ST. PAUL, MN– Federal agents with the FBI and Homeland Security arrested three people this week. The arrests stem from a protest that interrupted a Sunday morning service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The demonstration on January 18, 2026, has drawn national attention, raising fresh arguments about immigration enforcement and whether places of worship should be off-limits to protests.

Those arrested were Nekima Levy Armstrong, a well-known civil rights attorney, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, a St. Paul School Board member, and activist William Kelly. Federal agents say all three face conspiracy charges tied to depriving others of constitutional rights, including the right to worship without threats or intimidation.

Officials say dozens of protesters entered the church while worship was underway. People chanted “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referencing a local woman who was recently killed in a shooting involving an immigration officer.

Protesters focused on this church because one pastor also holds a role with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Demonstrators said they were calling out a public official. Church leaders and federal authorities say the group went too far by disrupting a private religious service.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Department of Justice plans to respond firmly to incidents like this. “Religious freedom is the bedrock of this country,” Bondi said. “We will protect our pastors and our churches.”

Don Lemon, Federal Agents, and the “Journalism” Argument

Former CNN host Don Lemon also became part of the story. Lemon was at the church during the protest, recording video and interviewing people for his independent media platform.

Prosecutors sought to charge Lemon along with the protesters, but a U.S. Magistrate Judge initially stopped the arrest warrant. The judge said Lemon appeared to be working as a journalist.

Even so, the Justice Department is reportedly exploring other options to charge him. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said “committing journalism” isn’t a “shield” if someone is involved in a coordinated plan to disrupt a protected event.

Lemon has pushed back publicly. On his YouTube show, he said, “That’s called journalism. You’re not going to diminish my voice.”

The arrests come as Democrats and legacy media have turned up the volume on ICE criticism. Some public figures have used harsh comparisons, calling ICE agents “secret police” and “thugs.” Others have compared today’s immigration enforcement to 1930s Germany.

Critics say this tone doesn’t match how immigration enforcement was discussed years ago. Independent observers point to what they view as uneven standards in how enforcement actions get covered.

Looking Back at the “Deporter-in-Chief” Era

The debate also revived a long-running point about President Barack Obama’s record. During his time in office, more than 3 million people were deported. The text of the debate often highlights that Obama’s first term saw more deportations than the first Trump administration did.

During that period, critics say major outlets rarely treated deportations as a daily crisis story. There were fewer comparisons to a “police state,” and less pushback from leading Democrats.

The Obama administration also recognized Tom Homan, who is often criticized today as a face of “mass deportations.” In 2015, Obama awarded Homan the Presidential Rank Award, the top civil service honor, tied to his work in border security and enforcement.

To many watching now, that contrast makes the current outrage feel more like politics than a steady moral position. Under a Democrat, strong enforcement was praised. Under a different administration, similar actions get labeled “fascism.”

For the three activists arrested in St. Paul, the stakes are high. A conviction for conspiracy to deprive civil rights can bring up to 10 years in prison.

The case could also shape how the government responds to protests on private property, especially inside churches. Protest rights have strong protections, but federal law also protects worshippers from harassment and intimidation while gathering for religious services.

With the 2026 midterm elections getting closer, the “Abolish ICE” push is likely to stay a major issue for progressives. In St. Paul, the more immediate concern is keeping community spaces safe and peaceful.

Related News:

Antifa Accused of Using Homeless Elderly as Human Shield Against Federal Agents

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and a fugitive once listed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted, has been arrested and transferred into US custody, according to officials.

Ryan had a $15 million reward tied to his capture after being indicted for allegedly leading a criminal enterprise that involved cocaine trafficking and murder. Authorities said the case spans the US, Canada, Mexico, and Colombia.

Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said in a post on X that Ryan Wedding voluntarily surrendered before being turned over to the FBI. García Harfuch described the transfer as part of a coordinated effort with US officials and said a Canadian citizen surrendered at the United States Embassy before being handed over.

FBI Director Kash Patel said at a Friday press conference that Wedding was taken into custody in Mexico late Thursday. Officials said he had been living in Mexico for more than a decade and was tied to the Sinaloa Cartel’s cocaine operation, which authorities allege moved drugs from Colombia to the US and Canada.

Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously said Wedding’s alleged network generated more than $1 billion a year in illegal drug profits. Investigators also believed he was in Mexico under cartel protection.

Patel credited cooperation with Mexico for the arrest, naming President Sheinbaum, Secretary Harfuch, Ambassador Ron Johnson, and others in a public post announcing the capture.

Olympic past, now a major federal case

Wedding once competed for Team Canada and placed 24th in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

After the arrest, Wedding was transported to the United States on Friday. He arrived at Ontario International Airport in Southern California, where federal officials held a press conference.

During that briefing, officials said they had searched for Wedding for more than a year. They also accused him of ordering killings, including murders involving government officials. Authorities said they seized firearms, luxury vehicles, artwork, and other assets tied to the investigation.

Patel said Wedding is expected to appear in federal court as soon as Monday. FBI officials added that investigators are still looking for other people connected to the alleged operation. Ryan Wedding’s arrest was first reported by NBC.

Patel also pointed to the FBI’s recent progress on top fugitive cases, saying six of the agency’s Ten Most Wanted suspects have been arrested in the past year. That includes the capture in Mexico of a man charged in the 2016 killing of a woman in North Carolina, according to the FBI.

Not Ryan Wedding’s first run-in with the courts

This is not the first time Wedding has faced federal prosecution. In June 2008, Wedding was arrested with two other people and accused of conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, according to a criminal complaint. Investigators said Ryan Wedding and others traveled from Canada to San Diego to purchase cocaine as part of a Vancouver-based trafficking group.

Authorities said the deal was part of a sting operation. After the transaction, FBI agents arrested the group, and investigators later reported finding $100,000 in cash in a hotel room, according to an affidavit.

Court records show Wedding’s two co-defendants pleaded guilty. Wedding went to trial, was convicted in November 2009, and was sentenced in 2010 to four years in prison.

At sentencing, Wedding referred to his athletic career and told the court he wanted to rebuild his reputation.

In October 2024, federal prosecutors filed a superseding indictment charging Wedding with running a criminal enterprise that allegedly handled cocaine trafficking and murder across several countries. Prosecutors said the enterprise began around 2011, after Wedding was released from prison.

Prosecutors also allege Wedding and another man ordered multiple killings. They say he directed the November 2023 murders of two family members in Ontario, describing it as retaliation for a stolen drug shipment. Prosecutors also allege he ordered another murder in May 2024, tied to a drug debt. Ryan Wedding had been indicted previously in a case.

Trending News:

Ilhan Omar’s ‘Exploding Wealth Investigated By Federal Authorities

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi traveled to Minnesota on Tuesday with a blunt warning, “no one is above the law,” as the Department of Justice ramps up an investigation into claims that federal immigration enforcement was blocked.

Her visit came the same day a grand jury issued subpoenas to several well-known Democratic officials, raising the temperature in a state that has seen weeks of protests tied to stepped-up Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity under the Trump administration.

Bondi delivered her message in an interview with Fox News correspondent David Spunt on Special Report. She said the DOJ is focused on enforcing federal law during what she described as “chaos” and “lawlessness” in the Twin Cities area.

“Whether it’s a public official, whether it’s a law enforcement officer, no one is above the law in this state or in this country, and people will be held accountable,” Bondi said. She also stressed the need to protect federal agents and keep order, while avoiding details about the subpoenas served that day.

What the Grand Jury Subpoenas Are Seeking

The subpoenas, served Tuesday, were sent to at least five offices led by Democratic officials. They request records tied to policies and decisions involving federal immigration enforcement.

At the center of the probe are allegations that some state and local leaders worked to slow down or interfere with ICE operations during a major crackdown that has resulted in thousands of arrests. Federal officials have described many of those arrested as “criminal illegal aliens.” The crackdown has sparked protests across Minnesota, and some demonstrations have turned disruptive.

One incident that drew attention happened Sunday in St. Paul, where anti-ICE protesters interrupted a church service. Bondi and others in the administration condemned the disruption, and Bondi criticized it as an “attack against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians.”

Officials Named in the Subpoenas

The subpoenas were directed to the offices of:

• Minnesota Governor Tim Walz
• Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
• Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
• St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her
• Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty (and possibly other county offices)

Sources familiar with the investigation, cited by outlets including The New York Times, CNN, NBC News, and Reuters, said the subpoenas demand documents and records connected to how these officials and their teams responded to federal immigration activity. Investigators are looking at whether public statements, sanctuary-style approaches, or other actions crossed the line into obstruction of federal law enforcement.

Responses From Minnesota Leaders

Attorney General Keith Ellison confirmed his office received a grand jury subpoena seeking records tied to federal immigration enforcement. He called the investigation “highly irregular” and politically driven. He also said it followed legal moves by his office challenging the ICE operations.

Governor Walz’s office and Mayor Frey’s office also confirmed they received subpoenas. Critics in Minnesota have argued the federal effort is meant to scare or silence officials who oppose the administration’s immigration approach.

Early reporting late last week focused mainly on Gov. Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. The scope now appears broader, reaching more state and local officials, including prosecutors who have pushed back on the federal tactics.

The wider conflict has also included renewed attention on the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman, Renee Good, who was killed earlier this month in Minneapolis by a federal immigration agent. Local leaders have pointed to the shooting as part of their concerns about the enforcement surge and its impact on public safety and trust.

Protests, Disruptions, and Federal Pushback

Minnesota has seen protests outside federal buildings, tense moments between demonstrators and agents, and the church service interruption that sparked sharp reaction from the administration. Bondi has warned that people involved in illegal acts could face prosecution and said the Justice Department would “come down hard” on those who break the law.

Federal officials argue that the ICE operations are necessary to target dangerous offenders among undocumented immigrants. Minnesota leaders and advocates say the surge has spread fear, disrupted neighborhoods, and pushed federal power into areas they believe should be handled locally.

A memo from Bondi last month reportedly listed laws that could be used to prosecute people accused of interfering with federal enforcement. Democrats have seized on that memo as proof, in their view, that the DOJ is being used to pressure political opponents.

Bondi’s trip to Minneapolis was not announced ahead of time. During the visit, she met with federal prosecutors and law enforcement and worked to support the local U.S. attorney’s office, which has faced staffing shortages as activity increases.

On social media, Bondi repeated that if state leaders don’t “act responsibly to prevent lawlessness,” the DOJ will stay “mobilized to prosecute federal crimes.”

No charges have been filed against the officials whose offices were subpoenaed. Still, the investigation is said to be reviewing potential violations such as conspiracy to obstruct federal officers, along with other federal crimes tied to interference with law enforcement. Prosecutors could seek indictments if they find proof of coordinated efforts to hinder ICE.

The subpoenas mark a sharp escalation in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement push and a major test of federal and state power. Minnesota Democrats have labeled the move retaliation for resisting federal policy. Supporters say it’s a necessary step to restore order and apply immigration laws consistently.

As Bondi left Minnesota, her message stayed the same: the DOJ plans to pursue accountability, no matter the target’s job or political standing. In the coming weeks, the grand jury’s review of the records could shape the next phase of a fight that is already dividing Minnesota and the country.

Related News:

President Trump Addresses ICE Actions Amid Minnesota Unrest

JD Vance Exposes Walz’s Fraud and CNN’s Lies in White House Presser