{"id":2548185,"date":"2026-01-22T18:03:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T23:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/feds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-attack-on-minnesota-church-23\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T18:04:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T23:04:17","slug":"feds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-attack-on-minnesota-church-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/feds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-attack-on-minnesota-church-23\/","title":{"rendered":"Feds Arrest Anti-ICE Agitators Over &#8216;Attack&#8217; On Minnesota Church"},"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\">18<\/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%2Ffeds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-attack-on-minnesota-church-23%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=2548185&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>federal authorities arrested two anti\u2011ICE activists, Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen, after they allegedly helped organize a coordinated storming of Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrests on X, saying Homeland Security investigators and FBI agents carried out the actions and warning more arrests may follow; FBI Director Kash Patel said the suspects where charged under the FACE act. The Federalist article cites prior reporting that Armstrong has a long history of far\u2011left activism, including reportedly praising a convicted cop killer, and that she earned substantial compensation while leading the Wayfinder Foundation and now runs a cannabis company called Dope Roots. The piece notes the Wayfinder Foundation received grants and has connections to funding from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >citing tax\u2011filing figures reported<\/a> by Fox News. Former CNN host Don Lemon was also present at the church incident but has not been arrested; an update says a magistrate judge declined to sign off on a complaint to arrest Lemon, though the Justice Department may pursue other options. The incident is described as one of several anti\u2011ICE demonstrations in Minnesota amid tensions between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-across-u-s-take-bidens-lead-seek-to-ban-illegal-alien-term\/\" title=\"Democrats Across U.S. Take Biden&#039;s Lead, Seek to Ban &#039;Illegal Alien&#039; Term\">federal immigration agents<\/a> and democratic state and city officials.  <\/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<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=z_5_ji34sMM\">WTKR News 3\/YouTube<\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/01\/22\/feds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-coordinated-attack-on-minnesota-church\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Feds%20Arrest%20Anti-ICE%20Agitators%20Over%20%E2%80%98Coordinated%20Attack%E2%80%99%20On%20Minnesota%20Church&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/01\/22\/feds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-coordinated-attack-on-minnesota-church\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=Feds%20Arrest%20Anti-ICE%20Agitators%20Over%20%E2%80%98Coordinated%20Attack%E2%80%99%20On%20Minnesota%20Church&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/01\/22\/feds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-coordinated-attack-on-minnesota-church\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\" https:><\/path><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/01\/22\/feds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-coordinated-attack-on-minnesota-church\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Feds%20Arrest%20Anti-ICE%20Agitators%20Over%20%E2%80%98Coordinated%20Attack%E2%80%99%20On%20Minnesota%20Church&amp;body=%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/01\/22\/feds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-coordinated-attack-on-minnesota-church\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>Two anti-ICE activists have been arrested for their alleged roles in barnstorming a Minnesota-based church, federal authorities announced Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AGPamBondi\/status\/2014344323706302566?s=20\">series of X posts<\/a>, Attorney General Pam Bondi disclosed that Homeland Security Investigators and FBI agents executed the arrests of Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen. According to Bondi, Armstrong &ldquo;allegedly played a key role in organizing the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota&rdquo; this past weekend.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-2087163871\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&ldquo;Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,&rdquo; wrote Bondi, who telegraphed there could be &ldquo;more&rdquo; arrests &ldquo;to come.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Both suspects have been <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FBIDirectorKash\/status\/2014358587900878862?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrested<\/a> for allegedly violating the FACE Act, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <span class=\"j7jNDWPoDOCbyFnrRx2q30YA14fXtcOv08hozviCgHYawQNWwdE7LTiSMBQIkp8nfMrAzJ4BRIg\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Homeland Security Investigators and FBI agents arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong who played a key role in orchestrating the Church Riots in St. Paul, Minnesota. <\/p>\n<p>She is being charged with a federal crime under 18 USC 241.<\/p>\n<p>  Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States -&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LHh994fXf3\">pic.twitter.com\/LHh994fXf3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Sec_Noem\/status\/2014357826081071513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>As reported by Fox News, Armstrong has boasted a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/flashback-far-left-activist-who-organized-minnesota-church-storming-praised-cop-killer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">long history<\/a> of far-left activism. This includes previously praising a convicted cop killer and calling for a boycott of Target after the company seemingly &ldquo;rolled back&rdquo; some of its racist DEI programs.<\/p>\n<p>Armstrong also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/far-left-agitator-who-organized-minnesota-church-storming-raked-over-1-million-from-nonprofit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> raked in more than $1 million while running a Minneapolis-based nonprofit aimed at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/feds-arrest-anti-ice-agitators-over-attack-on-minnesota-church\/\" title=\"Feds Arre... Anti-ICE Agitators Over &#039;Attack&#039; On ... Church\">tackling poverty-related issues<\/a>. According to Fox News, &ldquo;Armstrong, who is currently the founder and CEO of a cannabis company called Dope Roots, led the nonprofit as executive director for at least six years, from 2019 through 2024, according to tax filings by the Wayfinder Foundation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;According to filings ranging from 2019 to 2024, in six years Armstrong made $936,395 as executive director of the Wayfinder Foundation, plus an additional $201,313 in health benefits and other compensation,&rdquo; the report reads. &ldquo;Meanwhile, during her time in leadership, the Wayfinder Foundation disbursed approximately $700,052 in grants.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The organization has reportedly received funding from the left-wing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/black-lives-matter-foundation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Among the other agitators to storm the aforementioned St. Paul church was former CNN host <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/01\/20\/don-lemon-made-himself-relevant-again-and-now-he-should-be-in-federal-custody\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Don Lemon<\/a>, who <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CollinRugg\/status\/2013025026623316168?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accosted<\/a> the church&rsquo;s pastor for not being on board with such individuals disrupting his congregation&rsquo;s worship service. Lemon has not been arrested or charged for his alleged conduct as of this article&rsquo;s publication. <\/p>\n<p>Sunday&rsquo;s incident was one of several anti-ICE demonstrations to take place throughout Minnesota, where federal agents are attempting to conduct immigration operations in the face of hostility from the state&rsquo;s Democrat leaders. These politicians &mdash; notably Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey &mdash; have repeatedly gone out of their way to vilify immigration officials and effectively <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/01\/07\/walz-and-frey-should-be-arrested-for-inciting-2020-2-0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">incite<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/01\/07\/dems-react-to-minneapolis-car-ramming-by-inciting-more-anti-ice-violence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">violence<\/a> against them. <\/p>\n<p><em>UPDATE<\/em>:<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/magistrate-judge-rejects-charges-don-lemon-anti-ice-protest-minnesota-church\/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&amp;linkId=900624120\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CBS News<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MaryMargOlohan\/status\/2014392168236884359?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Daily Wire<\/a> reported Thursday that a magistrate judge refused to sign off on a complaint for federal officials to arrest Lemon, a decision that &ldquo;enraged&rdquo; Bondi. One source, however, did tell CBS &ldquo;that the process is not over, and the Justice Department could find other avenues to charge Lemon.&rdquo;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Shawn Fleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShawnFleetwood\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">@ShawnFleetwood<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/shawnfleetwood\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/anti-ice\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">anti-ICE<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/arrests\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">arrests<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/church\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">church<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Department of Justice<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/fbi\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">FBI<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/immigration-enforcement\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">immigration enforcement<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/law-and-order\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">law and order<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/leftist-activists\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">leftist activists<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Minnesota<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Pam Bondi<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two anti-ICE activists charged over St. Paul church raid<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2548186,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Minnesota-church-1.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[71672,71673,71713],"class_list":["post-2548185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-anti-ice-activists","tag-federal-arrests","tag-minnesota-church-attack"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Minnesota-church-1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2548185","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\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2548185"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2548185\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2548190,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2548185\/revisions\/2548190"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2548186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2548185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2548185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2548185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}