Lemon has been a mainstay of the Left’s media machine for years. But his downfall has been swift.
Now Don Lemon faces his day in court for an inexcusable crime.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, now working as an independent journalist, is scheduled for arraignment in federal court in Minnesota on charges connected to his coverage of a disruptive anti-ICE protest inside a church.
Background on the Incident
The episode unfolded on January 18, 2026, at Cities Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in St. Paul, Minnesota, where the pastor serves as an ICE official.
Protesters entered during the service and began chanting slogans such as “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referencing a woman fatally shot by federal officers the prior month amid the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement push.
The demonstration interrupted worship, prompting complaints from conservative religious figures and even some clergy critical of immigration policies who nonetheless viewed the tactics as inappropriate.
Lemon was present livestreaming the event and conducting interviews with attendees, protesters, and the pastor. He has maintained he was there strictly in a journalistic capacity, unaffiliated with the protest organizers.
Federal Charges and Legal Proceedings
Lemon faces federal civil rights violations under statutes protecting religious freedom at places of worship, including conspiracy to interfere with the exercise of First Amendment religious rights and related obstruction allegations.
These stem from the 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) framework applied here, with potential penalties reaching up to one year in prison and fines up to $10,000 per count.
He is one of nine defendants indicted, with arraignments staggered; Lemon and four others, including civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong.
Lemon plans to plead not guilty, backed by a legal team that includes former federal prosecutor Joe Thompson, who resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in frustration over related immigration matters.
In a statement following his earlier arrest, Lemon declared: “I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now. In fact, there is no more important time than right now, this very moment for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.”
Broader Implications and Reactions
The case has sparked debate over press freedom, with some arguing the charges risk chilling journalism in tense situations, while others—including the White House—frame it as necessary accountability.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on social media: “President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship.”
The incident ties into heightened tensions around federal immigration actions, including recent officer-involved shootings and enforcement raids.
While Lemon insists his role was reporting—not disruption—the prosecution portrays his presence and actions as contributing to the interference with congregants’ rights to worship undisturbed. The upcoming arraignment will mark the next step as pleas are entered and the case advances.
