The Trump administration announced Friday that former CNN anchor Don Lemon has been charged with civil rights offenses related to his reporting on immigration protests in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Lemon and several others were arrested "at my direction" in connection with what she described as a "coordinated attack" on Cities Church in St. Paul, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official serves as pastor.
Lemon, who now works as an independent journalist, was detained in Los Angeles overnight. His lawyer said his coverage of the protest "was no different to what he has always done." A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told AFP Lemon faces two counts: conspiracy to deprive rights and interfering with First Amendment protections, which cover freedoms of speech and religion.
Court Developments And Legal Context
Legal proceedings are already complex: a magistrate judge in Minnesota last week declined to permit prosecutors to charge Lemon, though federal officials have since announced the charges. The case has prompted questions about press freedom and the threshold for charging journalists for newsgathering activities at protests.
Civil Rights Probe Into Fatal Shootings
The announcement came amid heightened scrutiny of federal law enforcement after two recent shootings in Minneapolis. President Trump used his Truth Social account to describe 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by federal agents, as an "agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist," citing a video that allegedly shows Pretti in a scuffle with agents 11 days before the shooting.
AFP could not immediately verify the footage. In the clip circulating online, a man identified as Pretti appears to kick and break a taillight on an agents' vehicle before officers exit and restrain him. Local residents questioned whether that conduct justified lethal force. "So the guy kicked a car's light, does that mean he deserved to die?" asked Pedro Wolcott, a sandwich shop owner in Minneapolis.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed that the Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into Pretti's death. The two agents involved have been placed on leave. The shootings have intensified public outrage and calls for accountability.
Political Fallout And Agency Changes
Facing criticism, the White House said it hoped to "de-escalate a little bit" and named Tom Homan, a top immigration adviser, as the administration's new point person in Minneapolis. Homan acknowledged that "certain improvements could and should be made" and said his team was "working on a drawdown plan" for some of the more than 3,000 federal agents deployed — contingent on greater cooperation from local officials.
Meanwhile, Congress was confronting the fallout as it neared a government funding deadline. Democrats pressed to remove Department of Homeland Security funding from a broader package in order to renegotiate constraints on immigration enforcement agencies.
Reactions From Lawmakers And Press Groups
Politicians and press freedom advocates condemned Lemon's arrest. Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries demanded Lemon's immediate release, while Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, called the arrest "an egregious attack on the First Amendment and on journalists' ability to do their work." The case has revived debate about the balance between public safety, law enforcement powers and protections for journalists covering protests.
Key Facts: Don Lemon was detained in Los Angeles; federal officials allege his reporting was tied to a coordinated attack on a church in St. Paul. The Justice Department has opened a civil rights probe into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, and two agents have been placed on leave. The administration named Tom Homan as its Minneapolis point person amid congressional tensions over DHS funding.
