Former CNN presenter Don Lemon charged after covering anti-ICE protest in Minnesota

Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor now an independent journalist, has been charged with federal civil‑rights offences for livestreaming an anti‑ICE protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul on 18 January 2026. The Department of Homeland Security said Lemon, 59, was one of four people detained during the protest, which was sparked by claims that a church pastor also serves in Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Charges include conspiracy and interference with First Amendment worship rights. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the arrests on social media, naming Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy. Lemon’s lawyer Abbe Lowell called the action an unprecedented attack on press freedom. CNN has criticized the arrest as a threat to First Amendment protections.