What began as a Sunday morning worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul turned into a scene of chaos when anti-ICE demonstrators poured into the sanctuary during the sermon, chanting “Justice for Renee Good.” The disruptive action, documented by former CNN anchor Don Lemon, lasted over 23 minutes as congregation members sat stunned, some eventually departing the pews.
Protesters targeted the church because one of its pastors, David Easterwood, also serves as the acting field office director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota, according to federal records.
The Alleged ICE Director Behind the Pulpit
David Easterwood’s dual role sparked outrage among activists who discovered his name listed on the Cities Church website and in Department of Homeland Security court filings. Easterwood appeared on C-SPAN in October 2025, speaking alongside DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, publicly identifying himself as a proud leader of Minnesota’s ICE field office operations.
He is also named in a pending American Civil Liberties Union class action lawsuit over aggressive ICE enforcement tactics in the Twin Cities
Led by a Reverend-Lawyer on a Mission
Nekima Levy-Armstrong, an attorney and self-described reverend who leads the Racial Justice Network, organized the protest after connecting the dots on Easterwood’s roles. Accompanied by activists from Black Lives Matter Minnesota and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, she addressed the congregation during the disruption.
“This will not stand—they cannot pretend to be a house of God while harboring someone who is commanding ICE agents to terrorize our communities,” Levy-Armstrong told Lemon before entering the church.
“Justice for Renee Good”—The Catalyst
The protest’s moral center was a name chanted repeatedly: Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on January 7, 2026, just eleven days before the church disruption.
Good, an American citizen, was in her vehicle on a Minneapolis street when Ross fired into her windshield and driver’s side window at close range, killing her. Her death ignited an explosion of anti-ICE demonstrations across the Twin Cities and became the emotional anchor for the church protest.
Lead Pastor Confronts the Crowd
Jonathan Parnell, the lead pastor conducting Sunday’s service, stood at the pulpit as chants erupted. “Shame on you!” Parnell shouted at protesters. “This is a house of God!” When confronted by Levy-Armstrong and asked why he did not address ICE’s presence in his church, Parnell neither confirmed nor denied Easterwood’s role.
As the disruption continued, some church members quietly left the sanctuary, while others engaged protesters in conversation. Parnell later told Lemon, “It’s shameful to see anyone interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship. I have to take care of my church and my family.”
Don Lemon Documents the Chaos
Don Lemon, who departed CNN to build an independent media presence, followed protesters into the sanctuary, filming and interviewing participants, including Levy-Armstrong. His livestream captured over 23 minutes of the disruption as church musicians eventually began playing to counter the chants.
Lemon’s livestream reached audiences far beyond St. Paul, amplifying the protest’s impact across digital platforms. The protest was also livestreamed by Black Lives Matter Minnesota, amplifying its reach and impact across digital platforms.
The FACE Act Investigation
Hours after the service ended, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced an investigation into the protest, alleging potential violations of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances—or FACE—Act.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon wrote on social media: “The @CivilRights is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers. Considering and investigating other related crimes as well. @FBI activated too!”
Federal Officials Draw a Hard Line
Attorney General Pam Bondi escalated federal rhetoric, writing: “I just spoke to the pastor in Minnesota whose church was targeted. Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law. If state leaders refuse to act responsibly to prevent lawlessness, this Department of Justice will remain mobilized to prosecute federal crimes.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared: “President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship.”
Troops on Standby Amid Escalation
The Pentagon has prepared 1,500 troops for potential deployment to Minnesota, according to reporting from Reuters and The New York Times, as federal tensions with the state over ICE enforcement reach a flashpoint. The military mobilization follows weeks of anti-ICE demonstrations triggered by Good’s death and ongoing federal immigration enforcement across the Twin Cities.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey demanded ICE “get the f*** out of Minneapolis,” while Governor Tim Walz has placed the National Guard on standby, creating competing shows of force between federal and state authorities.
Federal Funding on the Chopping Block
President Trump has threatened to cut federal funding to Minnesota effective February 1, 2026, citing the state’s alleged sanctuary policies and perceived obstruction of federal immigration enforcement. The funding freeze would impact federal programs serving Minnesota’s 5.7 million residents across education, infrastructure, healthcare, and social services.
The deadline creates artificial urgency, compelling state officials to either capitulate to federal immigration enforcement or absorb devastating budget cuts within weeks.
Nekima Levy-Armstrong Dismisses DOJ Probe
Nekima Levy-Armstrong characterized the federal investigation as a distraction and a sham designed to intimidate activists rather than address ICE’s conduct in the Twin Cities. “How dare somebody claim to be a pastor while overseeing evil,” she told a crowd after the protest.
Notably, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat, broke ranks with federal officials and thanked Lemon “for being on the ground in Minnesota to help lift up this fight for truth and fairness.”
Precedent: New Jersey Synagogue FACE Act Case
This Minnesota church investigation echoes a similar case from fall 2025, when the Department of Justice filed a FACE Act lawsuit against protesters who disrupted services at a New Jersey synagogue during a ceremony honoring a deceased rabbi.
Legal scholars note the act’s expansion from its original purpose—protecting abortion clinics—to encompassing places of worship in politically charged contexts signals a broader shift in how federal authorities deploy criminal law against protest activity.
A Church Divided Over ICE Enforcement
The protest exposed fractures within American churches over how faith leaders respond to government immigration enforcement. Some Baptist figures, including those associated with Bethlehem College and Seminary (where Parnell serves on the board), publicly blessed ICE operations.
One professor used a pulpit to pray for God to “break the teeth” of ICE opponents, illustrating deep theological and political divisions.
The Unresolved Question: Easterwood’s Identity
While it has been confirmed that David Easterwood holds the acting ICE director position in Minnesota, it could not be independently verified whether he was the same David Easterwood listed as a pastor on Cities Church’s website. The ambiguity remains central to the protest’s justification, yet unresolved by mainstream media fact-checking.
Whether Easterwood was even present at Sunday’s service to confront remained disputed; activists’ core claim hinged partly on his alleged dual role, though he did not appear during the livestreamed disruption.
What Comes Next: Federal Charges Loom
With the FBI activated and the DOJ Civil Rights Division investigating, potential federal charges against dozens of identifiable protesters loom on the horizon, according to federal statements. The combination of the FACE Act investigation, military mobilization, federal funding threats, and rival state authorities creates an extraordinary escalation rarely seen in American protest history.
As the February 1 deadline approaches and troops remain on standby, Minnesota faces a constitutional and political showdown between federal immigration enforcement and state-level resistance, with a St.
Sources:
“Department of Justice investigating anti-ICE protest at St. Paul church” – FOX 9
“DOJ vows to press charges after activists disrupt church” – CNN
“Pentagon readies 1500 troops for potential Minnesota deployment” – Reuters
“President Trump cutting federal funding to Minnesota starting Feb. 1” – FOX 9
“Activists interrupt Sunday church service, say pastor works for ICE” – Star Tribune
“Reports, videos show how ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Good”Paul church and its congregation caught at the center of the firestorm