Former CNN personality Don Lemon recently found himself at the center of attention following his participation in an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest at a church in Minnesota. The incident has stirred controversy, with potential federal charges looming over Lemon’s involvement.

Lemon, who departed CNN in 2023 after making a series of contentious statements during broadcasts, attended a protest on Sunday that saw activists disrupt a church service in St. Paul. During the protest, Lemon was captured on video confronting a pastor, asserting that it was his “First Amendment right” to enter the church.

However, Lemon’s actions have not gone without criticism. On Monday, Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, cautioned Lemon, suggesting that his participation could lead to federal legal consequences.

Reflecting on the backlash, Lemon expressed surprise at becoming the focal point of the protest’s fallout. “I questioned why I’ve become the face of this. As a journalist, I am aware of my prominence, but I didn’t expect this level of attention,” Lemon commented during an appearance on Jennifer Welch’s “I’ve Had It” podcast on Monday afternoon.

After hearing of the reaction to his presence at the protest, Lemon explained his thought process after wondering why he’s ‘become the face of it.’ 

‘You know, I said, “I don’t understand how I’ve become the face of it when I was a journalist” – I do understand that, I was the biggest name there,’ Lemon told Jennifer Welch on her ‘I’ve Had It’ podcast on Monday afternoon. 

The independent journalist then shared the message his producers gave him after realizing how much of a stir he made. 

‘I was on with my producers this morning… My producers were saying, I said, “How did I become the face of this?”, and my producers said Don, you’re a gay, black man in America. 

Ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon gloated about himself as the ‘biggest name’ at the anti Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) church protest in Minnesota after sparking backlash for participating in it 

He was seen in footage berating a pastor and telling it was his ‘First Amendment right’ to storm the church

‘And you have a platform, and you’re the biggest name. Of course you’re going to be the person that they single out, and they’re gonna make the headline because it plays to their base, and their base is full of racist, bigoted homophobes like Nicki Minaj, by the way,’ Lemon added. 

His comment stems from a post made by the rapper on Monday that criticized Lemon for his participation in the protest.

The 43-year-old R&B star erupted on X after Lemon’s livestream came to light. 

In an all-caps post, Minaj wrote: ‘DON ‘C**K SUCKIN’ LEMON IS DISGUSTING.’

Lemon, who is openly gay and married real estate agent Tim Malone in 2024, became the target of further attacks as Minaj continued her homophobic tirade.

‘HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!!’ she added.

Just last month, Minaj showed her strong support for Donald Trump and his administration while praising him and Vice President JD Vance at the 2025 conservative conference. 

In response to Minaj’s social media attack, Lemon told TMZ: ‘I’m not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism and is weighing in on matters that are above her capacity.’ 

Dhillon took to X to warn Lemon that his justification for joining the church protest was misguided, as she posted: ‘A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest’ 

Don Lemon is seen smirking on the same day he joined ICE protestors who stormed a Minnesota church

The Daily Mail contacted Lemon for comment. 

Earlier, Dhillon took to X to warn Lemon that his justification was misguided, as she posted: ‘A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest!

‘It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service… You are on notice!’

In another social media post, Dhillon said she was in touch with Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI, and said she would be ‘all over’ Lemon’s actions in Minnesota.

‘We are investigating potential criminal violations of federal law,’ the prosecutor added.

Reached by phone on Monday, Malone, Lemon’s husband, declined to comment and said he had ‘nothing to say’ on the possibility the former CNN anchor could face criminal charges.

Dhillon said her department is investigating whether Lemon and the anti-ICE mob violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

The legislation prohibits attempting to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person exercising their First Amendment right to religious freedom at a place of worship.

In an interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, Dhillon said her office was also exploring charging Lemon under the Ku Klux Klan Act, which makes it illegal to threaten, hurt, or intimidate people to prevent them from exercising their civil rights.

In an all-caps post, Nicki Minaj wrote: ‘DON ‘C**K SUCKIN’ LEMON IS DISGUSTING’ after seeing he was part of the protest 

A mob of protestors is seen inside the church in St. Paul on Sunday. Lemon recorded the footage and shared it on his platform

‘The Klan Act is one of the most important federal civil rights statutes. Its a law that makes it illegal to terrorize and violate the civil rights of citizens. Whenever people conspire this, the Klan Act can be used,’ Dhillon said.

In footage Lemon shared from his visit to the church, he said he had ‘no affiliations’ with the protest group, and he defended his actions as an ‘act of journalism.’

‘I’m sure people here don’t like it, but protests are not comfortable,’ Lemon said.

It comes as it was revealed that the anti-ICE mob that Lemon joined chose to target the church because one of its pastors, David Easterwood, also serves as the acting director of the St Paul ICE field office.

Easterwood, a pastor at the Cities Church in St. Paul, appeared alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in October, where he spoke of being ‘proud’ of leading the immigration crackdown in the town.

David Easterwood, a pastor at Cities Church in St. Paul (center left) and ICE field office director, seen alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a press conference in October. On Sunday, his church was targeted by anti-ICE protests joined by Lemon 

At the protest, while speaking with Lemon, demonstrator Nekima Levy Armstrong singled out Easterwood as the reason they chose to overwhelm the Sunday service.

‘This will not stand, they cannot pretend to be a house of God, while harboring someone who is commanding ICE agents to terrorize our communities,’ Armstrong told Lemon.

The ICE field office director’s role as pastor at the Cities Church reportedly caught the attention of protest groups Racial Justice Network, Black Lives Matter Minnesota, and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, who organized the Sunday mob.

Easterwood has made headlines with his work with ICE in recent months, and after appearing alongside Noem at the October press conference, he responded to a lawsuit brought by local Minneapolis protester Susan Tincher.

Tincher alleged that she was detained for asking an ICE agent to identify herself, which she says led several agents to pull her to the ground and handcuff her face-down in the snow.