• Trump endorsed a Truth Social post calling for Don Lemon to receive 40 years in prison over his coverage of an anti-ICE church protest in Minnesota
• The Department of Justice announced a criminal investigation into the January 18 incident, with officials explicitly warning Lemon he is "on notice"
• The controversy unfolds amid escalating tensions over immigration enforcement following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer

ST. PAUL, MN (TDR) — President Donald Trump on Monday amplified a social media post demanding that former CNN anchor Don Lemon face a 40-year prison sentence for his role in covering an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a Minnesota church service over the weekend, as federal officials announced a criminal investigation into the incident.

The president reshared a post from an account called "MoniFunGirl" on Truth Social that falsely claimed elderly pro-life activists received 40-year sentences for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act at abortion clinics. The post called for Lemon to receive the same punishment for his presence at Cities Church in St. Paul on Sunday, where protesters interrupted worship services.

"A small group of elderly ladies were protesting at an abortion clinic and were given 40 years in prison for violating the FACE Act. I would like to see the same kind of sentence for Don Lemon and the people that broke into the church during the service," the post read.

However, court records show that elderly pro-life activists convicted under the FACE Act for a 2020 Washington, D.C., abortion clinic blockade received sentences of two years in prison, not 40 years. Paulette Harlow, 75, was sentenced to 24 months in May 2024 for participating in the protest.

DOJ Announces Investigation Into Church Disruption

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, announced Monday that federal prosecutors are investigating potential violations of the FACE Act stemming from Sunday's incident. The law prohibits using force or physical obstruction to interfere with religious worship.

"A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service. You are on notice," Dhillon wrote on X, directly addressing Lemon.

In an appearance on "The Benny Johnson Show," Dhillon escalated her criticism of the independent journalist.

"Don Lemon himself has come out and said he knew exactly what was going to happen inside that facility. He went into the facility, and then he began 'committing journalism,' as if that's sort of a shield from being a part, an embedded part of a criminal conspiracy. It isn't," Dhillon said.

"Come next Sunday, nobody should think in the United States that they're going to be able to get away with this. Everyone in the protest community needs to know that the fullest force of the federal government is going to come down and prevent this from happening and put people away for a long, long time," she added.

Attorney General Pam Bondi warned on social media that the Justice Department would pursue charges against those who violated federal law during the protest.

"Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law," Bondi wrote.

What Happened During The Church Protest

Approximately 30 to 40 protesters entered Cities Church during Sunday morning services, chanting "ICE out!" and "Renee Good!" The demonstrators accused David Easterwood, a pastor at the church, of also serving as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's St. Paul Field Office.

Lemon, who has been documenting protests in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer on January 7, filmed the disruption and interviewed participants including protest organizer Nekima Levy Armstrong.

"This is what the First Amendment is about, about the freedom to protest," Lemon said in his YouTube channel video.

Lead pastor Jonathan Parnell confronted Lemon during the incident, asking him to leave the premises.

"It's shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship," Parnell told Lemon, urging him to exit unless he was there to worship.

Lemon Defends Journalism, Cites First Amendment

In response to the DOJ's investigation and Trump's endorsement of the prison call, Lemon defended his coverage as legitimate journalism protected by the First Amendment.

"It's notable that I've been cast as the face of a protest I was covering as a journalist — especially since I wasn't the only reporter there. That framing is telling," Lemon said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"What's even more telling is the barrage of violent threats, along with homophobic and racist slurs, directed at me online by MAGA supporters and amplified by parts of the right-wing press," he continued.

Lemon emphasized in an Instagram video that he had no prior affiliation with the protest organizers and only learned of their destination by following them.

"I had no affiliations with that organization. I didn't even know they were going to this church until we followed them there. We were there chronicling protests. Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people who were involved, which included a pastor and members of the church and members of the organization. That's it. It's called journalism. First Amendment, all that stuff," Lemon said.

Context: Protests Follow Fatal ICE Shooting

The church disruption occurred amid heightened tensions in the Twin Cities following the January 7 shooting death of Renee Good, 37, by ICE officer Jonathan Ross. Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, was shot multiple times after ICE agents confronted her in her vehicle during an immigration enforcement operation in south Minneapolis.

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The Department of Homeland Security has described the shooting as self-defense, claiming Good attempted to run over agents with her vehicle. However, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz have disputed federal claims, stating video evidence does not support the narrative that agents acted in self-defense.

"In Minneapolis, we're not going to be intimidated. We're not backing down," Frey told NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to ongoing protests, with the Pentagon ordering approximately 1,500 troops to prepare for potential deployment to Minnesota.

Legal Experts Question Journalism Prosecutions

The FACE Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994, prohibits the use of force, threats, or physical obstruction to interfere with reproductive health services or religious worship. Violations can result in up to one year in prison for first-time offenders, with enhanced penalties for repeat violations or if injuries occur.

Maximum sentences under the FACE Act include 10 years if the offense causes bodily injury, or life in prison if the offense results in death. The law does not provide for 40-year sentences as claimed in the social media post Trump amplified.

Dhillon suggested on Newsmax that Lemon's journalism credentials do not shield him from potential criminal liability.

"Journalism is not a badge or a shield that protects you from criminal consequences when you are part of a crime," Dhillon said, comparing Lemon's coverage to a podcaster embedding with a bank robbery.

However, Lemon maintains his reporting was protected activity under the First Amendment. The former CNN anchor, who launched his own YouTube channel after being fired in 2023, has a history of contentious interactions with Trump dating back years.

Will federal prosecutors pursue charges against journalists covering protests at places of worship?

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