Federal authorities arrested multiple activists after protesters inside a St. Paul, Minn., church disrupted a worship service, pushing the Department of Justice into a broader investigation.
The protest unfolded earlier this month inside Cities Church in St. Paul, where demonstrators interrupted a worship service to protest federal immigration enforcement. The disruption prompted a local police response, followed by federal arrests and a widening DOJ civil rights review currently examining whether the actions violated laws protecting religious worship and if federal charges are warranted.
Military.com reached out for comment to the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the city of St. Paul, Ramsey County officials, and Cities Church.
Bondi's Forceful Response
The DOJ confirmed it is reviewing the incident after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly weighed in, signaling a more aggressive federal posture as arrests and investigative steps moved forward.
Bondi first addressed the case on Jan. 18, hours after the disruption, writing in a post on X that she had spoken with the pastor of the St. Paul church and condemned the protest.
“Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law,” she wrote.
Bondi reinforced her position Jan. 19 in a Fox News appearance, arguing protests should not take place inside houses of worship and framing the disruption as a violation of religious freedom protections.
After federal authorities disclosed arrests tied to the incident, Bondi again took to X again on Jan. 22, writing: “Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP.”
Asked about the scope and timeline, a Justice Department spokesperson referred Military.com to Bondi’s public remarks and declined to provide additional detail.
Federal prosecutors are continuing to assess whether the protest violated federal civil rights statutes and whether additional enforcement action is warranted. Officials have not announced a timeline for charging decisions, and it remains unclear whether the inquiry will lead to additional arrests or formal indictments.
From Local Protest to Federal Civil Rights Case
Federal authorities have confirmed arrests tied to the protest, signaling a decisive shift from what began as a local disturbance to a case now carrying national legal and political implications.
Officials have not publicly detailed how many people have been taken into custody, or whether additional arrests are expected. The investigation is examining whether demonstrators violated laws protecting religious worship, civil rights statutes governing interference, or intimidation and federal public order provisions, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The case is unfolding as immigration enforcement draws sharper scrutiny and street level resistance in multiple cities, including Minneapolis, where the Army ordered military police units to prepare for a possible deployment amid protests tied to ICE activity.
New National Flashpoint
The incident has ignited debate over how protests tied to immigration enforcement intersect with religious freedom and First Amendment protections, particularly when demonstrations move inside sanctuaries.
Disruptions during worship can draw heightened scrutiny because the law treats religious services as protected activity, even though protesters argue they are exercising core speech rights.
Advocacy groups have framed the protest in sharply different terms; supporters may refer to it as civil disobedience while critics may infer it as unlawful interference with worship.
The pressure campaign lands in a broader immigration enforcement moment in which the administration has leaned on expansive legal tools, including use of the Alien Enemies Act in fast moving deportation efforts. Previous reporting has highlighted internal disputes over the legal and intelligence justifications.
No court filings tied to the arrests have been made public, leaving unanswered questions about potential charges and investigative next steps.
