LOS ANGELES– Former CNN host Don Lemon was arrested Thursday night in Los Angeles by federal agents. Prosecutors say the arrest ties back to a disruptive anti-ICE protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul earlier this month.

The case has quickly turned into a national flashpoint, with free speech and press rights on one side, and claims of interference with religious worship on the other.

Three others were also taken into custody on Friday in connection with the January 18 incident. They include independent journalist Georgia Fort, along with Trahern Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy.

Quick Snapshot of the Case

• Where the protest happened: Cities Church, St. Paul, Minnesota
• Date of the incident: January 18, 2026
• Arrest location for Lemon: Los Angeles
• Main federal charges cited: Civil rights conspiracy and the FACE Act

Arrest in Los Angeles While Covering the Grammys

Don Lemon, 59, was detained while he was in Los Angeles covering the Grammy Awards. He appeared in federal court there on Friday and was released without bond.

Don Lemon has worked as an independent journalist since leaving CNN in 2023. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, called the case an attack on journalism and said the defense will fight the charges.

What Happened at Cities Church in St. Paul

The charges stem from what happened during a Sunday service on January 18. A group of anti-ICE activists entered the church and began chanting phrases such as “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good.” The chants referenced a person activists say was killed in an ICE-related incident.

Activists also directed attention at one of the church’s pastors. They believed he was serving as the acting director of a local ICE field office. Protesters said this created a conflict between immigration enforcement work and Christian teaching.

Video from the incident, including livestreams by Lemon and Fort, shows protesters interrupting the service, confronting congregants, and raising tensions inside the sanctuary.

Don Lemon entered the church with the group and filmed what happened while narrating. Critics say he went beyond reporting and took part in the disruption. Supporters say he was documenting a newsworthy protest in real time.

Church leaders said the interruption lasted several minutes and forced the service to pause. They described it as a coordinated effort that made worshippers feel intimidated.

Federal Charges Filed Against Don Lemon and Co-Defendants

Lemon and the three co-defendants face two main federal counts:

1) Conspiracy to Deprive Civil Rights

Prosecutors cite a Reconstruction-era statute (18 U.S.C. § 241). The allegation is that the group planned to deprive churchgoers of their First Amendment right to freely practice religion. The conspiracy count carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

2) FACE Act Charge Related to Places of Worship

The second count alleges a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances and Places of Religious Worship Act (FACE Act).

The FACE Act was passed in 1994 and is often linked to clinic access cases, but it also covers houses of worship. It bars the use of force, threats, or physical obstruction to interfere with religious practice.

For first-time offenders, penalties can include up to one year in prison and fines, with higher penalties possible if there is injury or major obstruction.

What Federal Officials Are Saying

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon has spoken publicly about the case in interviews and statements after the protest. Dhillon said Don Lemon “definitely broke the FACE Act,” arguing that disrupting a church service fits the law’s limits. She also warned that officials plan to pursue charges against all involved, including journalists who entered the building.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrests on social media. She said the arrests were made “at my direction” in response to what she called a “coordinated attack” on the church.

Lemon is due back in court on February 9, 2026, in federal court in Minneapolis. The case is moving forward in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, where a grand jury has unsealed an indictment.

Prosecutors faced early resistance when a magistrate judge previously declined to issue arrest warrants, citing a lack of probable cause. After an appeal and grand jury action, the case proceeded.

Defense attorneys are expected to raise First Amendment arguments tied to both protest activity and journalism. They may also challenge whether the FACE Act applies to the facts of this incident.

Why This Case Could Shape Future Enforcement

Legal analysts point out that the FACE Act has often been used in cases involving anti-abortion protests. The current enforcement focus highlighted by this case centers on access to religious sites.

That shift could influence how federal law is used when protests move from public spaces into places of worship. The outcome may help define where courts draw the line between protected speech and illegal interference with religious practice.

If convicted, Don Lemon could face significant prison exposure under the conspiracy count, though sentencing outcomes can vary. Pretrial motions, evidence sharing, and possible plea talks could keep the case active for months.

Since the protest, Lemon has stayed active online. On X (formerly Twitter) and on his independent show, he has criticized the DOJ, mocked official statements, and questioned the church’s alleged ties to ICE. He has also accused authorities of selective enforcement.

In one widely shared post, Don Lemon remarked officials receiving “the N-word treatment” when describing what he viewed as government overreach. The comment drew backlash.

Sources close to Don Lemon say he has been frustrated with his career after CNN. They claim he sees high-profile independent coverage as a way to regain mainstream attention, including a possible return to prime-time cable news.

Those claims have not been confirmed by Lemon. What is clear is that his arrest has boosted attention around his reporting, with supporters framing the case as a press freedom fight.

Broader Context: Immigration Tensions and Public Reaction

The protest and arrests come during heightened debate over immigration enforcement. In Minnesota, anti-ICE protests have increased after several high-profile enforcement actions.

City Church officials welcomed the federal charges and said the protest violated a sacred space. Some congregants said they felt threatened during the disruption.

Civil liberties groups, including the ACLU, criticized the arrests and warned about a chilling effect on journalism. They argue reporters should not face criminal liability for covering protests.

Conservative commentators have praised the prosecutions as accountability for what they describe as mob-style tactics inside religious services.

As the case moves forward, it sits at the center of a widening divide over protest rights, religious liberty, and what legal protections apply when demonstrations enter places of worship.

GEORGIA – Federal agents with the FBI carried out a search warrant at the Fulton County Elections Hub and Operations Center in Union City, Georgia, near Atlanta. Agents removed hundreds of boxes of election materials tied to the 2020 presidential contest. Reports put the total at roughly 656 to 700 boxes. The records reportedly include ballots, tabulator tapes, ballot images, voter rolls, and related files.

The seizure has brought Fulton County back into the spotlight. The county, which includes much of Atlanta, is a Democratic stronghold and was one of the most argued-over areas after the 2020 vote. The move has also reopened public debate about election security, claims of voter fraud, and the reliability of voting technology.

President Donald Trump, who lost Georgia to Joe Biden by fewer than 12,000 votes, has long said the state’s results were affected by major problems. Since 2020, Georgia has gone through audits, recounts, and reviews at the state and federal levels. Those efforts upheld the certified outcome and did not find fraud that could have changed the result. Even so, the FBI’s action suggests federal authorities are either following new information or taking another look at old claims.

The warrant was approved by Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas. It called for “all physical ballots from the 2020 general election,” along with connected digital records and voter data. Federal officials described the search as “court-authorized,” but shared few details, citing an ongoing investigation.

Fulton County confirmed the seizure and said the records had been kept as required by law. Some county leaders and staff voiced concern about the scale of the search and the loss of custody over archived materials. They also warned it could affect current election planning. County officials said they were prepared to challenge parts of the warrant in court if needed.

Voter Fraud Claims Return to the Forefront

The search has revived familiar accusations that fraud shaped Georgia’s 2020 result. Critics have pointed to several issues that have circulated for years, including alleged ballot mishandling at State Farm Arena, concerns about unsecured drop boxes, and claimed problems with voter rolls.

Georgia officials have reviewed many of these claims before. Investigations led by Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, rejected most of them. State reviews often said the claims were unsupported or based on misunderstandings of normal election steps. Still, the arguments have stayed alive online and in political messaging, especially around Fulton County.

A major focus has been on Dominion Voting Machines, which were used in Fulton County and much of Georgia. Some conspiracy theories claimed Dominion systems could be hacked or altered and used to switch votes from Trump to Biden.

Dominion has repeatedly denied those claims. The company has also reached defamation settlements with outlets that promoted the allegations. Supporters of the technology point to hand recounts that matched the machine totals as a key check on accuracy.

Official probes, including cybersecurity reviews by federal agencies, have not found credible evidence of widespread tampering with Dominion equipment. Even so, the FBI’s seizure included tabulator tapes and ballot images, records that could be reviewed to see how votes were recorded and reported. Some observers say that kind of material could support a detailed forensic review of tabulation steps, equipment logs, and reporting outputs.

Election security experts have also warned that broad seizures can create political fallout. They say large-scale federal action, especially years after an election, can deepen distrust if people see law enforcement as taking sides. That concern has grown because the seizure happened more than five years after the 2020 vote, during a period when national leaders have continued to argue about that election.

A Former Employee’s Sworn Statement Draws Attention

Interest in Fulton County’s 2020 records has also been linked to a sworn statement from a former county election employee. The statement has been cited in legal filings and public discussions over the years.

According to summaries of the affidavit, the former worker reported witnessing events they believed raised red flags. Those claims have included access concerns involving voting systems and observations related to ballot handling and chain-of-custody practices. The exact details have differed depending on how the statement is described in court filings and commentary.

Similar affidavits appeared in lawsuits that challenged the 2020 results. Courts often dismissed those cases, saying the claims lacked supporting proof or relied too heavily on hearsay. Still, people pushing for deeper reviews have pointed to the former employee’s sworn statement as a reason to keep pressing for answers, including more scrutiny of Dominion systems and county election procedures.

It is not clear whether that statement played a direct role in the FBI’s warrant. Federal authorities have not explained what triggered the search or what the investigation is focused on. That lack of detail has left space for competing interpretations. Supporters of the seizure see it as a serious step toward accountability, while critics see it as a sign that old claims are being reworked into new investigations.

Legal experts have also raised questions about the sweep of the warrant and the practical impact of taking so many archived records. Some say it is unusual for federal agents to remove large sets of ballots and related materials so long after an election. Others have questioned how the action fits with record retention rules and the normal process for investigating election-related offenses.

Civil rights and election groups watched the situation closely. The ACLU of Georgia sent observers during the operation and documented what they saw, saying transparency matters when law enforcement takes actions that could affect public confidence in elections.

What the FBI Seizure Could Mean for Election Integrity Debates

The Fulton County search happened during a period of intense national disagreement over voting rules and election systems. President Trump has continued to describe the 2020 election as corrupt. Recent moves by the administration, including requests for voter data from states, have also signaled a wider interest in reviewing past election activity. Election officials in many states have pushed back, saying repeated rechecks and broad demands can damage trust and make it harder to run future elections.

Fulton County leaders, including Chairman Rob Pitts, have expressed concern about losing control of records they consider sensitive and irreplaceable, even if only for a time. County officials have said they followed required procedures in 2020. They also point to later elections conducted in the county as evidence that systems and staff can run large contests effectively.

For people who believe the investigation is needed, the seizure looks like a long-awaited step to verify claims that were never fully addressed to their satisfaction. For opponents, it looks like a risky precedent, one that could turn federal power into a tool used against political opponents and local election offices.

What comes next depends on what investigators find and what they choose to make public. Forensic review can take time, and results may not settle the argument for everyone. Even so, the episode shows how the fight over the 2020 election still shapes politics in 2026, from debates about voting technology to basic trust in the people and institutions that run elections.

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FBI to Launch Sweeping Crackdown on Left-Wing Extremists in Minnesota

MINNESOTA – U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) was attacked Tuesday night during a community town hall in Minneapolis after an audience member rushed the stage and sprayed her with an unknown liquid. The incident has renewed worries about political violence in the United States.

The town hall took place at the Urban League Twin Cities site in North Minneapolis. Omar was speaking to about 100 people about local concerns, including recent immigration enforcement activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

It was one of her first in-person town halls this year, as tensions have risen in the area after two deadly shootings involving federal agents.

Footage from the live-stream, recorded by attendees and local media, shows Omar speaking at the podium. Soon after she said, “We must abolish ICE for good,” and urged the resignation or impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, a man in the front row moved quickly toward the stage.

Minneapolis police later identified him as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak. Witnesses said he approached the lectern holding what looked like a syringe. He then sprayed a foul-smelling liquid at Ilhan Omar. Security staff and officers immediately tackled him, restrained him, and led him out of the room in handcuffs as people reacted with shock and shouted warnings.

Ilhan Omar stepped back as security stepped in. Several attendees reported a strong odor from the substance, and one person urged her to get checked by medical staff right away. The Minneapolis Police Department sent forensic teams to test the liquid and gather evidence, including the syringe left behind on the floor.

Ilhan Omar Stays at the Podium

After the attack, some officials urged the event to end. Ilhan Omar chose to continue. She returned to the microphone after a brief pause and told the crowd, “We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay steady in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”

She later told reporters, “I’ve survived war. And I’m definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me because I’m built that way.”

In a social media post soon after, Ilhan Omar said she was not hurt and said she would keep doing her job: “I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”

The meeting continued for about 25 more minutes. Omar took questions, and many in the audience thanked her for staying to finish the session.

Police arrested Kazmierczak at the scene and booked him into Hennepin County Jail. He faces a third-degree assault charge. Officials described the act as a targeted attack on a member of Congress. U.S. Capitol Police said it would work with federal partners to seek “the most serious charges possible” to discourage similar incidents.

Tense Moments in Minneapolis

The attack comes as threats against lawmakers have been rising. Capitol Police reported a more than 57% jump in cases investigated in 2025 compared with the year before, with nearly 15,000 cases tied to concerning messages and behavior.

The assault happened during a tense moment in Minneapolis tied to immigration enforcement.

Recent shootings by federal agents during attempted detentions left two people dead, an intensive care nurse and a mother of three, sparking protests and anger in the community. Omar has criticized ICE operations for years and remains a visible voice on immigrant rights.

President Donald Trump, who has frequently criticized Ilhan Omar and made remarks about her Somali background at a rally in Iowa earlier the same day, raised the idea of easing enforcement actions in Minnesota. He did not immediately comment on the town hall attack.

Leaders from both parties condemned the assault. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said, “Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without putting people at risk.” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina), who often challenges Ilhan Omar’s rhetoric, said she was “deeply disturbed” and added that “no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.”

The incident also follows a separate attack on Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Florida) at the Sundance Film Festival days earlier, adding to concerns about physical confrontations aimed at members of Congress.

Lawmakers and researchers have warned for years that sharper political division and heated rhetoric can spill into real-world violence. Omar’s experience shows the risk officials face when they meet voters face-to-face.

Many representatives have limited in-person events because of security issues, but Ilhan Omar’s choice to continue the town hall signaled she won’t back down.

Investigators are still working to identify the substance and determine the attacker’s motive. For many watching, the episode was another reminder of how quickly public discourse can turn dangerous, even at local community events.