The arrest of a prominent civil rights attorney in connection with an anti-immigration enforcement protest at a Minnesota church was misrepresented by the Trump administration on Thursday. The White House shared a manipulated image of Nekima Levy Armstrong appearing to cry, while the original photo showed her with a neutral expression. Certain details in both images remained consistent, indicating manipulation rather than being separate photos.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Levy Armstrong’s arrest in a post on social media, followed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sharing the original unaltered photo of the arrest. The White House later posted the edited image, which readers quickly identified as false and attached the original photo to the post.
Attorney Jordan Kushner, representing Levy Armstrong, disputed the administration’s portrayal of his client, stating that she was calm and composed during the arrest, contrary to the manipulated image. He mentioned that a video shot by Levy Armstrong’s husband would refute the administration’s claims and would be released soon.
Amid the controversy surrounding the image, White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr emphasized the enforcement of the law and thanked those following the matter. Levy Armstrong and others were arrested after a protest at a church where an ICE official serves as a pastor, leading to a civil rights investigation by the Justice Department.
While charges were brought against Levy Armstrong and others, a magistrate judge rejected the attempt to charge former CNN anchor Don Lemon in connection with the protest. Lemon asserted he was present as a journalist, not a protester, and his attorney emphasized that his reporting activities were protected by the First Amendment. Neither the White House nor Homeland Security provided immediate additional comments on the matter.