Federal Authorities Detain Minnesota Activists Following Church Protest Linked to ICE Leadership

In Minneapolis, federal law enforcement agents have arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney, and Chauntyll Louisa Allen, a member of the St. Paul school board, following their leadership in a protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul. The pastor of the church, David Easterwood, is identified by protesters as holding a significant leadership role within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency conducting intensive raids in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The arrests occurred after dozens of demonstrators disrupted a church service, alleging that Easterwood's involvement in ICE clashes with Christian doctrines. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the participation of FBI and Department of Homeland Security agents in the apprehensions. FBI Director Kash Patel indicated that Levy Armstrong was charged under a federal statute enacted in 1994 prohibiting the physical obstruction of places of worship. No immediate comments were available from the legal representatives for either Levy Armstrong or Allen. The Justice Department signaled that additional arrests might follow related to the protest that took place on Sunday at Cities Church. The demonstrators asserted that Easterwood's alleged role with ICE was inconsistent with Christian values, particularly given ICE's enforcement activities in the region. In Ohio, Vice President JD Vance stated that Bondi informed him about the arrest of the so-called "ringleader" of the church protest.In recent developments, Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, announced an investigation under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, a federal law designed to prevent obstruction of both reproductive health facilities and houses of worship. Though historically applied to abortion clinic blockades, current enforcement appears increasingly focused on protecting religious services from disruption. This shift aligns with the Trump administration’s broader agenda, which has curtailed certain abortion cases and intensified scrutiny of groups perceived to oppose governmental policies. Such moves have prompted concern and debate among civil liberties advocates and members of the Democratic party.Levy Armstrong, previously a law professor and president of the Minneapolis NAACP chapter, criticized the government's legal responses as an abuse of power, particularly following the federal decision not to pursue charges against ICE agent Jonathan Ross in connection to the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good. She characterized these actions as indicative of escalating authoritarian tendencies, where investigative authorities are employed as political tools.In regard to Easterwood, public records confirm his role as the acting field office director for ICE in St. Paul, matching the person identified as the pastor of Cities Church on its website. Efforts to obtain comment from Easterwood have been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Pastor Jonathan Parnell has indicated that Cities Church is contemplating legal action against those who disrupted their service. Bondi framed the protest within a broader pattern of "attacks on places of worship" that, she argued, would not be tolerated under the current administration.In footage circulating online, Levy Armstrong can be seen addressing congregation members inside the church, denouncing Easterwood’s alleged dual role as both a spiritual leader and ICE official, a combination she deemed incompatible given ICE’s enforcement actions including the shooting of Good and harm inflicted on a Venezuelan immigrant. The protest was reportedly organized by Black Lives Matter groups in Minnesota alongside the Racial Justice Network, according to Levy Armstrong’s social media postings.