Three individuals were charged on Thursday for their roles in an anti-ICE protest at a Saint Paul church, according to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon avoided criminal charges after a magistrate judge refused to sign off on the accusations against him. The magistrate was identified as Judge Douglas Micko, whose wife, Caitlin Micko, serves in Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office.
Lemon has claimed that his participation in the protest constituted journalistic activity under the First Amendment. He stated he joined demonstrators targeting the Cities Church because a senior pastor there had been reportedly identified as the leader of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office.
Activist attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong argued that the pastor’s role with ICE posed a “fundamental moral conflict” with his church responsibilities, stating: “You cannot lead a congregation while directing an agency whose actions have cost lives and inflicted fear in our communities.”
The U.S. Department of Justice indicated it may pursue alternative legal avenues to prosecute Lemon.
One source reported that Attorney General Bondi was “enraged” by the magistrate’s decision. Bondi later posted on social media: “Religious freedom is the bedrock of this country. We will protect our pastors. We will protect our churches. We will protect Americans of faith.”
The protest targeted the church following reports that its senior pastor had been linked to ICE operations.
