Former CNN anchor Don Lemon is facing intense criticism after participating in and live-streaming a protest that disrupted Sunday services at Cities Church in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions over Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good.
The controversy centers around allegations that the church’s pastor, David Easterwood, serves dual roles as both a religious leader and as ICE’s Field Office Director in St. Paul. While federal records confirm Easterwood holds the ICE position, the connection to Cities Church remains unverified by independent sources.
Protest Disrupts Sunday Service
Video footage shared by Lemon on social media platforms shows demonstrators entering the church building during what appears to be an active worship service. The former television host documented the anti-ICE demonstration in real-time, providing commentary about immigration enforcement activities in the region.
The disruption comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Minneapolis-area immigration advocates, who have intensified their opposition to federal enforcement actions following recent incidents involving ICE operations. The death of Renee Nicole Good has become a rallying point for protesters demanding accountability and changes to immigration policies.
Cities Church, located in the Twin Cities region, describes itself as a Christian congregation serving the local community. The church’s leadership structure includes multiple pastoral staff members, though the organization has not responded to requests for comment regarding the allegations about Easterwood’s employment status.
BREAKING: DOJ Announces Intention to Charge Don Lemon under the Ku Klux Klan Act.
The KKK Act makes it illegal to threaten, hurt, or intimidate people to prevent them from exercising their God-given rights.
HARMEET DHILLON: "The Klan Act is one of the most important federal… pic.twitter.com/GWnXAMtWc9
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 19, 2026
Verification Challenges
The central claim driving the protest—that Pastor David Easterwood and ICE Field Office Director David Easterwood are the same individual—has proven difficult to independently confirm. While both positions are held by someone with the same name, establishing definitively that they refer to one person requires additional documentation that has not been made publicly available.
Social media posts have circulated claiming Easterwood appears on the church’s official leadership page, but the complexity of verifying government employees’ outside activities creates challenges for journalists and activists attempting to confirm such connections. Federal employees often face restrictions on outside employment and activities, particularly in sensitive positions like immigration enforcement.
This verification gap has become a focal point for critics who argue that the protest proceeded based on unconfirmed allegations, potentially targeting the wrong institution or individual. The incident highlights broader challenges in the digital age, where information spreads rapidly before thorough fact-checking can occur.
Social Media Backlash
Lemon’s involvement in the church disruption has generated significant criticism across social media platforms, with detractors questioning both his journalistic methods and the appropriateness of the protest tactics. Critics have characterized his actions as crossing professional boundaries and potentially inciting harassment based on unverified claims.
NEW: Don Lemon tries lecturing a pastor on the First Amendment after a mob of far leftists stormed a church in Minneapolis.
Pastor: “This is unacceptable. It's shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship…”
Lemon: “Listen, there's a constitution, the First… pic.twitter.com/joHdCvaXe6
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 18, 2026
The backlash reflects broader tensions about the role of media personalities in activist movements and the standards expected of former mainstream news anchors. Lemon, who departed CNN in 2023, has since launched independent media ventures and taken more explicitly activist positions on various issues.
Supporters of the demonstration argue that immigration enforcement policies warrant protest and that religious institutions should not be immune from scrutiny if their leaders participate in controversial government programs. They contend that peaceful demonstration represents legitimate exercise of First Amendment rights.
Religious Freedom Concerns
The incident has raised questions about the intersection of religious freedom and political protest. Legal experts note that while public demonstration is constitutionally protected, disrupting religious services potentially infringes on congregants’ rights to worship freely.
Churches have historically served as both sanctuaries and sites of political activism, but the appropriateness of interrupting worship services remains contentious. The Cities Church disruption adds to ongoing national debates about where and how immigration-related protests should occur.
Religious liberty advocates have expressed concern about targeting faith communities based on the alleged political activities of their leadership. They argue that such tactics could create chilling effects on religious expression and participation in civic life.
🚨HOLY SHT!! Failed CNN News Hack, Don Lemon, leads anti-ICE protesters into a church in Minneapolis!!
He says he thinks the pastor is ICE affiliated. This goes way beyond sane behavior. He’s fcking nuts!!! pic.twitter.com/0Xck7qdIou
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) January 18, 2026
Lemon’s Media Transition
The controversy occurs as Lemon continues transitioning from traditional broadcast journalism to independent media production. His Instagram post prior to traveling to Minneapolis indicated intentions to “report on ICE and bring you the truth,” suggesting a blend of journalistic and activist approaches.
This evolution reflects broader changes in the media landscape, where former mainstream journalists increasingly adopt more partisan or activist roles. Lemon’s approach in Minneapolis demonstrates how these new models can blur traditional boundaries between reporting and advocacy.
The incident also illustrates challenges facing independent content creators who lack the institutional support and editorial oversight of established news organizations. Without traditional newsroom structures, individual journalists bear greater responsibility for fact-checking and maintaining professional standards.
Immigration Enforcement Context
The Minneapolis protests occur within a broader national context of immigration policy debates and enforcement actions. Minnesota has historically been more welcoming to immigrant communities, creating tension when federal enforcement activities increase in the region.
ICE operations in sanctuary-friendly jurisdictions often generate significant local opposition, as community members and advocacy groups organize to protect immigrant residents. The agency’s work frequently creates controversy, particularly when enforcement actions result in family separations or target individuals with deep community ties.
The role of ICE field office directors in these operations makes them focal points for both support and criticism of federal immigration policies. These positions require balancing federal mandates with local community relations, often creating challenging dynamics for the individuals involved.
Moving Forward
As the controversy continues to develop, questions remain about the verification of the claims against Pastor Easterwood and the appropriateness of the protest tactics employed. Cities Church has yet to issue public statements addressing either the disruption or the allegations about their pastoral staff.
The incident serves as a case study in how unverified social media claims can rapidly escalate into real-world confrontations. It also highlights ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement and community resistance in regions with significant immigrant populations.
For Lemon, the episode represents both an opportunity to establish his independent media brand and a potential liability if the underlying claims prove unfounded. The long-term impact on his credibility and career trajectory will likely depend on how the factual questions ultimately resolve and whether similar incidents occur in his future reporting efforts.