{"id":2542785,"date":"2026-01-18T23:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T04:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-probing-anti-ice-protest-at-minneapolis-church-service\/"},"modified":"2026-01-18T23:02:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T04:02:35","slug":"doj-probing-anti-ice-protest-at-minneapolis-church-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-probing-anti-ice-protest-at-minneapolis-church-service\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ probing anti-ICE protest at Minneapolis church service"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoj-probing-anti-ice-protest-at-minneapolis-church-service%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2542785&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Department of Justice has opened a civil-rights probe into an anti-ICE demonstration that interrupted a church service in Minneapolis, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/8-findings-in-floridas-grand-jury-report-on-the-covid-shots\/\" title=\"8 Findings In Florida&#039;s Grand Jury Report On The Covid Shots\">examining potential violations<\/a> of the FACE Act, which protects places of worship from protests. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon posted video of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-blm-protesters-mob-store-trapping-100-customers-inside-were-shutting-s-down\/\" title=\"BREAKING: BLM ... Mob Store, Trapping 100 Customers Inside: \u2018We\u2019re Shutting S*** Down!\u2019\">protesters chanting<\/a> &#8220;Justice for Renee Good&#8221; at Cities Church adn said they were &#8220;desecrating a house of worship,&#8221; while noting the pastor named in the protest, David Easterwood, may be the same person who serves as an acting ICE field office director &#8211; a connection that has not been confirmed. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon filmed the protest and defended it as protected First Amendment activity, prompting Dhillon to counter that houses of worship are not public forums for such disruptions. Attorney General pam Bondi confirmed the inquiry, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the actions as &#8220;despicable.&#8221; The demonstration was part of wider anti-ICE unrest in Minnesota after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer; the state mobilized the National Guard and the Pentagon prepared roughly 1,500 troops on standby.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">DOJ probing anti-ICE protest at Minneapolis church service<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2475252\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\">Department of Justice<\/a> is investigating an anti-ICE protest in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Minneapolis\">Minneapolis<\/a> that saw demonstrators interrupt a church service over one of its pastors, who they claimed also works for U.S. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ice\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon announced the investigation in an X <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AAGDhillon\/status\/2013003168179724426\">post<\/a>, saying officials are looking at potential violations of the FACE Act, which generally protects places of worship from protests.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4422863\/michael-cohen-coerced-letitia-james-alvin-bragg-testify-against-trump\/\">Michael Cohen &#8216;coerced&#8217; by Letitia James and Alvin Bragg to testify against Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4422810\/judge-limits-ice-crowd-control-tactics-against-protesters-minnesota\/\">Judge limits ICE crowd control tactics against protesters in Minnesota<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4422769\/tim-walz-jacob-frey-under-criminal-investigation-doj\/\">Tim Walz and Jacob Frey under criminal investigation by DOJ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Dhillon&rsquo;s post included footage of the incident that shows multiple protesters assembled in Cities Church chanting &ldquo;Justice for Renee Good,&rdquo; the 37-year-old woman who was fatally shot by an ICE officer earlier this month. Dhillon said the protesters were &ldquo;desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The pastor in question is David Easterwood, who did not appear to be present at the service. A man with the same name is an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >acting field office director<\/a> for ICE in Minnesota, who <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.c-span.org\/person\/david-easterwood\/146510\/\">appeared<\/a> alongside Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem at a press conference last fall. The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> could not confirm whether they are the same person.<\/p>\n<p>The protest was also caught on video by former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who was covering anti-ICE demonstrations throughout the day in Minnesota for his YouTube channel. Lemon defended the protesters after many worshippers left the service, claiming it was protected by the First Amendment.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is what the First Amendment is about, the freedom to protest,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sure people here <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/despite-insistence-by-democrat-politicians-and-medical-elites-empirical-evidence-does-not-conclusively-show-that-masks-reduce-the-spread-of-covid\/\" title=\"Despite Insistence by Democrat Politicians and Medical Elites, Empirical Evidence DOES NOT Conclusively Show that Masks Reduce the Spread of COVID\">don&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t like it, but protests are not comfortable.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Dhillon later hit at Lemon&rsquo;s statement by suggesting he was part of the protest.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/buttigiegs-former-firm-shells-out-573-million-to-evade-lawsuits-over-role-in-opioid-crisis\/\" title=\"Buttigieg\u2019s Former Firm Shells Out 3 Million to Evade Lawsuits Over Role in Opioid Crisis\">civil laws<\/a>! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service. You are on notice!&rdquo; she <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AAGDhillon\/status\/2013044166062936417\">posted<\/a> on X.<\/p>\n<p>Attorney General Pam Bondi also confirmed the investigation, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AGPamBondi\/status\/2013068784953708959\">saying<\/a> &ldquo;Any violation of federal law will be prosecuted.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4423222\/minneapolis-jacob-frey-trump-bait-ice\/\">MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR SAYS HIS CITY WON&rsquo;T TAKE TRUMP&rsquo;S &lsquo;BAIT&rsquo; WITH 1,500 TROOPS ON STANDBY<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the incident &ldquo;despicable,&rdquo; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PressSec\/status\/2013075971348332554\">saying<\/a> &ldquo;President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Anti-ICE protests took place across Minnesota over the weekend as tension remain high after Good&rsquo;s death. Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4423057\/walz-mobilizes-national-guard-minnesota-protests\/\">mobilized<\/a> the state National guard on Saturday, and the Pentagon has also reportedly ordered around 1,500 troops to prepare for deployment&nbsp;to the state.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ probes anti-ICE protest at Minneapolis church<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3359,"featured_media":2542786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ice-protest-minnesota.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[66132,71004,6772],"class_list":["post-2542785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-anti-ice-protest","tag-doj-probe","tag-minneapolis"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ice-protest-minnesota.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2542785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2542785"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2542785\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2542789,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2542785\/revisions\/2542789"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2542786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2542785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2542785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2542785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}