DOJ Warns Don Lemon After He Joins Anti-ICE Protest That Stormed MN Church Service [WATCH]

The Department of Justice has issued a public warning to former CNN host Don Lemon following allegations that he joined an anti-ICE mob that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, prompting a federal review over possible violations of laws protecting houses of worship, as reported by The New York Post.

The warning was delivered by Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, after Lemon entered Cities Church on Sunday alongside dozens of protesters who interrupted worship while chanting anti-ICE slogans.

“A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws!” Dhillon wrote in a post on X.

A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service.

You are on notice! https://t.co/5QASu6N4OE

— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) January 19, 2026

“Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service.”

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“You are on notice!” Dhillon added, stating in a follow-up post that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had been “activated” and accusing those involved of “desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”

Lemon, who has been livestreaming protests in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, entered the church as the disruption began and recorded the scene as protesters filled the sanctuary and confronted church leadership.

Several dozen agitators stormed into the service under the belief that the church’s pastor, David Easterwood, was affiliated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

There is an individual named David Easterwood listed as the acting ICE field office director in St. Paul, though it has not been independently confirmed that the ICE official and the pastor are the same person.

Lemon amplified that claim in a post on the social media platform Bluesky as the protest unfolded.

During the disruption, Lemon interviewed the church’s lead pastor, Jonathan Parnell, who described the protest as “shameful.”

Lemon responded on camera, saying, “Listen, there’s a Constitution and a First Amendment to freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest.”

Following the incident, Lemon rejected calls for prosecution and denied any formal role in organizing the protest.

“The MAGA administration and the fake news MAGAs are losing their mind over something that’s not even true,” Lemon said.

He claimed he had “no affiliations” with the protest group and insisted his presence inside the church was “an act of journalism.”

The DOJ warning comes amid escalating tensions between federal immigration authorities and activist groups in the Twin Cities.

Federal officials have repeatedly said ICE operations will continue despite protests that have targeted officers, hotels, and now churches.

The controversy has also revived scrutiny of Lemon’s prior positions on free speech. In a 2024 interview with Elon Musk, Lemon pressed Musk to remove several memes from X that Lemon labeled “hateful.”

Musk declined, stating the posts were not illegal and therefore would remain online.

As of Monday, the Justice Department had not announced whether formal charges would be pursued.

Federal officials said the matter remains under review as investigators examine whether civil rights or criminal statutes were violated during the church disruption.

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