religious freedom.
Video evidence reviewed by investigators reportedly shows Don Lemon speaking with ICE protesters and challenging church members about immigration enforcement as the disturbance unfolded. Federal sources say his presence and actions emboldened the demonstrators and escalated tensions inside the building.
Prosecutors are examining potential violations of federal civil rights statutes designed to protect religious institutions from intimidation and disruption. Officials familiar with the case say the location, timing, and nature of the protest significantly elevated its seriousness under federal law.
After Don Lemon STORMED the church in Minnesota, he then stood outside and harassed Christians who were leaving.
He’s truly a disgusting human being. pic.twitter.com/glhff2VicO
— American AF 🇺🇸 (@iAnonPatriot) January 22, 2026
Don Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, issued a defiant statement insisting Lemon was engaged in lawful newsgathering and accusing the Justice Department of attacking press freedom. He claimed Lemon was doing nothing more than documenting events and exercising his First Amendment rights.
Federal authorities flatly rejected that defense. One law enforcement official said the case has nothing to do with speech or reporting and everything to do with conduct. “Being a journalist is not a shield,” the source said, adding that active participation in a disruptive protest is not protected by press credentials.
Several other demonstrators involved in the church incident have already been charged, underscoring the seriousness with which authorities are treating the disruption. Officials say Lemon’s celebrity status did not and will not exempt him from scrutiny.
The arrest caps a long fall for Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023 after years of on-air controversies, inflammatory remarks, and declining credibility. Once propped up by network executives despite repeated scandals, Lemon has since struggled to remain relevant as an independent commentator.
Critics say the arrest exposes what they long argued was Don Lemon’s inability to separate activism from journalism. Supporters, meanwhile, have rushed to frame him as a victim of political retaliation, though prosecutors insist the evidence tells a very different story.
Federal agents arrested former CNN host Don Lemon in Los Angeles, where he was supposed to be covering the GRAMMYs, over his alleged role in storming a church in Minnesota.
His attorney Abbe Lowell issued a statement below.
His supporters are advocating with “free Don lemon”… pic.twitter.com/OVEN2IC9vj
— Digital Daisy (@DigitalDaisyX) January 30, 2026
Lemon is expected to be arraigned in federal court, where prosecutors will outline the charges and seek conditions for release. If convicted, he could face serious legal consequences that would further dismantle what remains of his media career.
For a man once shielded by cable news power and prestige, the arrest marks a brutal reckoning. Don Lemon once lectured America from behind a studio desk now finds himself on the other side of federal law enforcement, facing allegations that could permanently redefine his legacy.
