Overview
- Federal prosecutors charged Don Lemon and several protesters under the FACE Act after they entered a St. Paul church during an anti‑ICE demonstration.
- Courts have ruled that physical obstruction can violate the 1994 statute, including in U.S. v. Brock, though cases tied to religious worship have been less common.
- Lemon’s attorneys say he was at the church as a journalist covering the protest, raising First Amendment concerns about applying criminal liability to newsgathering.
- Legal analysts question the statute’s constitutional footing as applied here, noting an initial magistrate’s rejection of an arrest warrant and renewed doubts after the Dobbs decision.
- Republican lawmakers are pushing repeal through H.R. 589 and cite prior prosecutions, including the acquittal of pro‑life activist Mark Houck, while some commentators argue the law should be enforced to protect churchgoers.