Former CNN anchor and longtime journalist Don Lemon, a familiar face in American newsrooms for decades, was taken into custody by federal law enforcement in Los Angeles on the night of January 29, 2026, in a dramatic turn of events that has captured national attention. Lemon was in Southern California at the time as part of his assignment to cover the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, one of the music industry’s most high-profile nights.
According to multiple major news outlets, federal agents apprehended Lemon while he was in town for the Grammys, and his arrest was later confirmed by his attorney, Abbe Lowell, who issued a statement acknowledging the detention and vowing that Lemon will vigorously challenge the case.
The surprising arrest stems from Lemon’s involvement in a controversial anti-ICE protest in St. Paul, Minnesota, nearly two weeks earlier, on January 18, 2026, when demonstrators entered Cities Church during a Sunday worship service. At the protest, activists chanted and disrupted the religious gathering to protest federal immigration enforcement policies and the presence of an ICE official who also reportedly serves in a leadership role at the church.
Lemon, who had been streaming and reporting live from the scene, has maintained that he was present solely as a journalist, documenting the unfolding events, interviewing protesters and church members, and not participating in or organizing the disruption. His attorney echoed that assertion, framing the arrest as an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment” and arguing that Lemon’s decades-long career covering contentious events should be afforded constitutional protection.
The protest itself drew national headlines for its bold interruption of a religious service and sparked widespread debate about protest tactics, immigration policy, and the boundaries of press freedom. Lemon’s arrest has further fueled that debate, with critics warning of potential implications for journalists covering demonstrations and supporters decrying what they see as government overreach.
As the legal process unfolds, Lemon faces federal charges related to the protest, and he has publicly pledged to continue standing up for independent reporting and free expression, even as his case draws intense scrutiny from media observers, civil liberties advocates, and political commentators alike.
