Journalist and former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal authorities in Los Angeles in connection with his coverage of an anti‑ICE protest that disrupted a church service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota on January 18, 2026. The protest targeted the church because one of its pastors also serves as an official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Lemon, along with several others, was indicted by a federal grand jury on civil rights charges, including conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshippers during the protest. Federal prosecutors allege that Lemon and others took actions that disrupted the service and interfered with congregants’ rights to worship.
Federal agents arrested Lemon in Los Angeles as he was preparing to cover the Grammy Awards. After an initial court appearance, he was released without bail and is scheduled to return to court later. Lemon and his attorneys insist he was present solely as a journalist covering the event, and they argue that his actions are protected under the First Amendment.
The Department of Justice has said the charges stem from the protest’s disruption of a religious service and potential violation of protections for the free exercise of religion. Supporters of Lemon, including press freedom advocates and some public figures, have criticized the arrest as an attack on press freedoms.
