Former CNN anchor Don Lemon sparked intense controversy on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, when he urged Black and Brown Americans to legally arm themselves in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, claiming this use of the Second Amendment could serve as protection against potential government overreach. The comments, made during an appearance on writer Wajahat Ali’s podcast “The Left Hook,” immediately drew sharp criticism from federal officials and reignited debates about gun rights and immigration enforcement.
During the podcast interview, Lemon specifically addressed citizens who are legally residing in the United States, encouraging them to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms. He emphasized that Black households and Brown people of all backgrounds, including Indian-Americans and Mexican-Americans, should obtain firearms legally, store them safely, and educate their children about gun safety. The former television host, who spent 17 years at CNN before being terminated following accusations of workplace misogyny, insisted he was not promoting violence but rather advocating for constitutional rights.
Lemon’s rationale centered on concerns about due process, questioning whether citizens could be removed from their homes without proper legal proceedings. “Get a license to carry legally because when you have people knocking on your door and taking you away without due process as a citizen, isn’t that what the Second Amendment was written for?” he stated during the broadcast. He expressed frustration with what he characterized as a passive approach to current immigration enforcement tactics, stating he was tired of playing nice and turning the other cheek.
The former news anchor also accused conservative advocates of Second Amendment rights of hypocrisy, suggesting that reactions differ when Black and Brown individuals invoke the same constitutional protections that white Americans regularly cite.
“The folks on the right say it all the time … ‘Second Amendment, I get to carry my gun!’” Lemon said. “But the moment you [Ali] and I say it, because, you know, a black and a brown brother – it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh! What are they saying?’”
The controversy comes amid a heightened security posture: after a deadly shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas on September 25, 2025, the DHS announced increased protection at immigration-enforcement offices nationwide.
Federal officials responded swiftly to Lemon’s comments. Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin characterized the remarks as unhinged and warned about potential consequences. She emphasized that calling for violence against law enforcement was un-American, noting that ICE agents were already facing a 1,000 percent increase in assaults, including vehicles used as weapons, rocks thrown at officers, and shootings. McLaughlin warned that such rhetoric could result in officers being killed.
During the podcast discussion, Lemon also addressed what he considers varying degrees of criminality in America. He argued that individuals crossing the border illegally represent a misdemeanor offense that pales in comparison to other crimes. The broadcaster pointed to President Donald Trump’s 2024 conviction for falsifying business records in the Manhattan hush-money case, suggesting that Trump’s actions constituted a higher level of criminality than border crossings. Lemon contended that, except for taking someone’s life, Trump’s conduct ranked at the highest level of criminal behavior.
Podcast host Ali defended Lemon’s right to express his views in a statement, framing the controversy within the context of First and Second Amendment rights. He suggested that Republicans should support the idea of Americans legally bearing arms, questioning whether they believed such rights existed only for white Trump supporters. Ali challenged critics to publicly admit if they held such discriminatory views about constitutional protections.
The agency has maintained that immigration enforcement operations follow proper legal procedures and that detained individuals receive due process rights.
Lemon, who now produces content for his Lemon Media Network across social media platforms, YouTube, and his personal website, has continued to generate headlines following his departure from CNN. His 2022 show cancellation preceded a brief stint on other projects before establishing his independent media operation. The former anchor maintains a significant following on Instagram, where he has accumulated two million followers.
The controversy surrounding Lemon’s comments reflects broader tensions regarding immigration enforcement policies, Second Amendment interpretations, and racial dynamics in American political discourse.
His suggestion that arming minority communities might influence policymakers and enforcement officials represents a provocative stance that has generated substantial debate across political divides.