Trump’s Justice Department has charged former CNN anchor Don Lemon and seven others with storming the Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
WATCH:
However, only three of the eight church protesters were taken into federal custody.
Judge Douglas Micko dismissed the charges against Don Lemon and four defendants earlier this week.
Magistrate Judge Micko’s wife works as an assistant attorney general in the office of Minnesota AG Keith Ellison.
The Trump DOJ asked the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to revive the arrest warrants.
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the DOJ’s request.
The panel consisted of three judges: Jane Kelly (Obama), Steven Grasz (Trump) and Jonathan Kobes (Trump).
The two Trump-appointed circuit judges on the panel said the Trump DOJ had probable cause to arrest Don Lemon and the other four defendants, but they said they could obtain the arrest warrants through other means.
CBS News reported:
A federal appeals court on Friday declined to order a lower court judge to sign arrest warrants against five people, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, in connection with an anti-ICE protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. One of the three judges said he found there was probable cause to justify the arrests, according to court documents and sources familiar with the case.
The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, released Saturday, came after the Justice Department asked the appeals court to compel the U.S. District Court in Minnesota to sign five arrest warrants on civil rights charges alleging that the defendants unlawfully interfered with churchgoers’ constitutionally protected freedom to practice religion.
The ruling made public Saturday did not identify the names of the five defendants against whom the Justice Department is seeking arrest warrants, but multiple sources confirmed to CBS that Lemon is one of them.
Harmeet Dhillon responded to the Eighth Circuit Court’s decision.
“Stay tuned,” she said.
Stay Up to Date US Appeals Court Sees Probable Cause to Indict Journalist Don Lemon, But Declines to Order Lower Court to Sign Arrest Warrants – CBS Newsd https://t.co/ZPVePpT7wJ
— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) January 24, 2026
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