Chaos erupted at a St. Paul church Sunday morning when demonstrators forced their way into Cities Church during worship services, demanding the removal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from Minnesota communities.
The disruption brought Sunday worship to an abrupt halt as protesters entered the building, chanting and making demands related to recent ICE enforcement actions in the state.
Services were interrupted, forcing many congregants to leave the premises.
The protesters targeted the church over allegations that a senior church leader maintains connections with ICE.
Demonstrators specifically referenced the January shooting death of 37-year-old Minneapolis mother Renee Good, who was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross earlier this month.
Nekima Levy Armstrong, speaking among the demonstrators, stated the action targeted what she characterized as a connection between church leadership and ICE operations.
Armstrong told reporters the protesters sought justice for Good.
Former CNN journalist Don Lemon documented the protest as it unfolded, following the group into the church building.
Lemon conducted interviews with both protesters and church members during the disruption.
Congregants expressed anger and frustration over the interruption of their worship service.
One churchgoer described feeling violated and interrupted by the demonstration, stating the protesters had proven their point worthless by driving worshippers from their own church.
A pastor at Cities Church told Lemon the protesters refused peaceful dialogue.
The pastor stated he needed to care for his congregation and family before requesting Lemon leave the premises.
Lemon defended his presence at the scene, citing First Amendment protections and stating all journalists with the opportunity should cover such events.
The independent journalist noted police vehicles remained outside the church building but officers never entered to address the situation.
Attorney General Pam Bondi responded to the incident Sunday, stating she had spoken with the church pastor.
Bondi assured him that attacks on houses of worship would face the full force of federal law.
Bondi warned that if state leaders refuse to prevent lawlessness, the Department of Justice would prosecute federal crimes and ensure the rule of law prevails.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division would investigate the protesters under the FACE Act, which criminalizes the use of force or threats at churches.
The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh argued that Lemon should be “dragged out of his house by a SWAT team at gun point” because “that’s what Biden did to pro-lifers.”
“Time to make these scumbags play by the same rules. Force feed them a dose of their own medicine for once,” he added.
ICE’s official social media account addressed the church incident directly.
The agency stated agitators were targeting both ICE officers and churches, moving from location to location in search of federal law enforcement personnel.
The agency placed responsibility on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for what it described as whipping mobs into a frenzy and allowing them to operate without restraint.
ICE affirmed its operations would continue regardless of protest activity.
President Donald Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, announced the president would not tolerate intimidation and harassment of Christians in their places of worship.
Leavitt stated the Department of Justice launched a full investigation into the church incident.
Minnesota has become a focal point of tensions between ICE and protesters following the early January shooting of Good.
Mayor Frey stated Sunday his city faces siege conditions after being invaded by ICE agents during the current immigration enforcement operations.
Frey told reporters the situation constituted intimidation by the federal government.
The Minneapolis mayor agreed with characterizations comparing the situation to a military occupation, stating residents were standing up to adversity.
The Trump administration has deployed nearly 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota.
Reports indicate 1,500 troops remain on standby for potential deployment amid ongoing protests in the state.
The Department of Justice launched an investigation Friday into both Walz and Frey over allegations they impeded federal law enforcement, Resist the Mainstream reported.
A US official stated the investigation stemmed from anti-ICE rhetoric by both Democratic leaders.
