Longtime journalist and former CNN personality Don Lemon has been taken into custody by federal agents, as confirmed by various news outlets.
The detention occurred late Thursday evening in Los Angeles, where Lemon was reporting on the upcoming Grammy Awards this weekend, according to his legal representative.
This development follows his participation in an anti-immigration rally two weeks prior that interrupted a worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Officials report that protesters stormed the venue upon discovering one of its pastors doubled as an ICE officer.
Insiders close to the investigation indicate a grand jury convened Thursday, with involvement from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Lemon’s apprehension. Specific accusations remain undisclosed at this point, per CBS reports.
Lemon’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, verified the custody and sharply denounced the Justice Department’s conduct.
“Don has pursued journalism for three decades, and his reporting in Minneapolis mirrored his standard practices, fully shielded by constitutional rights,” Lowell declared.
“The First Amendment safeguards reporters who expose truths and scrutinize authority—especially vital now for figures like Don.”
Lowell escalated his critique, charging that officials are fixating on Lemon rather than probing the fatalities of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, protesters slain earlier this month in Minnesota.
“Rather than probe the federal agents responsible for killing two nonviolent Minnesota demonstrators, the Trump Justice Department fixates resources here—this reveals the true misconduct,” Lowell asserted.
“This bold assault on First Amendment principles and blatant diversion from the administration’s turmoil won’t prevail. Don will contest these allegations robustly in court.”
Court documents reveal a federal appeals panel last week rejected a push to compel a trial judge to authorize warrants for Lemon and four protest-linked individuals. Yet one judge affirmed sufficient probable cause.
Since his 2023 CNN dismissal, Lemon has operated independently and previously justified his Minneapolis trip amid sustained unrest by citing commitment to constitutional protections, particularly press freedoms.
