Arrests Made After Anti-ICE Protest Disrupts Saint Paul Church
BY MN CRIME STAFF
Federal authorities say two arrests have been made in relation to an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a church service in Saint Paul on Sunday.
The arrests mark a new escalation in an ongoing clash between anti-ICE activists, church leadership and the federal Department of Justice.
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U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem described the incident Sunday, Jan. 18 as involving an “anti-ICE mob” who targeted the church, accusing the group of crossing the line from protected speech into unlawful conduct. In a statement posted to social media, Noem said the First Amendment protects speech and peaceful assembly but not rioting, adding that the administration is committed to enforcing federal law.
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday announced that two people had been arrested in connection with the incident. Bondi identified them as Nekima Levy Armstrong, whom she described as a key organizer of the protest, and Chauntyll Allen, a member of the Saint Paul School Board since 2020. Levy Armstrong is an attorney and longtime civil rights activist in the Twin Cities, having previously served as the head of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP.
As of publication, federal authorities have not released full details about any charges filed against Armstrong or Allen, though they say both are accused of violating the federal FACE Act, which prohibits using force, obstruction or intimidation against people exercising their rights in places of worship or reproductive health clinics.
The incident unfolded Sunday at Cities Church and was captured on multiple livestreams, where about three-dozen people entered during a worship service and chanted slogans including “ICE out” and “Renee Good.” Protesters allegedly targeted the church after learning that one of its pastors, David Easterwood, leads the Saint Paul field office for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which oversees immigration enforcement in Minnesota and four neighboring states.
That office has been involved in a recent federal enforcement surge that has drawn scrutiny after an agent shot and killed Renee Good and amid allegations of unlawful arrests and actions against protesters. In a separate civil lawsuit challenging federal immigration enforcement, a judge said the federal agencies and officers named as defendants showed “an ongoing, persistent pattern of defendants’ chilling conduct.”
PREVIOUSLY: Woman Fatally Shot During ICE Operation in South Minneapolis
In a statement posted on the church’s website, lead pastor Jonathan Parnell called those who disrupted Sunday’s service “agitators” and accused them of accosting congregants, frightening children and creating an atmosphere of intimidation. Parnell said the conduct was unlawful and would not be tolerated, adding that disrupting a church service is protected by neither Christian scripture nor U.S. law. He also urged local, state and national leaders to protect churches as places of peace and said the church is exploring next steps with legal counsel.
The Department of Justice has confirmed it has opened a civil rights investigation into the incident and says additional accountability may follow.
PREVIOUSLY: Police Chiefs Warn ICE Stops Are Sweeping Up U.S. Citizens
The disruption at Cities Church has unfolded alongside broader debate among Minnesota faith leaders over immigration enforcement tactics. In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece published Tuesday, Bernard Hebda, the Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, called the current immigration enforcement climate “untenable” and urged Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. On social media, Robert Barron, the Bishop of Winona-Rochester, called on ICE to narrow its focus to undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes while also urging politicians and protesters to dial back rhetoric and actions.
Meanwhile, dozens of Minnesota clergy members are planning to participate in an anti-ICE march Friday, with organizers expecting nearly 1,000 clergy from around the country. Local labor unions are backing what they are calling a “Day of Truth and Freedom,” encouraging people to stay home from work and school and avoid shopping, with many businesses pledging to close.
