A MUST-WATCH: Protesters shut down Cities Church this morning after discovering that one of the lead pastors is allegedly an ICE agent. What shocked everyone was what another pastor said during an interview. Watch the video before it’s deleted.

Minneapolis-St. Paul area — January 18, 2026 — Tensions over ongoing ICE operations in Minnesota reached a dramatic peak this morning when anti-ICE protesters stormed into Cities Church during Sunday worship, effectively halting the service.

The disruption stemmed from social media allegations that one of the church’s lead pastors, David Easterwood, also serves as the Acting Field Office Director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in the St. Paul region.

Protesters, chanting slogans like “ICE OUT” and invoking the recent fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent earlier this month, demanded accountability and confronted church members.

Footage from the scene, including livestreams by former CNN host Don Lemon who was on site reporting, shows demonstrators entering the sanctuary, disrupting the congregation, and leading to walkouts and heated exchanges.

Some attendees expressed shock and anger at the intrusion into their place of worship, while others defended the right to protest.

The incident unfolded amid heightened unrest in the Twin Cities following Good’s death, which sparked widespread demonstrations against what critics call aggressive and indiscriminate immigration enforcement tactics.

What shocked many observers was a statement captured during post-disruption interviews: another pastor, speaking to reporters outside as members filed out, reportedly said, “We serve a God of justice and mercy — but mercy doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to the suffering of the marginalized.

This is disgusting.

Radical protesters enter an evangelical church (Cities Church, St. Paul, MN) and disrupt a worship service to protest an ICE agent who is a pastor there.

Absolutely despicable. pic.twitter.com/i42NoozcCq

— Denny Burk (@DennyBurk) January 18, 2026

If our leadership is divided in loyalty between the kingdom of heaven and the enforcement of earthly laws that tear families apart, then perhaps it’s time for the church to choose a side.”

Church officials have not yet issued an official response confirming or denying the dual-role allegations regarding Easterwood, though online evidence from church leadership pages and past public appearances has fueled the claims. No arrests were immediately reported.

The event highlights the deepening divide in the community over federal immigration policies, with some viewing the protest as a necessary call for accountability and others condemning it as an unacceptable violation of sacred space.

This is a developing story.