Lemon is in big trouble. And his nightmare isn’t over yet.
Because he barely escaped jail for now.
Lemon’s Disruptive Antics Dodge Arrest—for Now—Despite Clear Probable Cause
In a frustrating setback for law and order, a federal appeals court turned down the Trump administration’s urgent bid to haul in former CNN host Don Lemon and four accomplices tied to their brazen invasion of Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18, 2026. While the panel unanimously denied the emergency arrests, Trump-appointed Judge Steven Graz notably conceded that prosecutors had “clearly establish[ed] probable cause for all five arrest warrants,” only faulting the government for not proving no alternative paths to justice. This half-victory exposes Lemon’s role in what critics call a calculated stunt to stir chaos, all under the guise of “journalism,” as the Justice Department vows to chase down these agitators relentlessly.
The ruling, unsealed on Saturday, stemmed from Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko’s earlier refusal to greenlight warrants for Lemon and the others, prompting prosecutors to escalate. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon has signaled they’re eyeing the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act—a 1994 law protecting religious worship—to nail the group, with a DOJ official declaring, “We’re going to pursue this to the ends of the Earth.”
Church Invasion Chaos: Lemon’s “Reporting” Crosses into Criminal Territory
Lemon, whose career has devolved from cable news staple to YouTube provocateur, live-streamed the stunt where he and others stormed the sanctuary, hurling vile insults at worshippers in a so-called anti-ICE protest.
No violence was alleged against Lemon personally, but the incident disrupted a sacred service, leading to charges of conspiracy against rights for interfering with religious freedom.
Three ringleaders—Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly—were swiftly arrested, yet Lemon and his producer evaded cuffs, raising eyebrows about special treatment for faded media figures who fancy themselves activists.
Chief US District Judge Patrick Schiltz, a George W. Bush appointee, blasted the government’s push as “unheard of” in his district or the Eighth Circuit, surveying veteran judges who confirmed no precedent for such a review.
He argued: “The reason why this never happens, is likely that, if the government does not like the magistrate judge’s decision, it can either improve the affidavit and present it again to the same magistrate judge or it can present its case to a grand jury and seek an indictment.”
Dismissing the urgency, Schiltz noted: “Apparently, the government believes that the arrests of the leaders of the Cities Church invasion — whose arrests have received widespread international attention — will not deter copycats, but arresting five additional suspects will.”
He added: “The five people whom the government seeks to arrest are accused of entering a church, and the worst behavior alleged about any of them is yelling horrible things at the members of the church. None committed any acts of violence.
The leaders of the group have been arrested and their arrests have received widespread publicity. There is absolutely no emergency … The government can still take its case to a grand jury anytime it wishes.”
In a separate jab at the rationale: “The government’s arguments about the urgency of its request makes [sic] no sense … The government says that there are plans to disrupt Cities Church again on Sunday [Jan. 25]. Of course, the best way to protect Cities Church is to protect Cities Church; we have thousands of law-enforcement officers in town, and presumably a few of them could be stationed outside of Cities Church on Sunday. The government does not explain why the arrests of five more people — one of whom is a journalist and the other his producer — would make Cities Church any safer, especially because that would still leave ‘dozens’ of those who invaded the church on Sunday free to do it again.”
Judicial Hurdles Highlight Lemon’s Lucky Escape Amid Broader Crackdown
The appeals panel—comprising Obama appointee Jane Kelly and Trump picks Steven Graz and Jonathan Kobes—sided against immediate action, but Graz’s probable cause nod keeps the heat on Lemon, whose antics have drawn international scrutiny.
With Vice President JD Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi in Minneapolis amid security jitters, Schiltz delayed further talks until Tuesday, citing safety.
This episode underscores Lemon’s pattern of inflammatory behavior, from his CNN firing over misconduct allegations to now potentially facing federal charges—proving that playing activist in a house of worship might finally catch up to him as the DOJ circles back via grand jury.
