The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that two activists have been arrested following a protest that disrupted a Sunday church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, escalating tensions between immigration enforcement critics and federal authorities.
The incident occurred at Cities Church, where one of the pastors, David Easterwood, is reportedly also serving as the acting field director for the local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office. Protesters entered the church during worship services, chanting slogans including “ICE out!” and “Justice for Renee Good.”
The demonstration was organized in part by local activist groups, including Black Lives Matter Minnesota and the Racial Justice Network. Protesters cited the recent fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was killed earlier this month by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, as the catalyst for their actions.
According to videos shared online, protesters confronted church leaders inside the sanctuary, accusing Easterwood of a conflict of interest by serving simultaneously as a pastor and an ICE official overseeing controversial enforcement operations in the Twin Cities. Several congregants were seen leaving the service amid the disruption.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrests on social media, stating that agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI took the individuals into custody. Those arrested are:
Nekima Levy Armstrong, a prominent civil rights attorney and former NAACP Minneapolis chapter leader, accused of helping organize the protest.
Chauntyll Louisa Allen, a member of the St. Paul School Board, also arrested in connection with the incident.
The charges reportedly stem from violations of federal statutes protecting religious worship, including provisions related to interference with religious exercise at a place of worship. Bondi characterized the protest as a “coordinated attack” on a church and emphasized the administration’s commitment to safeguarding houses of worship.
The Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation shortly after the incident, condemning the disruption as an unlawful intrusion into a religious service. The arrests come as Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Minnesota, further heightening political tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in the state.
Activists involved have defended the protest, arguing it was a necessary act of accountability in response to ICE’s recent actions. Faith leaders, civil liberties advocates, and federal officials are now weighing in on where the line should be drawn between protest rights and the protection of religious spaces.
The case continues to fuel a broader national debate over immigration policy, civil disobedience, and the limits of protest in sacred settings.
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