Federal investigation underway after anti-ICE protesters interrupted a church service. Here’s the latest

By CNN Newsource

Published January 20, 2026 1:43 AM

By Hanna Park, Zoe Sottile, CNN

(CNN) — The Department of Justice is investigating protesters who interrupted a Christian church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday, as tensions around the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities continue to escalate.

The DOJ probe was announced hours after dozens of protesters entered Cities Church, chanting “ICE out!” and forcing the service to stop. The demonstrators said they were there to protest one of its pastors who appears to be a top official with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

In announcing the probe, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the protesters were “desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”

Meanwhile, pushback against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities continues to play out on the streets of Minneapolis and in Minnesota’s federal courts, where both protesters and state leaders are challenging the presence of thousands of federal officers and their tactics.

Here’s the latest:

DOJ investigating church protest: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News on Monday that the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has sent experts to Minneapolis. The US Attorney’s office, the FBI and DHS are all involved in the investigation, he said. Officials have suggested Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor who now makes content independently and was present at the church protest, could face charges, though Lemon told CNN he was at the event as a journalist.
DOJ appeals ruling: The DOJ is appealing a judge’s order curtailing how federal agents respond to Minnesota protests. The order, issued Friday, prohibits agents from arresting or detaining peaceful protesters, using certain crowd-control measures like pepper spray against them, and stopping and detaining drivers when there is “no reasonable articulable suspicion” they are forcibly obstructing or interfering with federal operations. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the order “a little ridiculous,” saying agents only use chemical irritants “when there’s violence happening.”
FBI probe into Renee Good’s killing: The FBI briefly opened a civil rights probe into the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis before shifting to whether the agent was assaulted, two sources told CNN. The focus is now on the conduct of Good and those around her, including her widow, they said. The family’s attorney says an investigation is needed to find out what happened.
Troops on standby: The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers to prepare for possible deployment to Minnesota, according to a Trump administration source. Having troops on standby does not mean a deployment will happen, the source said. The Minnesota National Guard has also been mobilized but not deployed, state officials announced last weekend. Gov. Tim Walz first ordered the Guard to be ready to support Minneapolis law enforcement the day after Good was killed.
Protests in Minnesota: Demonstrators continued to rally against ICE near the Whipple Federal Building outside Minneapolis Monday, amid frigid temperatures.

Article Topic Follows: CNN - National

Jump to comments ↓