Don Lemon's arrest and prosecution over an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church

Active · last development Sep 12: “Minnesota churches roiled by legal battle over ICE surveillance and right to protest”

What this arc covers

The January 2026 protest that interrupted a service at a St. Paul church where a Minnesota ICE official is a pastor, during the Minneapolis immigration crackdown, and the Justice Department's prosecution of those involved: a magistrate judge's refusal to approve charges against journalist Don Lemon, his arrest and release, his not-guilty plea, the arrests and indictments of dozens more protesters announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi, journalist Georgia Fort's bid to dismiss her charges, a judge's scrutiny of the grand jury records, and the wider legal fight over ICE surveillance of churches and the right to protest.

United States Department of Justice

Earliest story we hold Jan 19, 2026 · 19 stories · 96 independent sources (counted once each) · 236 days

Part ofMinnesotaDon LemonSão PauloUnited States Department of JusticeMinneapolisPam BondiRenee GoodLos Angeles

Part of Trump's immigration crackdown

  1. The fight over ICE agents' masks, body cameras and shock glovesOct 16, 2025 – Sep 1, 2026
  2. Gregory Bovino's exit from Chicago and Minneapolis and his retirementOct 28, 2025 – Sep 1, 2026
  3. Don Lemon's arrest and prosecution over an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota churchThis arcJan 19 – Sep 12, 2026
  4. The 2026 Homeland Security shutdown over Democrats' ICE demandsJan 25 – Apr 28, 2026
  5. Deaths in ICE custody during Trump's second termMar 16 – Sep 22, 2026
  6. Trump's search for an ICE director after Todd Lyons stepped downApr 17 – Sep 17, 2026
  7. The protests and investigations at New Jersey's Delaney Hall detention centerMay 30 – Aug 7, 2026
  8. The Justice Department's suits against in-state tuition for undocumented studentsJul 16 – Sep 10, 2026
Show remaining 9 arcs
  1. Trump's order to end birthright citizenshipDec 8, 2024 – Sep 2, 2026
  2. Trump's deportations of migrants to third countries, from Panama to South SudanFeb 5, 2025 – Sep 19, 2026
  3. The Israel-Hamas war: the Trump administration's bid to deport student activistsMar 9, 2025 – Sep 14, 2026
  4. Trump's travel bans, from the June 2025 order to its expansionMar 15 – Dec 31, 2025
  5. Kilmar Abrego García's wrongful deportation and prosecutionApr 1, 2025 – Aug 18, 2026
  6. The conviction of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan over an ICE arrestApr 25, 2025 – Jul 7, 2026
  7. Trump's deployments of the National Guard to Los Angeles, Chicago and PortlandJun 8 – Dec 31, 2025
  8. Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center in the EvergladesJun 24, 2025 – Sep 14, 2026
  9. Trump's push to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and SyriansJul 1, 2025 – Aug 20, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 12– 14Minnesota churches roiled by legal battle over ICE surveillance and right to protest11 articles · 10 independent sources
0 left, 2 center, 0 right
Aug 25Judge in Don Lemon indictment asks to see grand jury records, adding to growing scrutiny of Justice Department cases9 articles · 9 independent sources
0 left, 1 center, 1 right
Aug 6– 7Journalist Georgia Fort, who filmed ICE protest in church, seeks dismissal of federal charges7 articles · 7 independent sources
2 left, 2 center, 1 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Jan 22 – 23Several people were arrested for protesting at a St. Paul church. Here’s what we know29 articles · 26 independent sources
  2. Jan 30 – 31Don Lemon released after being arrested in connection with church protest near Minneapolis89 articles · 53 independent sources
  3. Jan 30Journalist Don Lemon arrested after protest that disrupted Minnesota church service55 articles · 42 independent sources
  4. Jan 30 – Feb 3Don Lemon shares details of his arrest on 'Kimmel,' says DOJ wanted to 'embarrass' him36 articles · 23 independent sources
  5. Feb 13 – 14Don Lemon Pleads Not Guilty to Church Protest in Minnesota46 articles · 37 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Jan 19Mar 9Apr 27Jun 8Jul 27Sep 14

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Jan 19, 2026101715110
Jan 26, 2026181919143
Feb 2, 202638747
Feb 9, 202679981
Feb 23, 20261307
Aug 3, 20262216
Aug 24, 20260119
Sep 7, 202602010
Sep 14, 20261001

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

31% left · 40% center · 29% right of 96 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 19 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. January 2026

    Jan 19DOJ investigating after activists disrupt church where Minnesota ICE official is a pastor20 articles · 18 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 4 right
  2. Jan 19– 20Trump officials investigate protesters who interrupted Minnesota church service, targeting ICE official15 articles · 14 independent sources
    1 left, 6 center, 2 right
  3. Jan 19– 20DOJ hints at criminal charges against Don Lemon, anti-ICE protesters for St. Paul church invasion18 articles · 12 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 9 right
  4. Jan 19– 23Magistrate judge rejects charges against Don Lemon over anti-ICE protest in Minnesota church17 articles · 13 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 8 right
  5. Jan 20Ellison on Church Protest: I'm Frustrated by ICE 'Escalating Into Our State'7 articles · 4 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 4 right
  6. Jan 20Don Lemon reacts to Nicki Minaj backlash over anti-ice church protest7 articles · 6 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 2 right
  7. Jan 22– 23Several people were arrested for protesting at a St. Paul church. Here’s what we know29 articles · 26 independent sources
    5 left, 8 center, 1 right
  8. Jan 30Journalist Don Lemon arrested after protest that disrupted Minnesota church service55 articles · 42 independent sources
    12 left, 11 center, 7 right
  9. Jan 30– Feb 3Don Lemon shares details of his arrest on 'Kimmel,' says DOJ wanted to 'embarrass' him36 articles · 23 independent sources
    2 left, 6 center, 7 right
  10. Jan 30– 31Don Lemon Speaks Out About Arrest, Vows He ‘Will Not Be Silenced’6 articles · 5 independent sources
    4 left, 0 center, 1 right
  11. Jan 30– 31Don Lemon released after being arrested in connection with church protest near Minneapolis89 articles · 53 independent sources
    8 left, 16 center, 14 right

  12. February 2026

    Feb 2Bondi announces two more arrests in Minnesota church invasion20 articles · 11 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 3 right
  13. Feb 11Don Lemon hires former MN prosecutor Joe Thompson to help fight church protest charges20 articles · 13 independent sources
    4 left, 3 center, 4 right
  14. Feb 13– 14Don Lemon Pleads Not Guilty to Church Protest in Minnesota46 articles · 37 independent sources
    4 left, 6 center, 5 right
  15. Feb 13Ex-CNN host Don Lemon set to be arraigned in Minnesota church protest case19 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 3 right
  16. Feb 27Attorney general announces indictments against 30 more people who protested at a Minnesota church7 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 0 right

  17. August 2026

    Aug 6– 7Journalist Georgia Fort, who filmed ICE protest in church, seeks dismissal of federal charges7 articles · 7 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 1 right

  19. September 2026

    Sep 12– 14Minnesota churches roiled by legal battle over ICE surveillance and right to protest11 articles · 10 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 0 right