Don Lemon has been warned by the Justice Department following allegations that he joined anti-ICE protesters who disrupted a Sunday worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon criticized Lemon in posts on X, stating that houses of worship are protected spaces under federal law and that the First Amendment does not shield the disruption of a prayer service. Dhillon said Lemon was “on notice,” later adding that the FBI had been “activated” and accusing the protesters of desecrating a church and interfering with Christian worship.
Lemon entered the church as protesters chanted “ICE out” and filmed the disturbance. The protest followed heightened tensions after the shooting of Renee Good, which Lemon has been covering. He denied any wrongdoing, saying he was acting as a journalist with no affiliation to the group and dismissing calls for prosecution as unfounded.
The protesters reportedly believed the church’s pastor, David Easterwood, was connected to federal immigration enforcement, a claim Lemon echoed online. A man with the same name serves as acting ICE director of the St. Paul field office, though it has not been confirmed whether he is the same individual associated with the church.
Lemon later interviewed Cities Church lead pastor Jonathan Parnell, who described the protest as “shameful.” Lemon responded by citing constitutional protections for speech and assembly. His stance contrasts with a 2024 interview in which he urged Elon Musk to remove certain posts from X, a request Musk declined, arguing the content was lawful.
