The White House digitally altered a photograph of Nekima Levy Armstrong, a prominent Black female civil rights attorney in Minnesota and former president of the Minnesota chapter of the NAACP, who was involved in a protest against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official at a church in St. Paul last Sunday, January 18, 2026.
Protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul during a religious service to protest a pastor there, David Easterwood, who is also the acting Field Office Director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in St. Paul, Minnesota. Protesters interrupted the service to call for Easterwood’s resignation, chanting “ICE out!” and “Justice for Renee Good!”, the 37-year-old mother of three who was shot to death by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis on January 7, so far without any government investigation or consequences.
After several of the protesters were arrested, Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, posted a photo of Armstrong’s arrest that showed Armstrong composed and unemotional. The White House then doctored the photo of Armstrong and re-posted it on X showing Armstrong in the same situation, but sobbing and tearful instead.
The protest came just days after a U.S. District Judge issued an injunction in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of protesters blocking ICE agents from continuing to retaliate against, harass, arrest or detain peaceful, unobstructive protesters, using pepper spray or other “non-lethal munitions” against them, or using chemical crowd dispersal agents against them, or stopping or detaining drivers and passengers absent any reasonable suspicion that they are actually obstructing or interfering with ICE operations.
(Click the above image to read the entire 83-page federal court injunction against ICE continuing to harass protesters in Minnesota.)
When asked about the doctored photo, Kaelan Dorr, Deputy Assistant to the President, White House Deputy Communications Director and the person in charge of the White House’s official X account, responded via X, “The memes will continue.”:
The only thing they’re serious about is being unprofessional and low class. I can’t believe our presidency has sunk this low. I miss dignity and intelligence in the Oval Office.
The only thing they’re serious about is being unprofessional and low class. I can’t believe our presidency has sunk this low.
Their tactics have remained the same for a very long time.
They lie,cheat and steal. If that doesn’t work they will fn kill you.
They are pure evil every fn one of them and pure Nazi.
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/1/21/nekima_levy_armstrong_minneapolis_ice_protest
I watched to this excellent Democracy Now interview on the 21st. Nekima was composed, on point and truly represented inherent professionalism !
So I was shocked to see a pic of an overly distressed person AI’ed so as to suggest she has NO courage or integrity and is guilty as charged!
Her 01/21st interview comments were thoughtful and definitely those of-Truth to Power.
As a follow-up, Democracy Now Interviewed Nekima’s lawyer today, 1/23.
Thx for following this incident. Anne.