Anti-ICE Protesters Arrested After Minnesota Church Disruption
Authorities have taken two anti-ICE agitators into custody following a disruptive protest at a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota over the weekend. The arrests highlight ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and religious freedom in the United States.
Arrests Announced by Attorney General
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrests on social media platform X, identifying the individuals as Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen. Bondi stated that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and FBI agents executed the arrests at her direction.
"Minutes ago at my direction, HSI and FBI agents executed an arrest in Minnesota. So far, we have arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong, who allegedly played a key role in organizing the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota," Bondi shared in her post.
In a follow-up statement, Bondi added: "A second arrest has been made at my direction. Chauntyll Louisa Allen has been taken into custody." The Attorney General emphasized that "we do not tolerate attacks on places of worship" and has repeatedly warned that houses of worship will be protected.
Federal Charges Filed
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also shared details of the arrests, noting that Armstrong faces charges under 18 USC 241, which falls under the Civil Rights Conspiracy statute. This federal law makes it unlawful for two or more persons to conspire to injure, threaten, or intimidate someone exercising their constitutional rights.
Noem stated: "Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States — there is no first amendment right to obstruct someone from practising their religion." Her comments underscore the government's position that while protest rights are protected, they do not extend to disrupting religious services.
Background of Those Arrested
According to reports, Armstrong is a civil rights lawyer and scholar-activist who had continued to harass individuals connected with the church as recently as last Wednesday. She reportedly accused one of the church's pastors, David Easterwoods, of having a "conflict of interest" due to his employment as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
Allen, meanwhile, serves as a member of the St. Paul School Board. Their arrests come amid heightened tensions surrounding ICE operations in Minnesota, where protests have grown following the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions.
ICE Defends Enforcement Actions
Top ICE official Marcos Charles appeared on national television this week to defend the agency's actions in Minnesota. He stated that ICE officers are conducting "targeted enforcement looking for the worst of the worst" but acknowledged they may question individuals encountered during operations.
"Nobody's under suspicion, but we're looking for those targets. And, again, if we walk, encounter somebody, as we're walking up to a building, as we're en route to that building, that's still part of the operation as they proceed to that target," Charles explained.
The ICE official expressed concern about violence against officers, noting: "I'm bothered by seeing people take action against my officers, using vehicles to try to ram them, assaulting my officers. Our officers are humans, you know. They're people."
Broader Context of Minnesota Protests
The church protest and subsequent arrests occur against a backdrop of ongoing demonstrations against ICE operations in Minnesota. Charles referenced this context when discussing recent arrests, including that of Pedro Laguna Cruz, a Mexican national with multiple DUI convictions and a controlled substance possession conviction.
"These are the people who the church agitators group were protesting for," Charles said during a news conference. "These are the people, the violent agitators ramming our vehicles and attacking our officers, are trying to defend."
He added: "It's easy to debate immigration enforcement when it's abstract, but behind every one of these arrests is someone who committed a crime that put your friends, family, neighbors, community in danger."
The situation continues to develop as authorities balance enforcement priorities with protection of constitutional rights, including both protest rights and religious freedom.
