Don Lemon Arrested by Feds in Los Angeles

Published January 30, 2026 5:29 AM PST | Updated January 30, 2026 8:50 AM PST

8:17 AM PT -- Don Lemon is being charged with conspiracy to deprive rights, and violation of the FACE Act -- interfering by force of someone’s First Amendment rights -- according to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson.

Don Lemon was arrested Thursday night by federal agents in Los Angeles in connection with his coverage of an ICE protest that disrupted a Minnesota church service.

Lemon was charged with violating a federal law by impeding people's right to worship during an anti-ICE protest at Cities Church in Minneapolis on January 18, according to The New York Times.

In a statement Friday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi says ... "At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota."

The AG later released a video in which she said the Trump administration plans to go after anyone who gets in the away of other people worshipping.

Don's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, issued a statement condemning the arrest and calling it a distraction by the Trump administration from investigating the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis.

Lowell says Lemon was simply exercising his First Amendment right as a reporter to document the church demonstration, shining a light on the truth and holding those in power accountable.

Lemon was in Los Angeles to cover the Grammys this weekend ... and he was at the 2026 Recording Academy Honors Thursday evening -- the same night he was picked up by feds.

We told you all about it -- the federal government sought to charge 8 people following the demonstration at Cities Church, including Lemon ... but a magistrate judge only approved charges against only 3 people -- not including Lemon. A federal appeals court also denied a petition by the Justice Department to issue the additional warrants.

Despite the magistrate's ruling, it appears the DOJ went to a grand jury to get an indictment against Don ... because that's what it did to arrest Georgia Fort, a Minnesota independent journalist who was also arrested for her coverage of the church protest.

Georgia recorded herself when federal agents showed up at her home to arrest her Friday morning ... and footage of the agents at her front door was shared as well.

The demonstration involved about 30 to 40 people and was meant to confront the Cities Church pastor David Easterwood, a Minneapolis ICE official. He was not present at the church when the protest erupted.

Story developing ...