Don Lemon, a former CNN host now working as an independent journalist, is set to appear in federal court in Minnesota on Friday. He will be alongside four other individuals facing charges related to disruptions at a church service where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents served as pastors.
On the same day, Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney who was captured in a widely shared photo posted by a White House social media account, is also scheduled for arraignment. This image seemingly depicts her in tears during her arrest.
The photo is part of a recent surge of AI-edited images that have emerged since federal agents fatally shot Renee Good and Alex Preti in Minneapolis amid the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Typically, an arraignment in federal court involves a plea entry and scheduling further legal proceedings.
It’s still uncertain whether Lemon will attend the hearing personally or send his legal team in his place. His attorney, Joe Thompson, hasn’t returned inquiries for comment this week.
Two additional defendants are slated for arraignment next week, including independent journalist Georgia Fort, leading to a total of nine individuals charged in this case.
Lemon indicated through a different attorney, Marilyn Bednarsk, that he plans to plead not guilty in a federal civil rights case related to his reporting on a protest at a Southern Baptist church in St. Paul.
The protestors interrupted a service at Cities Church on January 18, chanting phrases like “Get out of ICE” and “Justice for Renee Good,” in memory of the 37-year-old mother of three who was shot by ICE agents in Minneapolis the previous month.
Lemon clarified his position, stating he wasn’t part of the protesting group and was there strictly as a journalist for his livestream show.
“I’ve dedicated my career to reporting the news, and I have no intention of stopping. Honestly, there’s never been a more vital time for independent media to expose the truth and hold those in power accountable,” he remarked after his arrest.
The protests at the church received significant backlash from conservative religious and political figures. White House press secretary Caroline Levitt emphasized in a social media post that “President Trump will not tolerate intimidation or harassment of Christians in our sacred places of worship.”
Even among clergy who disagree with the administration’s immigration strategies, there was unease about the protests.
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994 prohibits interference or intimidation of individuals exercising their First Amendment rights within religious spaces. Violators could face penalties of up to one year in prison and fines reaching $10,000.
Thompson is among several former Minnesota prosecutors who have recently departed from the U.S. Attorney’s Office due to dissatisfaction with the Trump administration’s immigration policies and the Justice Department’s response to the Good and Preti shootings.
Thompson, who is one of four lawyers representing Lemon, previously led a comprehensive investigation into significant public program fraud cases until resigning last month.
The Trump administration has pointed to fraud cases, particularly involving members of Minnesota’s large Somali community, to justify its tough immigration stance.
