Former CNN top star Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents late Thursday night in California in connection with large unrest at a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the arrest Friday morning, and said that three other individuals were also taken into custody for instigating an anti-ICE mob to attack the church.
“At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi wrote. “More details soon.”
Lemon, 59, was arrested in Los Angeles where he was covering the Grammy Awards. His attorney Abbe Lowell confirmed that federal agents took Lemon into custody Thursday night.
Lemon faces charges of conspiracy to deprive others of their civil rights and violation of the FACE Act by allegedly interfering by force with the exercise of others’ First Amendment rights.
The FACE Act, or Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, prohibits the use of force and physical obstruction to stop a person worshiping at a church or holy place, as protected by their First Amendment rights to religious freedom. It was enacted into law to help combat the Klu Klux Klan from terrorizing Black churches.
Lowell issued a statement defending Lemon’s actions at the church, and said he was acting only as a journalist and not an instigator.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing this work.”
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said. “This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand. Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
The January 18 incident occurred at Cities Church in St. Paul during a Sunday worship service. A mob stormed into the church, confronting churchgoers, banging drums and blowing whistles while they chanted slogans including “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good.”
The mob believed an ICE official serves as a pastor at the church.
Lemon live-streamed the protest and confronted lead pastor Jonathan Parnell during the disruption. When Parnell condemned the demonstration, Lemon defended the disruption.
“There’s a constitution and a First Amendment to freedom of speech, and freedom to assemble and protest,” Lemon said.
A federal judge last week reviewed the evidence and approved charges against only three of eight people the Justice Department sought to charge in connection with the attack. The judge initially rejected the evidence against Lemon as insufficient. The Justice Department then petitioned a federal appeals court to force the judge to issue the additional warrants, which was also denied.
So the Justice Department sought a grand jury indictment to proceed with charges against Lemon and the others arrested Friday.
The White House posted a message on social media that mocked Lemon following his arrest.
“When life gives you lemons…” the White House account wrote, along with an image of Lemon from inside the church.
When life gives you lemons… ⛓️ pic.twitter.com/wxry0fudOj
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 30, 2026
Lemon is expected to make his first court appearance Friday in federal court in Los Angeles.
Bondi later released a video statement indicating the Trump administration plans to prosecute anyone who interferes with others exercising their right to worship.
Conservative journalist Megyn Kelly defended the arrest, arguing journalists do not receive immunity from prosecution when breaking the law.
“For those saying this is criminalizing journalism, journalists don’t get a pass when breaking the law just bc they have a mic,” Kelly wrote on social media. “If I accompanied ppl storming an abortion clinic harassing/scaring/’traumatizing’ the crying women while saying ‘But I’m a reporter!’ I would absolutely have been charged under any Dem admin.”
Meanwhile, former CNN anchor Jim Acosta condemned the arrest as an attack on press freedom.
“Attorney for my colleague and friend Don Lemon has released a statement saying Don was arrested by federal agents in LA last night. This is outrageous and cannot stand. The First Amendment is under attack in America!”
Law professor Jonathan Turley had previously noted that Lemon and protest organizer Armstrong “played right into the language of the FACE Act” by focusing on the religious values of the congregants.
“Don Lemon did his best to perfect the case against the protesters in the Minneapolis Church, as targeting the congregants over their faith,” Turley wrote. “In what sounds like a pitch for prosecution under the FACE Act, Lemon zeroed in on the religious values of the congregants in a new tirade.”
…The former CNN host dismissed criticism for storming a church gathering, explaining "I think people who are, you know, in the religious groups like that, it's not the type of Christianity that I practice, but I think that they're entitled, and that entitlement comes from a…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) January 20, 2026
…Lemon and Armstrong are playing directly into the language of the FACE Act, which “prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person seeking to … exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) January 20, 2026
Lemon was fired from CNN in 2023 and now hosts The Don Lemon Show on YouTube.