News

News

January 20, 2026

DOJ Vows to Press Charges After Activists Disrupt Church Where Minnesota ICE Official Is a Pastor

The U.S. Department of Justice said Sunday it is investigating a group of protesters in Minnesota who disrupted services at a church where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apparently serves as a pastor.

A livestreamed video posted on the Facebook page of Black Lives Matter Minnesota, one of the protest’s organizers, shows a group of people interrupting services at the Cities Church in St. Paul by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good.” The 37-year-old mother of three was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month amid a surge in federal immigration enforcement activities.

The protesters allege that one of the church’s pastors — David Easterwood — also leads the local ICE field office overseeing the operations that have involved violent tactics and illegal arrests.

U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said her agency is investigating federal civil rights violations “by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”

“A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws!” she said on social media.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also weighed in on social media, saying that any violations of federal law would be prosecuted.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, who participated in the protest and leads the local grassroots civil rights organization Racial Justice Network, dismissed the potential DOJ investigation as a sham and a distraction from federal agents’ actions in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

“When you think about the federal government unleashing barbaric ICE agents upon our community and all the harm that they have caused, to have someone serving as a pastor who oversees these ICE agents, is almost unfathomable to me,” said Armstrong, who added she is an ordained reverend.

“If people are more concerned about someone coming to a church on a Sunday and disrupting business as usual than they are about the atrocities that we are experiencing in our community, then they need to check their theology and the need to check their hearts.”

The website of St. Paul-based Cities Church lists David Easterwood as a pastor, and his personal information appears to match that of the David Easterwood identified in court filings as the acting director of the ICE St. Paul field office. Easterwood appeared alongside DHS Secretary Kristi Noem at a Minneapolis press conference last October.

BBC anchor criticized for reaction to musician’s mention of Jesus Christ

On Saturday, BBC News anchor Geeta Guru-Murthy, 58, interviewed 18-year-old musician Daniel Chenjerai, known as DC3, following his nomination for two 2026 MOBO Awards. During the segment, Guru-Murthy asked DC3 to name people he admired, and he listed Jesus Christ among his heroes. The moment escalated when Guru-Murthy’s apparent sharp reaction triggered a wave of online criticism, with social media users on X alleging bias, while both she and the BBC denied any negative intent.

The issue has ignited a firestorm of debate, with many questioning whether the reaction reflects a deeper cultural insensitivity toward Christian beliefs at the BBC.

Journalist Peter Lloyd didn’t hold back on X, questioning the disparity in how religious figures are treated. If a similar reaction had followed a mention of another faith’s revered figure, he argued, the outrage would likely be deafening. This comparison resonates with those who see a pattern of selective sensitivity in mainstream outlets.

DC3 has not backed down from his original statement, using X to reaffirm his faith with posts dated January 16, 2026. His account proudly declared, “JESUS CHRIST ON BBC NEWS,” signaling no regret over his words. This boldness has endeared him to many who value authenticity over polished restraint.

His follow-up posts doubled down, defending his right to name Jesus Christ as a hero without apology. For a young artist in the spotlight, this courage to stand by personal conviction is striking. It’s a reminder that not everyone bends to the pressure of public scrutiny.

1-Year-Old Florida Girl Found Miles Away After She Was Missing for More Than a Month

A 1-year-old girl has been found over a month after she went missing in Florida.

Anastasia Mason was reported missing on Dec. 2. She was last seen with her father, Thomas Zachariah Mason, and her mother, Jami Makala Owens, in Pensacola at the time, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) said in a news release shared on Facebook.

In an update on Thursday, Jan. 15, the ECSO announced that Anastasia had been “safely located” in Uriah, Ala. No other details surrounding her disappearance and discovery were shared.

Mom and 1-Year-Old Son Disappear Just Hours After Talking to Family. They’ve Been Missing for Over a Week

A 30-year-old mom and her 1-year-old son have been reported missing
Police said the pair were last seen in Reading City, Penn., around 8:30 p.m. local time on Sept. 12
Both the mother and child are believed to be “endangered” and “may be at special risk of harm or injury”

Mom of 5 Was Found Alive in the Woods After Disappearing. 18 Days Later, She’s Missing Again

A mother of five has gone missing for the second time in less than a month.

Kayla Bailey, of Jacksonville, Fla., was reported missing for the second time by her grandmother and brother on Sunday, Sept. 7.

She was reportedly last seen at her family’s home on Blackthorn Road in the Wesconnett area, and family members told the news station that the mom of five has recently been experiencing severe mental health issues.

“She’s walked away from her whole life,” said Lisa Lucas, Kayla’s mother. “Her business, the kids, the family, and the house. This is not my daughter. She does not need to be out wherever she is again.”

ICE says an immigrant who died in a sprawling Texas detention facility killed himself

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Federal officials say an immigrant from Nicaragua has been found dead at a Texas immigration detention facility. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents say 36-year-old Victor Manuel Diaz appears to have killed himself Wednesday at the Army’s Fort Bill base in El Paso. Diaz was detained in Minnesota on January 6th and sent to Texas. He entered the U.S. in March 2024. Diaz was at the same detention facility where ICE says another detainee died as staff members tried to prevent him from killing himself. Local officials say that death appeared to be a homicide as the detainee was being restrained.

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Walter Leonard Petersen, III