Feb. 27, 2026:
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi says (Feb. 27, 2026) federal prosecutors have indicted 30 more people tied to a protest at a Minnesota church over an immigration enforcement crackdown. Bondi says 25 of those people are already under arrest. The protest on Jan. 18, 2026, also led to the arrests of independent journalist Don Lemon and local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong. Both have pleaded not guilty to civil rights charges. Trump officials have strongly condemned the protest for interrupting a church service. Protesters took the action after learning a pastor there is also an immigration enforcement official.
Feb. 13, 2026:
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Former CNN host Don Lemon has pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights charges in Minnesota, accused in a protest at a church in St. Paul where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official is a pastor. Four other people also pleaded not guilty in the case Friday (Feb. 13, 2026), including civil rights attorney and prominent local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong. Lemon says he was reporting on the protesters as an independent journalist at Cities Church on Jan. 18, but prosecutors accuse him of joining a “mob.” Lemon did not comment to reporters as he entered the courthouse accompanied by his attorney Joe Thompson. Nine people have been indicted in the case.
Feb. 3, 2026:
UNDATED-AP- Don Lemon says that about a dozen federal agents came to his Los Angeles hotel to arrest him last week. The independent journalist told ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel that’s even though his attorney had told authorities he would turn himself in to face federal civil rights charges. Lemon said on the show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that sending the agents was a waste of resources. Lemon was indicted last week on federal civil rights charges over his coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church. The Department of Justice and FBI didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Feb. 2, 2026:
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced two more arrests in the protest at a church in Minnesota against the immigration enforcement crackdown. Bondi announced the latest arrests Monday (Feb. 2, 2026). A grand jury in Minnesota has indicted nine people on federal charges of conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshippers during the protest at the Cities Church in St. Paul, where an ICE official is a pastor. The protest generated strong objections from the Trump administration. Those facing federal civil rights charges include independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, who were among four people arrested Friday.
Jan. 22, 2026:
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A prominent civil rights attorney and at least two other people involved in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church have been arrested, Trump administration officials said Thursday (Jan. 22, 2026), even as a judge rebuffed related charges against journalist Don Lemon.
The developments unfolded as Vice President JD Vance arrived in the state.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong in a post on X. On Sunday, protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor. Bondi later posted on X that a second person had been arrested, followed by a third arrested announced by FBI Director Kash Patel.
The Justice Department quickly opened a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month.
“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” the attorney general wrote on X.
Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads the local ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs.
Attorneys representing the church hailed the arrests.
“The U.S. Department of Justice acted decisively by arresting those who coordinated and carried out the terrible crime,” said Doug Wardlow, director of litigation for True North Legal, which calls itself a public interest civil rights firm, in a statement.
Jan. 19, 2026:
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice says it is investigating a group of protesters in Minnesota who disrupted services at a church where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apparently serves as a pastor. A livestreamed video posted on the Facebook page of Black Lives Matter Minnesota shows a group of people interrupting services at the Cities Church in St. Paul by chanting “ICE out.” The protesters allege that one of the church’s pastors also leads the local ICE field office overseeing the operations that have involved violent tactics and illegal arrests. Attorney General Pam Bondi said any violations of federal law would be prosecuted.
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