Patriot Brief
- What Happened: The Department of Justice opened investigations into possible FACE Act and KKK Act violations after anti-ICE protesters stormed a Minneapolis church during worship.
- Why It Matters: The same laws were previously weaponized by the Biden DOJ to jail peaceful pro-life activists while attacks on churches went largely unpunished.
- Bottom Line: The Trump DOJ signaled that invading houses of worship will bring real federal consequences.
The Department of Justice is stepping in after anti-ICE protesters stormed a church in Minneapolis, and the message is clear. This time, there will be consequences.
Federal officials confirmed they are investigating potential violations of the FACE Act and the conspiracy against rights statute, commonly referred to as the KKK Act, following the takeover of Cities Church during a worship service. Protesters accused the pastor of being an ICE agent, occupied the sanctuary, and chanted slogans including “Hands up, Don’t shoot” and “ICE out.”
Former CNN host Don Lemon livestreamed the incident on YouTube and was heard saying he was “not part of the group” and was only there “photographing.”
Lead pastor Jonathan Parnell called the incident unacceptable and said it was shameful to interrupt Christians gathered for worship.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon confirmed that the Civil Rights Division is investigating whether federal law was violated by protesters who desecrated a house of worship and interfered with religious freedom.
The FACE Act, passed in 1994, protects access to abortion clinics, pregnancy centers, and churches. Despite that equal language, nearly all prosecutions under the law have historically targeted pro-life activists. The Biden administration aggressively used the statute after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, jailing peaceful protesters while churches and pregnancy centers were vandalized and firebombed with little response.
In some cases, Biden’s DOJ stacked conspiracy against rights charges on top of FACE Act violations, exposing pro-life activists to more than a decade in prison. President Donald Trump later pardoned more than 20 of those individuals during his second term.
Dhillon said investigators are examining who funded the protest, how it was organized, whether communications crossed state lines, and whether additional federal crimes occurred. She also indicated Don Lemon’s involvement remains under review, rejecting the idea that claiming journalism provides immunity.
Her warning was blunt. No one should believe they can storm churches and walk away. The federal government is prepared to act, and future attempts will be met with the full force of the law.