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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

Police: Two People Shot by Federal Agents in Portland; Protests Erupt in Minneapolis Over Deadly ICE Shooting; Trump Using Division as a Political Policy; U.S. Senators Advance War Powers Resolution for Venezuela; Trump: Ban Big Investors from Buying Single-Family Homes; Anti-Regime Protests Spread in Iran Amid Government Crackdown. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired January 09, 2026 - 00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[00:00:39]

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Elex Michaelson, live in Los Angeles. We are following multiple breaking news stories right now here on THE STORY IS.

That includes federal agents opening fire for the second straight day, this time in Portland, Oregon, where two people, reportedly a married couple, were hospitalized after being shot. This incident coincides with nationwide protests over the fatal shooting of an American woman by ICE in Minneapolis one day earlier.

The Department of Homeland Security says Border Patrol agents in Portland were going after a Venezuelan gang member during a targeted vehicle stop. They say both the driver and the passenger are members of Tren de Aragua, who -- and they say that those two tried to run over the agents.

We want to take you live to Portland right now, where we are seeing the scene. The alleged car ramming is, of course, a similar narrative to what feds claim happened in Minneapolis.

A senior law enforcement source tells CNN that that married couple were arrested while seeking treatment for gunshot wounds. You see quite a police presence out there right now.

Portland's mayor is calling on ICE to pause operations in the city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR KEITH WILSON (D), PORTLAND, OREGON: Portland is not a training ground for militarized agents. When the administration talks about using full force, we are seeing what it means on our streets.

The consequences are not abstract. They are felt in hospital rooms and living rooms, in the quiet moments when families try to make sense of what happened, what is happening.

We know what the federal government says happened here. There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time has long passed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.

WILSON: That is why we are calling on ICE to halt all operations in Portland until a full and independent investigation can take place.

Today I spoke with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. We shared not just our concerns, but our grief for the families who are suffering and grief for the recklessness of our federal government.

The administration is trying to divide us, to pit communities against one another, to make us fear one another. Portland, this is a moment to hold each other close.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Janelle Bynum is a Democratic Congressmember who represents parts of Portland. She's live in Washington.

Welcome to THE STORY IS for the first time.

REP. JANELLE BYNUM (D-WA): Thanks for having me.

MICHAELSON: Congresswoman, you put out a pretty dramatic statement in terms of reaction to what happened today in your city. What is your main message in terms of your reaction?

BYNUM: Well, you know, there's a difference between law enforcement and state-sponsored terrorism, and that is what I'm seeing. We need to be focused on developing a strong immigration policy. Instead, they wanted us to vote on showerheads today.

I mean, this is what the administration is bringing forth. They're not being serious about protecting our borders, protecting our state, and enforcing our national policy on immigration. They're just plain goons.

MICHAELSON: They're goons, is what you're talking about. And you're talking about the law enforcement officers themselves?

BYNUM: I'm talking about the way this administration is running the law enforcement agencies charged with securing our border and protecting against people who are here in an unauthorized manner.

And they're not making sure that we actually have a solid policy that protects workers, that helps businesses, and that keeps our communities safe.

MICHAELSON: So, state-sponsored terrorism is quite a dramatic statement. And what the administration is saying is, essentially, these folks were getting a car driven at them and that these two individuals are members of a gang who are here illegally. And if they're driving their car at law enforcement, what is law enforcement supposed to do?

BYNUM: Well, I think it's really important for us to, No. 1, acknowledge that the administration has a problem with the truth. They -- we can't believe hardly anything that they say.

[00:05:12]

And you -- the police can't be judge, jury and executioner. That's where we have due process. That's where we have the letter of the law. That's where we do get out in the courts.

You have your side. The government has their side. That's the process. That is what makes us a civil society.

So, nobody's defending poor behavior here. At least I'm not.

I'm trying to say that, you know, the young lady that was taking calls at my office today, my intern, was get -- taking a lot of incoming fire. People are really, really, really upset about the issues that we've seen in Minneapolis, about what's happening in our broader communities.

People are not happy with this form of -- of administrative justice with respect to immigration policy. They're just not happy. And I think the administration should acknowledge that.

MICHAELSON: What we're looking at right now is live pictures from Portland. We are seeing different police and other folks there on the ground at this late hour in Portland.

I'm wondering, for you, in terms of what do you think is the appropriate response to this for people in Portland who feel angry and scared right now?

BYNUM: Well, you know, we've been through this as a state before. You know, during the George Floyd era, even back in the 1980s, where we had a challenge between what citizens were feeling in terms of their engagement with law enforcement and how law enforcement is charged to keep our streets and homes safe.

And so, what we did in 2020 and 2021, we came together as a legislator. I came out of the legislative body. And we had bipartisan bills on what it meant to have solid law enforcement in our state.

And so, we wanted to make sure that there were very clear rules. What police told me was that they needed very clear rules. And they didn't want some bums saying that they were police, and they were going against all of the rules. A bad cop doesn't help the good cops.

And so, having a set of rules, having a policy of de-escalation, having dialog between the community and the police, that is the community that Oregon sought, not what we're seeing today.

MICHAELSON: But, and just real quickly, there are folks that are going to hear you say things like state-sponsored terrorism. You put out as a statement, literally, "Stop fucking with us" was your words. These are goons.

And they'll say that -- that that is raising the temperature and actually puts some of this law enforcement officers in greater danger. What do you say to that?

BYNUM: I said what I said.

MICHAELSON: OK. Congressmember Janelle Bynum, thank you so much for sharing your views. We appreciate you coming on. I know it's a really, really intense night for your constituents, and we appreciate you speaking to them directly tonight. Really appreciate it.

BYNUM: Thank you. Be well.

MICHAELSON: Protesters in Minneapolis are calling for justice for Renee Good, who was killed when an ICE agent shot into her car.

People have been gathering a few blocks away from where that shooting happened Wednesday, demanding that ICE get out of the city.

They played music. They blew whistles. They beat drums before holding a moment of silence.

Thirty-seven-year-old Renee Good is being remembered as a loving mother of three who liked to sing and write poetry.

We are also learning new details about the ICE agent involved in the shooting. He had more than ten years of experience with the agency and was on its special response team.

A source tells CNN he was dragged by a car in a separate incident last summer while trying to make an arrest.

Department of Homeland Security says it is sending more officers to Minnesota as tensions there rise. That is despite pushback from local officials and state officials, including the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz.

Joining us live right now, live from Minneapolis, is Laura Coates, CNN chief legal analyst, host of "Laura Coates Live," who has been reporting on the ground for several days now.

Laura, what is the mood like right now?

LAURA COATES, CNN CHIEF LEGAL ANALYST/ANCHOR: The tension is still quite thick. The frustration, the anger, the sadness. I'm a few feet away from where the vigil is here. Right? Honoring the life of this woman who lost her life.

Earlier today, I was at a federal building where ICE was there and holding a line. And there were so many protesters who were out. They were enraged at not just the presence of ICE, but what they see as an escalation at the hands of ICE that's extrajudicial.

They believe that the White House and Kristi Noem are contributing to this impression that this behavior was justified. And there is a really strong community sense here that people do not

believe that self-defense was appropriate or was used in the shooting death of this woman. They're calling it cold-blooded murder.

[00:10:07]

The administration, of course, as you know, as you described, saying it was justified and a making of her own tragedy.

But I'll also tell you, one of the things that's happening here is a frustration, as well, about the relative impotence of local officials over ICE as a federal agency and what really can be done about it.

Now, there are questions circling and swirling from Vice President J.D. Vance about whether the person could even be prosecuted.

I'll tell you the biggest frustration many people seem to have here is what they perceive as a kind of cowardice with the masked individuals who are serving in ICE. They see the mask somehow as indication that they are trying to avoid any accountability.

Of course, ICE says it's to preserve the anonymity of the officers who they believe are trying to secure these areas. But there is a palpable tension that continues this very day.

And the frustration exponentially increased, Elex, when they realized that the feds were no longer cooperating with local investigators. And so, they fear there will not be transparency and objectivity, especially given the statements that they find were totally premature, if not totally inaccurate, about what transpired.

MICHAELSON: We know that you reported closely on the killing of George Floyd, which happened just a few blocks away from where you're standing right now.

Can you compare and contrast the response in the streets to this, and perhaps the way that the police training has changed since then?

COATES: Well, this is Minneapolis, a place where it was actually law enforcement who came out and immediately identified what they believed to be wrong and unlawful behavior at the hands of even a fellow officer. That so-called blue wall of silence was shattered right here.

And here we are again at a time when, after that happened, there was a mass exodus, even so, of Minneapolis Police. A total erosion of trust, in spite of the conviction. And they've been trying to slowly regain that.

And now, they are fearful that the community might lump them under the same umbrella with ICE, because their job is to secure the scene, as well.

But I'll tell you, I was gassed earlier today. There were (ph) pepper spray of the community, as well, near the federal building that I was reporting from. That was an experience that I certainly have not had in my hometown, even during the George Floyd and BLM protests that were going on here.

But what you're seeing is just the culmination of the tension of the mistrust. And of course, the -- the glare of a microscope that they believe is unfairly put on Minneapolis and Minnesota for political reasons.

I'll tell you, if this is any indication -- the presence, the sustained presence, the frustration I'm seeing here -- it is because they believe that this, unlike what happened in George Floyd and the murder of George Floyd, that this appears to be more sanctioned; and there might be some level of complicitness that's happening here in terms of in the enforcement of the overall administration.

But it's a very sad and somber moment here in this beautiful city, where people are beginning to see tragedy after tragedy unfold, and they're wondering which came first: the rhetoric or the response.

MICHAELSON: And lastly, as we say, good night to you, how are you feeling, Laura?

COATES: Well, I feel cold. I'll tell you that right now. It is a cold day in Minnesota.

But I'll also tell you what I feel is a bit heartbroken, because I grew up here. And I look at my hometown as a place of comfort and a total safe space where my memories are warm and my heart is full.

And it happens to be heavy. Every time I come home recently to report on events, it has been tragedy after tragedy.

But I do see the most beautiful thing, and that is the community continuing to come out, to continue to support and feel compelled to exercise their First Amendment rights.

I've seen agitators in the crowd who have been turned away and pushed away by peaceful protesters who say, Not here, not in this city. We just want to raise our voice, not our fists. And that tells you a lot about what the heart of Minnesota really is.

MICHAELSON: Laura Coates, doing incredible work, day after day on this. Thank you so much for staying up late, and thank you for sharing that important message.

COATES: Thank you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: President Trump and his entire administration stand fully behind the heroic men and women of ICE.

KRISTI NOEM, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: All of us are on the same page in the fact that this law enforcement officer followed his training, and that he defended and acted in defense of his life and those around him. J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: You have a woman who is trying to

obstruct a legitimate law enforcement operation. Nobody debates that. You have a woman who aimed her car at a law enforcement officer and pressed on the accelerator. Nobody debates that.

[00:15:09]

The idea that this was not justified is absurd.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Members of the Trump administration, in lockstep on the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis. In their view, the agent shot at 37-year-old Renee Good in self-defense. Despite the investigation still ongoing, they've been pretty clear with that conclusion.

Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi warned protesters not to test the administration's resolve as demonstrations spread to other cities in solidarity with Minneapolis. Large crowds turned out in Boston, Baltimore, Washington. We also see protests happening tonight in Seattle, Los Angeles, here in the Pacific Time Zone.

Ron Brownstein is CNN's senior political analyst and opinion columnist for Bloomberg. He's live with me here in Los Angeles.

Ron, let's talk about this issue of immigration and how it divides as much as any issue in politics.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. I think what we're watching, though, is larger than the specific issue. You know, I think Donald Trump is deliberately and dangerously unraveling the threads that hold America together.

MICHAELSON: Wow.

BROWNSTEIN: The forces dividing America are -- predate Donald Trump and are deep and profound. I mean, I wrote a book in 2007 called "The Second Civil War" about how polarized we were becoming.

And, you know, every president -- Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden -- came into office pledging to narrow our divides and saw the country become more divided by the end of their presidency.

So, this is something that goes beyond Donald Trump.

The difference is that I think, unlike all of those other presidents, and I think unlike any president in our history, except for maybe Andrew Johnson, Trump sees it as in his political interest to widen our divisions.

You know, as I said during his first term, he governs as a wartime president with blue America as the adversary.

And the militarized ICE enforcement is the most visible and kinetic dimension of that. But if you look at what's been happening this week, cutting off billions of dollars in funding for childcare, only at blue states.

All the different ways in which he essentially is governing as a factional leader of red America, rather than as the president of United States. I don't think he sees that as part of his job.

MICHAELSON: And there's -- Has there ever been a president that's at least not pretended that "I want to unite the country"?

BROWNSTEIN: Look, I think maybe Andrew Johnson, you know, in terms of like, championing the South after Abraham Lincoln was -- was assassinated.

But, you know, Trump does see it as -- I mean, look, if you look at the way he -- look at what's happening now. You know, under a normal president, like, you know, what would be happening in terms of the way the federal government would be interacting with the state?

Instead, you have, you know, federal officials kind of rushing to judgment, J.D. Vance saying no one debates that she was driving her car at them? You know, in this 21st Century, people can see for themselves. And there is plenty of debate about that. In fact, there's almost no debate that she was not driving her car at him, based on what we have seen so far. And maybe there is some other information there.

But, you know, he -- he talks about -- Trump has mused about arresting blue state officials, as we've talked about before. They are seeking, in all sorts of ways, to cut off funding to blue states and blue cities, unless they adopt policies that they have rejected on a wide array of issues that the red states have done.

And in general, he sees it as in his interest to present blue America as a foil that he is protecting his coalition against.

And it is a fundamentally dangerous kind of game he is playing, because there is no guarantee the country exists in the form that we know it as indefinitely. There's only so much centrifugal pressure, I think, that it can take over the long run.

MICHAELSON: But there's a reason he was elected.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

MICHAELSON: And immigration is one of the main issues he ran on.

BROWNSTEIN: Right.

MICHAELSON: Clearly, there were millions and millions of people in this country who felt like Joe Biden was allowing for an open border.

BROWNSTEIN: Right.

MICHAELSON: They like the idea of clamping down on this. The Republican base is still with him on this --

BROWNSTEIN: Interesting -- MICHAELSON: -- which is part of the reason that he talks about it --

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

MICHAELSON: -- in the way that he does. And you -- and the language on this is so diametrically opposed, depending on what social media feed you have or what cable channel you watch. Some call this a murder. Others call the other person a domestic terrorist.

It's impossible for both of those things to be true at the same time.

BROWNSTEIN: It's really hard to describe. It's premature to call it a murder. It is, I don't think, premature to say it is very difficult to call this person a domestic terrorist. I mean, in any kind of meaningful term.

So, I've been writing about immigration since Prop 187 in California in 1984, and particularly about public opinion about immigration. And there is kind of a what they call a thermostatic effect. Opinion moves to the left when you have a conservative president in office. It moves to the right when you have a liberal president in office.

[00:20:05] There's no question that people were frustrated with Biden's handling of the border, and it was an important factor in Trump winning.

But if you look over the 30 years I've been writing about this, two things have consistently been true. Americans do want a secure border. They believe in the rule of law. They believe people should have to go through a process, a regular process, to get here.

They are also pragmatic. They do not believe it is plausible to forcibly remove 11, maybe now 14 million people, undocumented people here.

In Gallup polling, the share of Americans who say that there should be some legal status is up to, what, 75 percent?

MICHAELSON: Yes.

BROWNSTEIN: And we see now a majority consistently in polling, including about 20 percent --

MICHAELSON: Yes.

BROWNSTEIN: -- of Republicans saying that Trump is going too far in the way that he is pursuing this.

I think the real lesson of this week, Elex --

MICHAELSON: Yes.

BROWNSTEIN: -- is that if you extend this out, try to imagine this level of confrontation on the streets of American cities for three more years.

MICHAELSON: Wow.

BROWNSTEIN: Where does that leave us as a country?

I think it basically says to you, you cannot execute mass deportation in the way that he is trying to do it --

MICHAELSON: Yes.

BROWNSTEIN: -- without dangerously tearing apart the country. And there needs to be a solution that has broader buy-in, in the society.

MICHAELSON: And of course, they've tried to do comprehensive immigration reform for 40 years and has not passed.

Ron Brownstein, that was pretty depressing, if you really think about what you just said, but an important perspective. Thank you so much for joining us.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me. Yes, yes.

MICHAELSON: Coming up, an outpouring of support after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. We're going to talk next live with one of the top talk show hosts in that region, who's been talking to people about this to get a really interesting perspective from Minneapolis when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:25:57]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETSY, WITNESSED WOMAN SHOT AND KILLED BY ICE: I didn't see anybody get bumped. The agents were moving toward the vehicle. They were gesturing at the driver. They were yelling at her. They were agitated, but they -- they were not in danger of being injured or hurt by the vehicle at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: That woman was walking home when she saw that fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis. She was standing on the opposite side of the street and says the agent was next to the driver's side window, not in front of the car.

This comes as tensions flare for a second night in a row in Minneapolis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Say it loud, say it clear!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Immigrants are welcome here!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Immigrants are welcome here!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Immigrants are welcome here!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: A large group of protesters are marching and chanting just a few blocks from the scene of the fatal shooting.

Earlier in the day, protesters and federal agents clashed outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building. A CNN team at the scene says agents pushed their way into the crowd and then deployed clouds of smoke. You see Laura Coates caught up in that there.

Joining me now from Minneapolis is Jason DeRusha, a journalist and radio host there.

Jason, thanks so much for being here. You speak to people every day. You've been in this community for decades. What's the mood of people tonight?

JASON DERUSHA, JOURNALIST/RADIO HOST: Minneapolis is exhausted. We're tired. We're tired of being the main character in a national debate. We're tired of having our state being used as a sort of click bait plot for different people, trying to prove a point.

And frankly, we're tired of a -- not just a week, but a year, but five years going back to the riots that happened after the murder of George Floyd.

It has been a stretch for a state that is used to being flyover country. And one of my callers today said they wanted to go back to being flyover country.

MICHAELSON: You know, obviously, we think of the George Floyd incident, riots afterwards, everything that happened with there. Very different response here. Why -- why do you think that is?

DERUSHA: You know, some of it is weather, to be frank. When George Floyd happened, it was the summer. It was after Memorial Day.

And also, you have to remember, it was right in the thick of COVID. So, people had been in isolation for so long. It was like a powder keg just ready to go.

This time around, I hate to say that this was inevitable, but I don't think most people are shocked that something went wrong.

The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are very liberal. They do not want ICE here. The state of Minnesota is like most states in America. The rural parts of our state are very supportive of the immigration action of ICE, very supportive of law enforcement.

And so, it's just different. I think it is different this time for a multitude of reasons.

MICHAELSON: Well, and since then, also, there's been so much happening in Minnesota politics. We think about not that long ago, the speaker in Minnesota was literally murdered in her home. DERUSHA: Right.

MICHAELSON: And then just this week, we have Tim Walz, the governor, announcing he's not going to run for reelection. This allegation of $9 billion in fraud. And the federal government, you know, coming in to crack down on that.

How does that all impact what we're seeing here?

DERUSHA: Well, it does lead to the fatigue. And I do believe, Elex, that all of these things are -- are connected.

Not the Hortman murder. Melissa and Mark Hortman, who were executed in their home. But it does go to this idea of fatigue, right?

That Minnesota had that trauma, had the trauma of dealing with all of the unrest after the murder of George Floyd. And then, just over the last two weeks, I mean, you had the governor of Minnesota, who was almost the vice president of the United States, who was going to run again for a third term.

The assistant U.S. attorney says, you know, there's so much fraud going on in social services programs in Minnesota. There could be $9 billion.

[00:30:00]

Then you have right-wing sort of YouTube news influencers. Everybody comes to town.

For me, Elex, what is tough is that it -- it's not just the outsiders. It's the insiders.

Our leaders in Minnesota are not leading. The governor, the U.S. representatives. We had -- we had two United States representatives on the floor of the House yesterday in each other's face, yelling at each other.

So, there is this sort of question that I think I, along with a lot of people who are sort of maybe more centrist, struggle with, which is who -- who do we look to for leadership? Where -- where are the people calming things down and having a debate and having a discussion?

MICHAELSON: Jason DeRusha, thank you so much for sharing your views. Really appreciate you joining us live, staying up late tonight. Appreciate it.

DERUSHA: Thank you.

MICHAELSON: Coming up, a growing number of lawmakers want to tighten the reins on President Trump when it comes to his war powers in Venezuela. A very significant vote on that front today. We'll get into why so many Republicans are pushing back on the president, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:35:40]

MICHAELSON: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

Anti-government protests in Iran are showing no signs of subsiding. A Norwegian human rights group says at least 45 protesters have been killed since the protests began in late December.

Hundreds of others have reportedly been injured, and more than 2,000 detained.

Protests are flaring up in Minneapolis the day after an immigration officer shot and killed 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Good.

Crowds of people are calling on the federal government to end its immigration crackdown in the city. As the White House defends ICE, Minnesota officials say the FBI has blocked them from joining the investigation.

A law enforcement official says a married couple was hospitalized and arrested in Portland and -- Oregon after being shot by Border Patrol agents.

Homeland Security says the agents were conducting a traffic stop and fired when the suspects tried to run them over.

It's the second consecutive day U.S. federal agents have shot people in major American cities.

I want to bring in Candace Avalos, who is a member of the Portland city council.

Welcome. What is your reaction to what happened in your city?

CANDACE AVALOS, PORTLAND CITY COUNCILMEMBER: Frustration. Anger. Sadness. I -- I just -- this escalation of violence that continues is unacceptable. It is dangerous for our democracy. And at the end of the day, these federal agents are not making our communities safe. And I am just exacerbated by how frustrated I am.

MICHAELSON: If they are, in fact, going after gang members who are involved in a prostitution ring, involved in a shooting, and trying to get those people off the streets, isn't that a good thing?

And is it also problematic if their car is coming at them, potentially trying to kill them?

AVALOS: I just -- I laugh, because there are just so many ways that the federal government is trying to make excuses for their behavior when, at the end of the day, you do not need to shoot first and ask questions later. Right?

And so, if this is a country that respects due process and justice, then we do not need to accept that being a standard for how you do law enforcement in this country, whether you are police, ICE, CBP. So, I don't accept that premise. And I think we deserve better in our

justice system when it comes to tackling crime. That's not good enough.

MICHAELSON: What do we know about the condition of the individuals who were shot?

AVALOS: Right now, the only thing I know is that they are still in the hospital. And unfortunately, that's all the information I have.

MICHAELSON: And lastly, what is your message to your constituents and sort of the strategy to ensure that this all stays peaceful?

AVALOS: You know, Portland has done an excellent job in really bringing to the table our levity and our joy, as long -- along with our resistance. Sorry, it's been a long night. It's been a long day.

MICHAELSON: It is.

AVALOS: And so, words are hard to come out right now.

MICHAELSON: Sure.

AVALOS: But, yes, I think that Portland has done a really good job of really trying to show that we can resist with joy, but also, we can resist with conviction. And I think that is what we're going to continue to do.

MICHAELSON: Candace Avalos, thank you so much. Really appreciate you staying up and talking with us, despite it being such a long day. But it's an important conversation. We're glad to have it with you.

AVALOS: Thank you for your time.

MICHAELSON: Now to a stinging rebuke of President Trump in Washington.

Five Republican senators broke ranks and voted with Democrats to rein in the president's war powers when it comes to Venezuela and other potential conflicts.

They advanced a resolution that would limit future U.S. military force in that country, meaning troops cannot go in again without congressional approval.

The full measure is poised to pass next week, and President Trump is not happy about this dissent, saying the Republicans who voted for the War Powers Act, quote, "should never be elected to office again."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSH HAWLEY (R-MO): I just think it's a -- it's an Article I, Article II thing. I just think if you're going to put troops in there for hostilities, you're going to have to get congressional.

[00:40:08] SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): This vote is about a real incursion. It's about a real invasion of a foreign country, an invasion of a foreign capital, and a removal of a foreign leader.

There are some real questions that will go on that Congress needs to be involved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Venezuela says at least 100 people were killed during the raid last weekend, when then-President Nicolas Maduro was captured, a raid Congress didn't get the chance to approve.

President Trump said Thursday he has ordered his representatives to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds, claiming that the effort would drive down interest rates and monthly payments. This follows his threat Wednesday to ban big investors from buying single-family homes.

CNN's Matt Egan explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: This is all about the American dream of home ownership, and how far out of reach it feels right now, especially for young people.

The president is clearly trying to show that he is taking action on this issue.

So, in this Truth Social post yesterday, the president said he's immediately taking steps to ban large institutional investors from buying more single-family homes. He says he's going to be calling on Congress to codify it.

And he went on to say that people live in homes, not corporations.

Now, there's few details on exactly how this would work, nor how the president would overcome likely opposition from some on Wall Street and some within his own party.

But look, it's true that for years, investors on Wall Street have been buying up homes and renting them out to everyday people.

According to Redfin, about 17 percent of all homes purchased in the United States during the third quarter were bought by investors. That's up sharply from 9 percent back in 2005, before the subprime meltdown and the foreclosure crisis.

Now, I should note that this includes both mom-and-pop investors and those large institutional investors, as well.

But critics say that these purchases by investors, they're driving up home purchase -- home prices. And this is a particular issue in some of the major markets in the United States, including New York, Miami, Orlando, Cleveland, and then out West in San Francisco, L.A., Las Vegas, as well. Now, analysts say that this move, if it happens, it could end up

helping to boost the purchases of single-family homes. But it also could hurt renters if it shrinks the supply of homes that are for rent.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Our thanks to Matt.

New data shows bleak prospects for Americans on the job hunt. A survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that the probability of finding a new job hit 43.1 percent in December, which is a record low.

The coming hours, the Labor Department is set to release the final jobs report of 2025. Economists' estimates vary wildly about what to expect.

Meanwhile, for those of you wanting to get a jump, your federal taxes for the previous year, the IRS will begin accepting tax returns on January 26.

Don't fear, procrastinators. You still have until the regular deadline of April 15th to file your return and pay any remaining taxes you may owe from 2025.

Anti-regime protests are picking up steam in Iran, despite a government crackdown.

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MICHAELSON: Still ahead, concerns grow the government is preparing a new move to try to end protests like these.

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MICHAELSON: Ukraine says at least four people are dead and ten others wounded in the latest Russian strikes on Kyiv. A CNN crew reported multiple drone strikes on residential buildings before part of the city plunged into darkness.

Russia has been stepping up attacks on energy infrastructure as temperatures plunge far below the freezing point.

Ukraine is also accusing Russia of using a hypersonic ballistic missile to hit the Western city of Kyiv [SIC]. Reportedly came in at the speed of more than 8,000 miles an hour, but Ukraine says it's yet to determine what type of weapon was used in Lviv.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

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MICHAELSON: Images of anti-government protests are pouring out of Iran, despite authorities moving to cut Internet and phone lines.

The protests have spread to more than 100 cities across the country and are showing no signs of subsiding. Images are showing crowds setting fires on streets and sometimes calling for the removal of the supreme leader.

And this footage shows a car plowing into security forces facing protesters in the hometown of the supreme leader.

Jomana Karadsheh has more.

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JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The protests that erupted in Iran 12 days ago, sparked by the state of the economy --

KARADSHEH (voice-over): -- and a plummeting currency, and that have quickly morphed into anti-regime protests and have spread like a wildfire across the country, appear to be gaining even more momentum.

Video that has been trickling out of Iran on Thursday evening showed large crowds taking to the streets in different cities. In the capital, Tehran, in different areas, protesters taking to the streets, chanting slogans that we have heard during previous protests, calling for freedom and death to the dictator.

But also, we are hearing chants in support of the former monarchy.

This is happening after a crackdown that, according to activists, has killed at least 45 protesters. Hundreds have been injured, according to these activist groups, and more than 2,000 protesters have been detained.

[00:50:16]

And as we began seeing these videos coming out of Iran on Thursday evening, the monitoring group NetBlocks has reported --

KARADSHEH: -- that there has been a countrywide shutdown of the Internet by the Iranian regime. This is something that we have seen during previous protests.

And the fear when that happens is, is that could signal the beginning of an intensified crackdown.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): This is happening at a time when this is a very different Iran to the Iran that had to deal with these protests in the past.

The regime has been weakened after its war with Israel last summer, after U.S. strikes. It has also lost allies in the region: Hezbollah in Lebanon, the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

So, the question is, what does it do right now, especially after what the U.S. did in Venezuela, and especially after it has threatened -- President Trump several times in the past few days, has threatened to get involved if Iran's regime kills protesters.

KARADSHEH: And the question right now is, do they really want to test the U.S. president's willingness to follow through on these threats?

Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, London.

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KARADSHEH (voice-over): Big important questions there. Thank you so much.

Some viewers could find this video disturbing, as Israeli violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is worsening tensions in that region.

Surveillance video obtained by CNN shows a group of settlers, most of whom appear to be masked, surrounding a Palestinian man lying on the ground.

Several settlers attack the man with clubs, while others run up and kick him while he's on his knees.

A nearby factory worker identified the man as 67-year-old and say that he's deaf.

Another video shows Palestinians running into a nearby building as settlers set several cars on fire. Israeli security forces say they are continuing searches in the area and investigating that incident.

Well, four astronauts are coming back from the space station a lot earlier than planned. Find out why NASA made this rare decision to bring them back so soon.

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JARED ISAACMAN, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: For over 60 years, NASA has set the standard for safety and security in crewed space flight. In these endeavors, including the 25 years of continuous human presence on board the International Space Station, the health and the well-being of our astronauts has always, and will be, our highest priority.

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MICHAELSON: NASA Administrator Jason Isaacman there, announcing the four astronauts of SpaceX Crew 11 will return to Earth early because one of them has a medical issue. The unnamed crew member is in stable condition, is not expected to

receive special treatment during the trip back from the ISS. Their return expected in the coming days, more than a month ahead of schedule.

NASA revealed the issue on Wednesday after postponing a spacewalk.

NASA's next four-member team was set to take off for the space station in mid-February, but could launch now sooner.

A newly discovered object in space could shed light on the invisible and mysterious substance called dark matter.

Cloud 9, as it's called, was found using the Hubble Space Telescope. Never directly observed, dark matter is theoretically believed to make up most of the universe and provide its structure.

New research finds Cloud 9 could be a remnant of a galaxy formed in the early days of the universe. Astronomers believe that dark matter came from the Big Bang that created the universe nearly 14 billion years ago.

Well, it turns out some super-smart dogs can learn new words, just like 18-month-old toddlers, simply by eavesdropping on adult conversations.

Researchers in Hungary did a variety of tests. They directly told the gifted pets the names of toys. They talked about toys without looking at the dogs. They even hid the toys and just talked about them.

Most of the dogs learned the toys' names in as little as eight minutes by picking up conversational cues, like the kids.

But don't get too excited. The researchers stressed that normal house pets flunk the test. The question is, do you have a really smart dog at home?

The University of Miami football team is headed to the national championship in their home stadium. Quarterback Carson Beck led the Hurricanes to a 31-27 victory over Ole Miss.

It was an epic fourth quarter with four lead changes, but Miami landed the final punch, which turned out to be a rushing touchdown from Beck in the closing seconds of the game.

Miami will now take on the winner of Friday's Indiana-Oregon game for the national championship on January 19th.

Thanks for watching this hour of THE STORY IS. We've got a whole lot more breaking news in the next hour, which starts right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

MICHAELSON: Welcome to a special edition of THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson, reporting live from Los Angeles.