A civil rights attorney and at least two other individuals have been arrested after disrupting a Minnesota church service to protest ICE. Officials from the Trump administration confirmed the arrests on Thursday. Meanwhile, a judge declined to approve related charges against Don Lemon. On Sunday, protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with ICE serves as a pastor. This follows calls from Trump officials and even Nicki Minaj for the journalist to be arrested and charged over his media coverage of the protest.

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Judge Rejects Charges Against Don Lemon

A judge rejected federal prosecutors’ attempt to charge Don Lemon related to the church protest, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday. The individual spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly.

Don Lemon was among those who entered the church. He has stated that he is not affiliated with the protest organizers. He was present as a journalist covering the protest.

“Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism which was to report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church, and members of the organization,” Lemon said in a video posted on social media. “That’s it. That’s called journalism.”

It wasn’t immediately clear what actions the Justice Department would take following the judge’s decision. Authorities could return to a magistrate judge to seek a criminal complaint or an indictment against Lemon before a grand jury. CNN, which terminated Lemon’s employment in 2023, first reported the ruling.

Details On Protesters Arrested In Connection To Minnesota Church Disruption

New developments in the case unfolded as Vice President JD Vance arrived in Minnesota. The Justice Department quickly opened a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good.” An ICE officer fatally shot the 37-year-old mother of three in Minneapolis earlier this month.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong in a post on X.

“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” the attorney general wrote on X.

Levy Armstrong is a longtime activist in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. She is a former president of the NAACP’s Minneapolis branch. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a photo on X of Levy Armstrong with her arms behind her back next to a person wearing a badge. Noem stated that she faces charges under a statute that prohibits threatening or intimidating someone exercising a right.

Homeland Security Investigators and FBI agents arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong who played a key role in orchestrating the Church Riots in St. Paul, Minnesota.

She is being charged with a federal crime under 18 USC 241.

Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States -… pic.twitter.com/O9yp4nRio1

— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) January 22, 2026

Bondi later posted on X that a second individual had been arrested, Chauntyll Louisa Allen. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X that Allen is charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. This law prohibits physically obstructing or using threats of force to intimidate or interfere with individuals seeking reproductive health services or participating in services at houses of worship.

Allen is a member of the board of education in Saint Paul Public Schools, which stated it was aware of her arrest but would not comment on pending legal matters. Allen and Levy Armstrong are part of a community of Black Minnesota activists who have protested against police violence resulting in deaths of African Americans.

Patel mentioned that a third person, William Kelly, was also in custody. Kelly defended the protest during a news conference Tuesday and criticized the church for its association with a pastor who works for ICE.

Every last individual who allegedly targets our brave federal law enforcement, targets places of worship, or in any way pays for or facilitates such illegal activity will be pursued.

And will be caught. pic.twitter.com/SgHd8oklZe

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) January 22, 2026

Church Attorney Reacts To The Arrest

Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood. David leads the local ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also hold other jobs. Attorneys representing the church praised the arrests.

“The U.S. Department of Justice acted decisively by arresting those who coordinated and carried out this terrible crime,” said Doug Wardlow, director of litigation for True North Legal, which identifies itself as a public interest civil rights firm, in a statement.

Prominent leaders from the Southern Baptist Convention have come to defend the church, arguing that compassion for migrant families does not justify violating sacred spaces during worship.

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Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer, Giovanna Dell’orto, Chris Megerian, Corey Williams, and Jack Dura contributed to this report.