Don Lemon Faces Arraignment on Federal Church Protest Charges

Former CNN host Don Lemon, now an independent journalist, and four other defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Minnesota on Friday. The charges stem from an alleged disruption of a service at a church in St. Paul where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official was a pastor.

Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong is also scheduled for arraignment Friday. Her image was altered and falsely depicted her crying in a social media post from the White House.

Legal Proceedings and Charges

The arraignments will include entering pleas and scheduling future court dates. It was unclear if Lemon would appear in person or have his legal team represent him. His attorney, Joe Thompson, has not responded to requests for comment.

Two additional defendants, including journalist Georgia Fort, are expected to be arraigned next week. A total of nine individuals are facing charges in this case. Lemon previously indicated through his attorney that he intends to plead not guilty to federal civil rights charges related to his coverage of the church protest.

The Church Protest and Related Events

On January 18, 2026, protesters interrupted a service at Cities Church, chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” a woman fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis the previous month. Lemon stated he was present as a journalist covering the event for his livestream show and was not affiliated with the protest group.

The protest drew criticism from conservative religious and political leaders. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a social media warning that President Trump would not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in places of worship.

Federal Law and Penalties

The charges are based on the 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which prohibits interference or intimidation of individuals exercising their First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of worship. Penalties for violating this act can include up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Attorney and Justice Department Response

Joe Thompson, Lemon’s attorney, recently resigned from the Minnesota US Attorney’s Office, along with several other former prosecutors, due to concerns about the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies and the Justice Department’s handling of the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Thompson had been leading an investigation into public program fraud cases before his resignation.

The Trump administration has cited these fraud cases, primarily involving individuals from the state’s Somali community, as justification for its immigration enforcement actions.