Georgia Fort And Don Lemon Arrested In Connection To Minnesota Protests

The ongoing ICE Out protests have taken a sharp and alarming turn for the media. On the morning of Friday, January 30, 2026, federal agents arrested Emmy Award-winning journalist Georgia Fort at her home in Minnesota. Her arrest follows the late-night detention of former CNN anchor Don Lemon in Los Angeles. Both journalists are facing federal charges stemming from their coverage of a January 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The arrests have ignited a firestorm of criticism from First Amendment advocates. They argue the Department of Justice is being used to chill press freedom and intimidate independent storytellers who are documenting the current wave of civil unrest.

Georgia Fort is a trusted voice in Minnesota and a three-time Midwest Emmy winner. She documented her own arrest via a Facebook Live stream at 6:30 a.m. as federal agents arrived at her door. In the video, she explained that the arrest stems from the fact that she filmed a protest as a member of the media. She expressed a deep concern that constitutional rights for the press are being ignored.

For the Her Agenda community, Georgia Fort is more than a headline. She is a visionary media leader who has dedicated her career to representation, ethics, and accountability. As the founder of the Center for Broadcast Journalism and the driving force behind Power 104.7 FM, she has worked tirelessly to build a media infrastructure that reflects the diverse communities it serves.

Georgia’s daughter spoke tearfully at a press conference following the arrest. She emphasized that her mother is a professional documenting community truths, not an activist. This distinction is at the heart of the legal battle. The government is reportedly charging Georgia with conspiracy to violate constitutional rights and interfering with the right to religious freedom at a place of worship.

According to CNN, Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents in a hotel lobby in Beverly Hills. He was in Los Angeles to cover the Grammy Awards. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, characterized the arrest as a stunning and troubling effort to silence and punish a journalist for doing his job.

This arrest is particularly controversial because a federal magistrate judge had previously rejected the government’s attempt to charge Lemon last week. The judge found there was no evidence of criminal behavior involved in his work. However, the Trump Justice Department moved forward by seeking a grand jury indictment to secure the warrants.

In her previous conversations with Her Agenda, Georgia warned that the single biggest barrier to restoring public trust in media is government involvement in what is and what is not being covered. She argued that if media outlets want to regain trust, they must establish independence from government oversight.

The arrest of a journalist for bearing witness sets a dangerous precedent. Georgia took this role seriously when she was one of only two reporters allowed inside the courtroom for the sentencing of Derek Chauvin. If journalists can be charged with conspiracy simply for filming a protest on private property, the slanted coverage Georgia often critiqued will become the only narrative available to the public.

First Amendment groups have blasted the move as an authoritarian breach. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also expressed deep concern. He stated that in Minnesota, we do not treat journalists like criminals for doing their jobs.

As Georgia’s legal team prepares for a federal court appearance, her own words from our past interview resonate with renewed urgency. She noted, “folks are more willing to put their trust in an individual than they are in an institution.”