Former CNN host Don Lemon ignited controversy on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, when he urged Black and Brown Americans to legally arm themselves in response to the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement operations. The remarks came during an appearance on writer Wajahat Ali’s podcast “The Left Hook,” where Lemon clarified he was not promoting violence but responding to what he described as aggressive tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
Lemon specifically encouraged people of color who are legally in the country to purchase firearms, obtain proper licenses, and exercise their Second Amendment rights. He questioned whether the constitutional provision was designed precisely for situations where citizens face potential confrontation with federal agents at their doors. The former television personality, who spent 17 years at CNN before his termination following workplace misogyny accusations, directed his message to Black households, Indian-Americans, Mexican-Americans, and Brown people across all backgrounds.
The broadcast journalist emphasized proper firearm handling, urging those who choose to arm themselves to keep weapons secured and educate their children about gun safety. He expressed frustration with what he characterized as passive responses to federal enforcement actions, stating he was exhausted with people suggesting turning the other cheek. According to Lemon, such approaches contributed to the current political climate.
Lemon accused conservative Americans of hypocrisy regarding gun rights, suggesting they frequently invoke the Second Amendment for themselves but react with alarm when people of color assert the same constitutional protections. He suggested his statements might help bring awareness to allegations that ICE officers have detained American citizens during recent enforcement sweeps, though he provided no specific documentation of such incidents.
Lemon also addressed the criminality of border crossings, arguing that immigrants who enter the country illegally fall far below the highest levels of criminal behavior. He pointed to President Trump’s 2024 conviction for falsifying business records in Manhattan’s hush-money case, claiming that offense represented near-maximum criminality short of taking human life. Lemon contended that unauthorized border crossings, classified as misdemeanors for first-time offenses, exist nowhere near that severity level.
Postcast host Ali defended the controversial statements in a response to media inquiries, asserting that Republicans should welcome more armed citizens if they genuinely support Second Amendment rights. He questioned whether conservatives believe only White Trump supporters possess the right to bear arms, challenging them to state such a position publicly if true. Ali emphasized that Lemon possesses First Amendment protections to express his views, noting the Trump administration claims to champion free speech.
The Department of Homeland Security responded sharply to Lemon’s remarks through Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who characterized the comments as unhinged and un-American. She noted that calling for violence against law enforcement officers poses serious dangers, particularly given a reported 1,000 percent increase in assaults against ICE agents since immigration raids intensified. The agency documented terrorist attacks, vehicles used as weapons, rocks thrown at officers, and shooting incidents targeting federal personnel.
McLaughlin warned that such rhetoric carries consequences and could result in the death of federal officers who face escalating dangers while performing their duties. In August, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had publicly reported the dramatic surge in assaults against immigration enforcement agents. The White House separately urged Democratic lawmakers to moderate their anti-ICE rhetoric, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt encouraging critics to meet with Border Patrol agents and recognize them as honorable Americans enforcing existing laws.
Some Democratic members of Congress have faced legal consequences for confronting immigration officers. Representative LaMonica McIver of New Jersey received federal charges for assaulting and interfering with immigration officers outside a Newark detention center in May. Senator Alex Padilla of California was handcuffed after unexpectedly entering a briefing with Secretary Noem and advancing toward her before identification could occur, though authorities filed no charges and the two later met privately.
The incident reflects broader tensions surrounding immigration enforcement under the current administration. Congressional aides reported that some progressive activists have pressured Democratic lawmakers to take more confrontational approaches to opposing Trump’s immigration policies, with demands that representatives demonstrate willingness to face physical harm for the cause.
