Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps Don Lemon Arrested: Trump, ICE & the Prosecution of the Press
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Feb 2, 2026 Seth Stern, civil liberties lawyer and chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, breaks down press freedom risks. He discusses Don Lemon’s charges, how espionage and RICO laws can be stretched against reporters, and the rise of raids, seizures and selective prosecutions. He outlines reforms and why defending journalistic independence matters now.
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High-Profile Arrest Signals Press-Freedom Risk
- Don Lemon was arrested after covering Minneapolis protests and later detained in Los Angeles, raising press-freedom alarms.
- Josh Szeps and Seth Stern frame the arrest as part of a broader pattern of government targeting journalists.
Reporting Isn't Conspiracy
- Don Lemon followed protesters into a church to document a protest against an ICE official and livestreamed his reporting.
- Seth Stern argues following news is core journalism and doesn't equal conspiring with protesters.
Weak Legal Fit For The Charges
- Federal statutes invoked include a conspiracy-to-deprive-rights charge and a law against obstructing places of worship originally aimed at clinic protests.
- Seth Stern highlights intent and physical obstruction elements likely missing from charges against Lemon.
