The Trump administration inaccurately portrayed the arrest of a well-known civil rights lawyer involved in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church. In an official post on its website, the White House shared an altered image of Nekima Levy Armstrong appearing tearful and detained, while the original photo depicted her with a neutral expression. The manipulated image aimed to enhance the dramatic effect of the moment.
Comparing both images, certain details remained consistent, indicating they were not separate photos but altered versions of the same scene. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Levy Armstrong’s arrest in a social media post at 9:28 a.m. ET, followed by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sharing the unaltered photo of Levy Armstrong an hour later.
However, the White House later posted the doctored image at 10:54 a.m. ET, which drew criticism from readers who exposed its falsity by attaching the original picture to the post. Levy Armstrong’s attorney, Jordan Kushner, refuted the administration’s portrayal, asserting that the images released by the authorities were manipulated to depict her as crying, whereas she remained composed during the arrest.
As doubts arose regarding the authenticity of the image, White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr reiterated the administration’s stance on law enforcement through a social media post. Levy Armstrong, along with two others, faced arrest after a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where an ICE official serves as a pastor. The demonstration, chanting slogans against ICE and demanding justice for Renee Good, led to a civil rights investigation by the Justice Department.
In a separate incident, a magistrate judge dismissed federal prosecutors’ attempt to charge former CNN anchor Don Lemon in connection with the church protest. Lemon maintained his role as a journalist rather than a protester during the event, emphasizing his journalistic obligations. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, emphasized that the judge’s decision affirmed Lemon’s journalistic activities as protected under the First Amendment.