Minnesota magistrate judge rejects charges against Don Lemon over anti-ICE church protest, blocks some charges for 2 protesters

January 23, 2026

TL;DR

A Minnesota federal magistrate judge refused to sign a complaint charging journalist Don Lemon in connection with a protest at a St. Paul church.
The magistrate judge, Douglas Micko, determined there was "NO PROBABLE CAUSE" for the charges against Lemon.
The Attorney General is reportedly "enraged" by the magistrate's decision.
Two activists, Chauntyll Louisa Allen and Nekima Levy Armstrong, were arrested and charged with violating a civil rights law related to interfering with religious freedom.
The magistrate judge also declined to approve a second charge against Allen and Armstrong under the FACE Act, crossing it off their arrest warrants.
Allen and Armstrong were ordered released on conditions, but their release is pending the Justice Department's appeal to seek their detention.
The protest occurred after demonstrators discovered an ICE official was a pastor at the church, with activists calling for accountability in the death of a U.S. citizen shot by an ICE officer.
Lemon's attorney stated the magistrate's actions confirm Lemon's work was protected by the First Amendment.
The article draws parallels to past situations where federal prosecutors faced pushback from magistrate judges and grand juries on what were perceived as flimsy cases or cases with constitutional defects.

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