Summary (tl;dr)

Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor and current independent journalist, was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles for his journalistic work covering an anti-ICE protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, sparking widespread concern over press freedom.

Essential Background

Don Lemon had a prominent career at CNN, hosting "Don Lemon Tonight" and later co-anchoring "CNN This Morning," until his firing in April 2023 following controversial comments. Since then, he has launched an independent show, "The Don Lemon Show," which streams on platforms like YouTube and Spotify. The events leading to his arrest began with his coverage of an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest on January 18, 2026, at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The church was reportedly targeted because one of its pastors also serves as an ICE official. This protest also occurred in the context of earlier fatal shootings of two peaceful protesters by federal immigration agents in Minnesota.

The Full Story

On Thursday evening, January 29, 2026, federal agents arrested Don Lemon in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards. Independent journalist Georgia Fort was also arrested on Friday morning in Minneapolis. Both arrests are connected to their coverage of the January 18 anti-ICE protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Lemon faces federal charges including conspiracy to deprive others of their civil rights and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, for allegedly interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshipers. Earlier attempts by the Justice Department to obtain arrest warrants for Lemon and his producer were rejected by both a federal magistrate judge and a federal appeals court, citing a lack of probable cause and evidence of criminal behavior. However, the Justice Department subsequently pursued charges through a grand jury. Lemon's attorney, Abbe Lowell, has denounced the arrest as an "unprecedented attack on the First Amendment" and a politically motivated effort.

Why It Matters

The arrests of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort have sparked a significant national debate regarding press freedom and the First Amendment in the United States. Press freedom organizations and legal experts have condemned these actions as an alarming escalation in attempts to intimidate journalists who report on protests, especially given that judicial bodies had previously found insufficient evidence for warrants. Critics argue that these arrests are politically motivated, aiming to silence dissenting voices and distract from other issues, potentially setting a dangerous precedent for the ability of journalists to document public demonstrations without fear of prosecution.

Geographic Location

• Cities Church, St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States (location of the anti-ICE protest)
• Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California, United States (location of Don Lemon's arrest)
• Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States (location of Georgia Fort's arrest at her home, and broader area related to the protest's context)