Former CNN Anchor Don Lemon Arrested at ICE Protest in Minnesota

Lemon's news career began in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1990s before his high-profile national reporting

Jan. 31, 2026 at 4:07pm

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Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor known for his critical commentary on the Trump administration, was recently arrested at an ICE protest in Minnesota. Lemon, who started his news career as a weekend reporter at WBRC FOX6 in Birmingham, Alabama in 1996, has maintained ties to the city over the years. Sheila Smoot, a former longtime WBRC anchor and reporter, said Lemon's willingness to put himself in the middle of contentious stories is characteristic of his journalism style.

Why it matters

Lemon's arrest at the ICE protest in Minnesota has sparked controversy, with some news media advocates and civil rights activists accusing the Trump administration of targeting Lemon, a vocal critic of the administration, and infringing on First Amendment freedoms. The case highlights the challenges journalists can face when covering sensitive political issues.

The details

A federal grand jury in Minnesota indicted Lemon and others on charges of conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of parishioners. The protest happened on January 18 at a church in St. Paul where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official serves as a pastor. Lemon maintains that his actions were those of a journalist chronicling the protest, not as a participant. However, federal officials say he was part of the disruption and its planning. Attorney General Pam Bondi took direct aim at Lemon, saying she personally ordered his prosecution.

  • Lemon started as a weekend reporter at WBRC FOX6 in Birmingham in 1996.
  • Lemon returned to Birmingham in 2013 as a speaker for the Mountaintop Awards presented by the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists.
  • Lemon was arrested on January 18, 2026 at an ICE protest in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The players

Don Lemon

A former CNN anchor and reporter who gained fame for his critical commentary on the Trump administration. Lemon honed his reporting skills in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1990s before his national prominence.

Sheila Smoot

A former longtime WBRC anchor and reporter in Birmingham who worked with Lemon during his time in the city.

Pam Bondi

The Attorney General who says she personally ordered the prosecution of Lemon for his involvement in the ICE protest in Minnesota.

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What they’re saying

“That is Don Lemon. Don Lemon is going to go where others won't go. Don Lemon will put himself in the situation to get the story.”

— Sheila Smoot, Former WBRC anchor and reporter

“I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now. In fact, there is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.”

— Don Lemon

“That's not aggression. That's journalism Don Lemon style.”

— Sheila Smoot, Former WBRC anchor and reporter

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Don Lemon out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges journalists can face when covering sensitive political issues, as well as the Trump administration's apparent targeting of vocal critics like Lemon. It underscores the importance of a free and independent press that holds those in power accountable, even in the face of potential legal consequences.