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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

U.S. Completes Latest Strikes, Resumes Naval Blockade on Iran; Iraqi Prime Minister Meets with Trump at the White House; Protesters Demand Action After Fatal ICE Shootings; Deadly Incidents Refocus Attention on ICE Tactics; Spain Beat France 2-0 to Reach Tournament Final; China Misses Growth Target as Iran Turmoil Impacts Trade; Mourners Mark One Week Since Fatal ICE Shooting in Houston; Trump's Veterans Housing Plan Falls Short. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired July 15, 2026 - 00:00   ET

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

[00:00:00]

BRIAN TYLER COHEN: They're already abusing their power. And so we can either do nothing and entrench the status quo, or we can actually fight fire with fire.

LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Interesting. The book again called "The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World," written by our guest, Brian Tyler Cohen.

Hey, thank you all so much for watching. "THE STORY IS WITH ELEX MICHAELSON" is up next.

ELEX MICHAELSON. CNN ANCHOR: I'm Elex Michaelson, live in Los Angeles.

Coming up, THE STORY IS Trump on the attack. The president says he's ready to strike Iranian power plants and bridges until Tehran's leaders negotiate. Former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Christopher Hill, joins me live to talk about the conflict.

THE STORY IS immigration. Nationwide protests after two fatal shootings by ICE officers in less than a week. Now some lawmakers are demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security. The former secretary of the interior and former ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, is here.

And THE STORY IS the World Cup. Spain now headed to the final after another dominant defensive performance. We'll have highlights and reaction from the stadium in Dallas. Plus a preview of the big match in just a few hours.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Los Angeles, THE STORY IS with Elex Michaelson.

MICHAELSON: The top story is U.S. forces have concluded the latest round of strikes on Iran, just hours after reimposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports. This comes as President Donald Trump walks back his proposed 20 percent toll on cargo moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says it will be replaced by Gulf state investments in the U.S..

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They would love to invest more money in the United States at record amounts, and that would be very acceptable. And this way, there's no fee. I don't like the concept of a fee, but at the same time, it's not fair that we're protecting this strait for the entire world. But it's unfair that we're not in somehow compensated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Tehran now says it has no obligations to the 14-point agreement made with the U.S. last month, and blames Washington for causing the breakdown of the ceasefire. Gulf countries are on high alert following the U.S. naval blockade on Iran. Earlier video geolocated by CNN appears to show an Iranian drone striking a warehouse in Kuwait.

The Iraqi prime minister is on his first official visit to the U.S. since taking office in May. He said that U.S. military forces will leave Iraq by September 30th after a meeting with President Trump at the White House. The prime minister described his visit as the start of a new phase of Iraq's partnership with the U.S. that is centered on economic cooperation rather than military ties.

Joining me live now is Christopher Hill, former U.S. ambassador and assistant secretary of state. He served as a U.S. ambassador to six countries for five presidents, including Democrats and Republicans.

Welcome to THE STORY IS.

CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA AND IRAQ: Thank you very much.

MICHAELSON: So one of those countries that you were U.S. ambassador to was Iraq. And you met today with the new leader of Iraq after he met with President Trump. Take us inside the room. What did you learn from him?

HILL: Well, first of all, he's a very impressive young guy. He's about 40 years old, comes out of the business world. He's not kind of steeped in politics. He's more steeped in business. And I think his biography and certainly where he wants to take the country is much more on the economic side. But needless to say, in the meeting today with the president, a big issue, of course, is the Iranian armed Shia groups that are in Iraq and that have really played havoc over the years with the Iraqi foreign -- Iraqi troops and frankly with our own.

So I think the positive side of it was that there was an understanding that these militia groups have to be brought under control and done so quickly.

MICHAELSON: President Trump is threatening more military activity in Iran. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: And then next week, it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges. We're going to knock out all their power plants. We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: That was an interview with Trey Yingst on FOX News tonight.

Is that the best strategy for the U.S. to get what it wants?

HILL: Well, you know, it's always a little hard to say what the president is trying to express, but to go after power plants, it strikes me that he's saying, of all kinds and bridges of all kinds, sounds a little like he's going after civilian infrastructure.

[00:05:12]

And that's quite problematic. And I'm not sure that's going to get us to a solution here.

Look, I think everyone wants this war to end, but escalating it and going after what could well be civilian targets is probably not the way to go.

MICHAELSON: Can you trust what he says? Because just yesterday he talked about 20 percent for the Strait of Hormuz. And that didn't ended up happening. So many things he says end up not happening. As a diplomat, somebody that works in the administration, as somebody who works for another country, how do you think about that?

HILL: Well, you know, often when you're a diplomat, you're listening to the other side and they're making some points that don't really sound like they're grounded in reality. That's a problem. What you usually try to do is take out a piece of paper and a pen and say, OK, is this what you are trying to say? You know, get a clear understanding of what the other side is saying and what they'll agree to do.

In this case, it's our own side that, in which I think there's a lot of bluster. I think that's kind of fair to say. I think the president is proud of that as a way of negotiating. But, you know, diplomacy is often described as a game where you don't quite say what you mean. Quite to the contrary, you better be pretty clear on what you're about to do. And so if I were the Iranians, I'd be very nervous about what he plans to do, and I'd be very concerned about whether you can take things that he does to the bank.

And I think a big problem here is the trust factor. And, uh, you know, to quote, to paraphrase Tina Turner, what's trust got to do with it? Well, it's got something to do with it, especially when there isn't any.

MICHAELSON: That's a different version of that song that I haven't heard, but I'm sure your version is more fun. So let's talk about a CNN analysis we want to put up on the screen. That's on CNN.com right now, which is -- saying that Trump's worst predictions about the Iraq war. He said that the U.S. would control the Strait of Hormuz. That didn't happen. So that the war will be short, that Iran leaders are suddenly rational, that Iran's people could rise up.

There are more. That the Strait of Hormuz wasn't going to be a problem, that gas prices will quickly fall below $3 a gallon, that Iran is dying to make a deal, that the U.S. had free reign over Iran's skies. None of that turned out to be true. How did the administration get this so wrong?

HILL: Well, you know, a lot of things in life are about context. And the context of this was a very successful sort of weakened type war with Venezuela. And I think the idea was, well, gee, something similar is going to happen in Iraq -- in Iran. But I think the problem, of course, is when you bomb somebody, the impulse is not for the somebody to start fighting with each other. The impulse is for people to band together. And so that's one clear thing that's happened.

And as for Hormuz, there was no problem with Hormuz before the bombing. And I think there was a failure to imagine what the Iranian reaction would be. I mean, you don't have to be a chess player to understand you make a move. The other guy is going to make a move. And I think there was a little excessive optimism that somehow we would, you know, throw the Iranians for a loop and they wouldn't be prepared for any of the any of this. And they clearly were.

So yes, I think there are a lot of misunderstandings. And one does not get the sense that this was really talked through with various people who come at it from a different angle. Rather, it was talked through in a sort of groupthink or more clearly to say it was talked through in a way, this is what the president wanted to see happen. And everyone nodded their heads.

MICHAELSON: Chris Hill, thank you for your insights, all your expertise, and for giving me some inspiration to listen to Tina Turner on the ride home tonight.

HILL: There you go.

MICHAELSON: Appreciate you joining us. All right.

HILL: Sure.

MICHAELSON: President Trump is set to make a televised primetime address to the nation on Thursday. And while the specifics are still being worked out, he told reporters his speech will include new information on what he calls election security. That topic has long been a focus to the president, who continues to insist, without evidence, that the 2020 election was stolen.

Here's what he had to say about Thursday's address.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: But I'd rather save it. But it's really big news. It's really, really big news. And our country has to shape up. But that's -- what we're going to be talking about Thursday is, it doesn't get bigger because without free and fair elections, you don't have a country. We'll be discussing other things, too. But it's going to be a very big announcement. Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[00:10:11]

MICHAELSON: Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia says the president's fixation on his election loss proves that he's nervous about the November midterms. The Democrat also says that President Trump does not have as much support on Capitol Hill as he thinks he does.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JON OSSOFF (D-GA): He fears defeat in the midterms, and that explains his spiral into conspiracy theories, conspiracy theories that put Georgia Republicans in a terrible bind.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What do you say to your Republican colleagues who may agree with the president on this?

OSSOFF: I don't know of Republican colleagues who agree with the president on this. Privately, most elected Republicans in this building think the president has lost it and is dooming them to dismal losses this fall.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Ossoff facing his own tough reelection fight this November. He's running against House Republican Mike Collins. Ossoff says that Collins now has to defend his own election denial claims, as well as his record on other issues important to voters.

E. Jean Carroll has received more than $5 million after a protracted legal battle with President Trump. This comes after three years -- three years after a jury found that Trump had sexually abused and defamed the former magazine writer. President Trump continues to deny those accusations. Carroll's lawyer said in court filing that she would use the money to fund her retirement.

Now to The Story Is, another deadly encounter with federal immigration agents here in the U.S. the Florida highway patrol says that four people ran away from a vehicle stopped by ICE agents. One of them ran across the highway and was struck and killed by a tractor trailer. Department of Homeland Security says it's investigating the death of the Mexican national.

Protesters in cities across the U.S. are demanding action after two fatal shootings by ICE officers in less than a week. In Maine, they're remembering Colombian immigrant Joan Sebastian Duran Guerrero, as a loving person who worked hard to provide for his wife and 3-year-old daughter. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security is pausing most traffic stops by ICE agents, and they are planning to equip each arrest team with an agent wearing a body camera. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ANGUS KING (I-ME): There's no excuse for it. We've known for months that this was something that was necessary. Police forces all over the country have body cameras.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): This incident shows how imperative it is that we have a mandate for body-worn cameras.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: CNN's Jason Carroll is in Biddeford, Maine, tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Maine lawmakers say there are still many unanswered questions about why ICE officers use deadly force when they stopped Joan Duran Guerrero at this intersection early Monday in Biddeford, Maine.

REP. CHELLIE PINGREE (D-ME): Homeland Security was saying that the officer feared for their life. That's what they always say, that the individual weaponized their car. But then we heard 12 hours later in the day that they feared for public safety. This man was shot four times through the windshield. So there was an ICE officer shooting him directly in the face.

CARROLL (voice-over): Democratic Congressman Jared Golden posted on X, "Unfortunately, the ICE officers involved in this incident were not wearing body cameras, which could have helped to establish those necessary facts. DHS needs to make this a priority."

DHS released a statement blaming Democrats for government shutdowns that they say delayed the rollout of body cameras, adding, "Body cameras have been deployed to more than half of the field offices, with the remaining half to receive them in the next 60 days."

Body worn cameras were absent in both deadly ICE involved shootings in Maine and Texas, though $20 million in funding has been allocated for them, and the department has pledged to roll them out for the past five months. That is little comfort for those calling for accountability and transparency.

MONTY ELLISON, LIVES NEAR SHOOTING SCENE: People have to realize this is not normal. And it cannot become normal at all.

PEGGO HODES, VISITED SHOOTING SCENE: This is murder with impunity and this could be happening to any one of us, any one of us. He's 26 years old with a child. He has a legitimate reason for being here. He had Social Security. It's horrific.

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER: No justice, no peace!

CARROLL (voice-over): As protests continue, CNN is learning more about the man who was killed. His father told Blu Radio, a popular station in Colombia, his son was working as a cleaner and a delivery driver, hoping to build a future for his family

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): He has his wife and his 3- year-old girl. He is a very hard working person, a very loving person, and a person who loves his family very much. His daughter, his little three year old daughter. He worked for them.

[00:15:01]

CARROLL (voice-over): A neighbor telling CNN Duran Guerrero was a good husband and father.

CARLOS, FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR OF JOAN DURAN GUERRERO (through translator): He wasn't a bad guy. And the speculation that he was a criminal and had an order of deportation, that's a total lie.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Joining me now live here in the studio is Ken Salazar, former U.S. Interior secretary, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, former senator from Colorado. His new book, "Borderlands: My Fight for an Inclusive America," comes out later this month and is available right now for preorder.

Mr. Secretary, Mr. Ambassador, welcome to THE STORY IS. Great to have you here.

KEN SALAZAR, FORMER INTERIOR SECRETARY: Thank you, Elex.

MICHAELSON: We just heard one of the folks that Jason talked to described this incident as murder with impunity. And the Colombian president today put out a statement describing what happened in Maine as murder. Do you think this was murder?

SALAZAR: This is all part of the Trump administration's project of erasure and what it is essentially is taking the millions of undocumented workers and people that we have in the United States from the shadows of fear, where they have been living for decades and decades into really the shadows of death. And so the fear that's happening in this country, in my view, is un-American and unneeded because of his failure to, frankly, fix the border, fix migration.

And that's because he sees it as low-hanging political fruit for his cause. But I think at the end of the day, the American people are too good. And I think they're going to stand up against this project of erasure that we see going on in our country.

MICHAELSON: Project of erasure. So you're saying that the Trump administration is trying to erase these people from our country?

SALAZAR: Certainly. I mean, the mass deportations, the breakup of families, the fear that's going on with people actually going to church or at their work sites, not being able to come home. What is he trying to do? It's trying to erase the fact that we've had 10 million to 12 million people living in the shadows of our society for a long time.

There was a time when President George W. Bush, when John McCain, where other people in the Senate, good people who are still there --

MICHAELSON: Lindsey Graham.

SALAZAR: Lindsey Graham. He used to work on this issue with us all the time.

MICHAELSON: Yes.

SALAZAR: And all of a sudden those people who are looking for durable, long-term solutions really are no longer a voice within the Republican Party. So it's become a low-hanging political fruit for them. And they keep trying to exploit it. But I think the American people are fed up and they're going to say this is not the American way.

MICHAELSON: Marco Rubio was one of those folks who was pushing for immigration reform and now no longer, has changed his position now he's part of the Trump administration.

Really interesting headline out of Mexico, you used to be the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, that the country, the president there, is now pushing for U.S. state and federal prosecutors to -- and requesting criminal investigations into the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals related to ICE. What do you make of that development and the fact that the Mexican government is doing that? How do you read that?

SALAZAR: Well, it's a right focus to get to the facts. And so an investigation ought to be held. That's what law enforcement does all the time. I was attorney general of my state for a long time, and I know exactly how those investigations work. You need to get to the facts and you need to have training for law enforcement.

Now, the fact that the Mexican president is calling for this is the right thing to do, but she also has to be calling on other things, like how we develop a shared migration and security framework for the United States and for North America. And that's part of what I do in "Borderlands" is call at this moment for this urgent need for a new North American alliance. And that, I hope, is what President Sheinbaum does as she moves forward in her presidency for the next three years.

MICHAELSON: Let's talk about "Borderlands." Congratulations on the book right here.

SALAZAR: Thank you.

MICHAELSON: You said in the process of writing the book, you searched for your purpose and you thought -- went back through your entire life to try to define clearly your purpose in like a short sentence or two. What is your purpose?

SALAZAR: You know, Elex, it's fighting for a more inclusive America. So the book is titled "My Fight for an Inclusive America." But it's our fight. It's the fight of the American journey. It's what Senator Ossoff was saying, where we have come a long ways. He's from Georgia. He knows the reality of what it was like in the past, the Civil Rights Movement, John Lewis, all that we worked on. What is happening now in the United States is all that is being erased

by this administration. And so we need to stand up. And the purpose for us is to keep on that march, to create a wonderful and better America. I'm a proud citizen of these United States. My family has been in what is now the southwest for more than four centuries. My parents and others were proud of that great generation of World War II.

We need to honor their legacy and not do a project of erasure here in our own United States and around the world.

MICHAELSON: But you also sometimes criticize the Democrats in here in terms of their views in terms of immigration.

[00:20:06]

We are a country of laws in addition to a country that welcomes immigrants. How do you square those two concepts? And do you think that sometimes the Democrats may have been too inclusive in terms of not following the laws in terms of people that are here illegally?

SALAZAR: You know, as I say in the book I think the Republicans are mean. Democrats also have committed political malpractice, not out of meanness, but you cannot run away from the border and you cannot run -- and you cannot run away from migration or immigration. You need to develop solutions. And they need to be clear. And they need to understand that borders are important.

You can't have a country without borders, but we can create modern borders, and there has to be a commitment from the part of the United States from, hopefully, who will be the next president of the United States in 2028 because otherwise we compromise the security of the United States so we can do both. But we have to lead with bold leadership. And right now, we need to see where that's going to come from.

MICHAELSON: And that all is laid out in detail in "Badlands," which we encourage people to preorder right now out in a couple of weeks. Thank you so much for coming in.

SALAZAR: It's badlands, but it's "Borderlands."

MICHAELSON: "Borderlands," "Borderlands." Oh, my god.

SALAZAR: No, no, no.

MICHAELSON: I went to a Bruce Springsteen song all of a sudden. I'm sorry.

SALAZAR: No, no.

MICHAELSON: I'm thinking of him. Yes.

SALAZAR: It's our borderlands, Elex, because it's all about not only our borderlands within our country and how we need to live in communities, but also about what we do in North America. So I appreciate it. We live in the most wonderful lands of the world, and it's an honor to be with you here tonight.

MICHAELSON: Yes. And I'm sorry for my -- our earlier guests talked about Tina Turner. I had Bruce Springsteen on my mind.

SALAZAR: I can see why.

MICHAELSON: But thank you for coming in and the best dressed guest we've had on in a very long time. Nicely done. Thank you very much. We appreciate it.

A live look at a place you know well, Capitol Hill, where the House has voted to make daylight -- oh, this is actually a live look at the White House. There's Capitol Hill. Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide. The bill now heads to the Senate, but it has -- not clear that it has enough support to pass that. Supporters say the move would end the twice a year clock changes and disruption to children's sleep. Opponents are concerned about the economic impact, especially for farmers dealing with later sunrises.

Still ahead on THE STORY IS, China's economy falls short of expectations for growth in the second quarter as the turmoil in Iran disrupts global trade. We'll break down the latest economic data. Plus this.

(VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Spain took down the World Cup favorite France to claim a spot in the final. We'll take you to Dallas for highlights and fan reaction. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:27:31]

MICHAELSON: This was the scene in Madrid earlier as fans celebrated Spain's two-nil victory over France in the semifinals. La Roja are now headed to the final for the first time since 2010.

WORLD SPORT's Don Riddell is in Dallas with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: What a performance from this extraordinary Spain team who march on to the World Cup final, hoping to repeat their feat of 2008 and 2010, when the European champions went on to claim the world title. And they just played this French team off the park today. It really was quite a remarkable performance.

Coming into this game, everybody thought the French were going to do it. Their swaggering, swashbuckling attack of Mbappe and Oliseh and Ousmane Dembele. But in the end they didn't get a look in and they ended up being knocked out of this tournament with barely a whimper.

Spain took the early initiative. Lamine Yamal earning the first half penalty that was converted by Mikel Oyarzabal. It was a wonderful strike from Oyarzabal, meaning he now has five goals in this tournament. He's Spain's top scorer, making up for the disappointment of missing the last World Cup through injury.

And that was the worst possible situation for the French to find themselves because they now had to chase the game against a team that just doesn't concede any goals. La Roja had only conceded once in the whole tournament before this game, and they kept yet another clean sheet today.

It got even harder for France in the second half when Pedro Porro rounded off a wonderful team move to make it two-nil, and that was pretty much that. Nobody thought it was going to end like this for the French team. But this Spanish team are going to take some stopping, and their fans who've traveled all the way from Spain to watch this were absolutely thrilled.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I cried of joy as soon as we scored the second goal, as soon as we approached the 80th, like I cried of joy multiple times. It was just, like, I don't know. I've never felt this before. Like it was just the realization of like getting there finally after so many years is just amazing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was thinking it's going to be very hard, but I think it was really easy.

RIDDELL: Were you surprised about the French performance because they came into this game with everybody thinking they were just going to start (INAUDIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A hundred percent surprised they didn't come to play today. They didn't show up. Nobody. They're still looking for Mbappe. Where is he?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The feeling that I felt today was completely new to me. So on Sunday, I guess it's going to be another type of new as well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just going to go prolonged longer. Like it's just going to go on and go on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One thing I'm sure about is that if we do go all the way on Sunday, it's going to be a story that I'm going to tell my kids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[00:30:05]

RIDDELL: The narrative before kick-off was that France were unstoppable, Spain were impenetrable. Well, Spain might now be both.

Whether they face England or Argentina in the final in New York, New Jersey on Sunday, that's going to be the big question. Can anybody score on this team? Because if not, Spain are going to find themselves as world champions again.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Don.

And that second semifinal match just hours away. England's Three Lions taking on defending champion Argentina and superstar Lionel Messi in Atlanta. We'll have a deep dive into that match in our next hour.

But now we head to Asia where China's economy is missing its growth target for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government says the economy grew at a slower than expected pace in the second quarter. The country is struggling to offset economic challenges, both at home and abroad.

CNN's Mike Valerio reports from Beijing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE VALERIO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, China's economy just missed expectations, and the timing of all this could not be more important.

This is the latest GDP report since the Iran war began, and China's economy grew at 4.3 percent last quarter. That is below what economists expected and below Beijing's own annual target range.

So, what exactly happened here? Well, let's get into the wider picture.

The Iran war --

VALERIO (voice-over): -- isn't the only story. It isn't the whole story, but it's added new pressure. Higher energy prices and uncertainty around global trade have made businesses more cautious.

And at the same time, China is still battling problems at home, like a years-long property slump and consumers who just are not spending enough. And today's numbers certainly show that.

One of the biggest red flags was urban fixed asset investment, which fell 5.7 percent in the first half of the year. That is money going into things like factories, machinery, and infrastructure. And when that falls, it usually signals businesses are pulling back.

There were some notable positives we need to get to. Industrial production, that rose 5.3 percent, beating forecasts. And retail sales across China returned to growth, up 1 percent.

But taken together, the picture is clear --

VALERIO: -- that is coming into focus, and that is China's economy is losing momentum. So, the big question now is whether or not Beijing responds with fresh stimulus when the country's leaders meet here later this month. Mike Valerio, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Thank you, Mike.

A string of fatal incidents involving ICE agents has sparked protests across the U.S. Still ahead, a family and community demanding answers one week after a deadly shooting in Houston. We'll take you there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:37:37]

MICHAELSON: One week has passed since Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Houston, Texas. Protesters gathered outside city hall on Tuesday to condemn that shooting.

ICE says the man was shot after he attempted to evade arrest during a targeted enforcement operation.

But his sons are calling for an independent investigation. They say justice would be allowing immigrants to live their lives without fear.

CNN's Carolina Peguero has more on how the community is mourning the 52-year-old father.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It marks a week since Lorenzo Salgado was shot and killed here in the community of East End in Houston, where the community is outraged, seeking for answers and justice.

PEGUERO (voice-over): His son Ronaldo came right here to the spot where his father passed. He kneeled. He was seen crying, and then immediately was hugged and surrounded by residents that were at this site.

PEGUERO: As you can see the memorial that continues to grow with candles with signs, with rosaries, and just messages of support for him and his family, including Mexico jersey, his dad's favorite team.

And that Ronaldo himself came holding his dad's soccer shoes that is hanging now on this cross that was made by one of Lorenzo's coworkers, placed here as a way of showing just the amount of love that he has received.

And as investigations continue with little information, state authorities have shared that the federal authorities are resisting in collaborating with their evidence and the details on this case.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Let's bring in our panel. Mike Madrid is co-founder of the Lincoln Project and founder of the Latino Working Class Project, and Gustavo Arellano is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and columnist for "The Los Angeles Times." Welcome back, both of you.

Gustavo, I want to reference your latest column for "The L.A. Times" and put it up on the screen, and it's titled "A Tale -- Two Lorenzos from Mexico. One fulfilled his American dream. ICE killed the other."

And you're referencing your own father and Lorenzo in Houston. Tell us your story.

[00:40:07]

GUSTAVO ARELLANO, COLUMNIST, "L.A. TIMES": The moment I saw the name Lorenzo Salgado, of course, I was going to think of my dad. That's the one Lorenzo in my life.

And then, I actually read the story of Salgado Araujo, and it's like only three things separated them: when they came into the United States without papers. My -- my dad came in '68. Salgado came in the mid-90s.

They -- he lived in Texas. My dad lived in California. And Trump.

Like, my dad was able to legalize his status, because he came at a time where it was easy for undocumented people. Not -- not easy, but easier.

Now, I mean, Salgado Araujo was doing it for 35 years. His son said he was just getting the process of getting his work permit.

And people say, Oh, why can't you hurry it up? It has changed completely.

But other than that, had three children who were college-educated. I'm one of four siblings who are college-educated. The -- the comparisons are just chilling.

And like, especially with this administration, my dad is an American citizen now. That doesn't mean I somehow think that ICE would not one day target him, because they are indiscriminate in who they get. If you look brown, they want to get you out of town.

MICHAELSON: How do you see this issue, Mike? You -- you worked for many years with the California Republican Party. You're very anti- Trump; started the Lincoln Project to try to stop him.

MIKE MADRID, CO-FOUNDER, THE LINCOLN PROJECT: Yes.

MICHAELSON: How do you see this issue specifically?

MADRID: Well, this has a uniting effect that no other aspirational issue does for the Latino community.

What you see, more often than not, through our history, is a community that is very diverse. As I say, not monolithic; generational differences, country of origin differences. Unites when the community feels like it's under common attack. Proposition 187 here in California in 1994, SB-1070 in the '90s in

Arizona. Now we're seeing this national effort with these -- egregious overreach by the federal government.

So, we are seeing this. Last time, I think I was on the show, we were talking about this historic rightward shift for Donald Trump. We're seeing an equally historic retrenchment back in all of the polling, completely rejecting this, and creating a block where one really either didn't exist before or was beginning to dissipate.

MICHAELSON: And you talk about this sort of experience in your book, which is called "The Latino Century," and you delve into not only your own personal story, but the Latino political story over the years.

And one of the states that is most important when it comes to the Latino vote right now is Texas.

MADRID: Yes.

MICHAELSON: And I know you've been looking closely at that Senate race where you've got Ken Paxton, the Republican, controversial Republican --

MADRID: Yes.

MICHAELSON: -- against James Talarico, the Democrat who is trying to win Texas, which Democrats have been trying to do for generations --

MADRID: Right.

MICHAELSON: -- unsuccessfully.

MADRID: Right.

MICHAELSON: How important is the Latino vote, and what are you seeing right now in the early numbers when it comes to the Latino vote?

MADRID: That's a great question, Elex. Look, the Latino vote is going to be determinative in whether Talarico beats Paxton. And I think for Democrats kind of cuts the head off the snake of the Republicans.

If the Democrats win Texas, it's a complete game changer, not just for the control of the Senate, but really, for what the roadmap is going to look like towards the presidency, the 270 roadmap.

Look, Texas was where we saw some of the largest rightward shifts happening in the 2024 elections. And it is where we're starting to see some of those big shifts back, where those same counties, Starr County, for example, counties along in the Rio Grande Valley, you saw monumental shifts away from the Democratic Party. We're seeing those swings coming right, right back into play,

Talarico needs three things. Or the Democrats, I should say. They needed a particularly good candidate who could be transcendent. He seems to fit. Talarico seems to fit that bill.

You need a particularly sour mood for the incumbent party. Clearly have that.

And you have to have a particularly bad candidate for the Republicans. Paxton fits that bill.

So, look, it's still Texas. This is a conservative state. It's a very Republican state, has been since 1998. But if there was ever a time when a Democrat was going to win, this would be that year in that environment.

MICHAELSON: You spent so much time talking to Latino voters. Gustavo, what are you hearing from folks that maybe supported Barack Obama, then supported Donald Trump? Where are they at now?

ARELLANO: It goes back to what Mike has always been talking about. And I think we could say this on CNN. It's the economy, pendejo, instead of stupid, because it means the same thing.

But look, what I'm hearing from all my cousins, those who are kind of Trump Lite. They're paying way too much for gas. They thought, what, Iran, that was supposed to be over in a week.

And now, on top of that, they're seeing people, like, who could be our dad or uncle getting killed by ICE. There's a lot of anger right now at the Republican Party. There's a lot of dissatisfaction with Trump.

And I think there's this realization that the Republicans, everything that they sold them in '24, where's the bill? Like, we have not gotten that -- those money -- that money that was supposed to come our way, that -- we haven't gotten that wealth. It's not there yet.

Things can change even in a couple of months. I think Mike could speak more about this. If the economy gets better, then maybe those -- that retrenching goes back to where, you know, it was in '24.

[00:45:03]

MICHAELSON: And the Democrats culturally have not made the -- sold -- finished the sale, right?

ARELLANO: Oh, no, not at all. I mean, but it's funny because at the younger level, you are seeing it here.

And I think I talked about it last time. In Los Angeles, you have a lot of Democratic socialists winning in Latino districts. It's no longer just hipster white kids voting DSA. It's now Latinos, as well. The older generation. There's still a little bit iffy to it.

But if the Republicans are just giving the same old invader stuff, they're not going to go with the Republicans.

MICHAELSON: You guys are sticking around for our next hour. A lot more to talk about, including President Trump's big speech on Thursday, talking about voting issues. Look forward to your perspective on that.

But thank you guys for being with us for THE STORY IS tonight. Meanwhile, President Trump had promised to build housing for homeless

veterans. One year later, that project is behind schedule, stirring controversy and concerns. A special CNN investigation, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:50:37]

MICHAELSON: President Trump is falling short of his promise to build thousands of new homes for homeless veterans here in Los Angeles by 2028. That project is behind schedule and transparency has been limited.

CNN's Nick Watt takes us there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Activists have pressured and federal judges have ordered the V.A. to return some of this land in lovely, leafy West L.A. to its intended purpose: housing veterans. Progress has been slow.

Then, about a year ago, President Trump signed an executive order keeping promises to veterans and establishing a National Center for Warrior Independence. A key administration promise: within 120 days, submit a plan to create capacity here for 6,000 veterans by January 1, 2028.

The House Veterans Affairs Committee has finally seen the Trump plan.

REP. MIKE BOST (R-IL): This report was received last night, 248 days late.

WATT (voice-over): But the plan, hailed by V.A. Secretary Doug Collins as a return to accountability, action and honor, details not 6,000 new units, but only just over 1,000 new units.

The V.A.'s new press secretary told us via email, "By 2027, we expect to have capacity to house 2,048 homeless veterans." He dodged my question about the shortfall but added, "Liberal California politicians and their staunch allies at the far-left and extremely low-rated CNN stood idly by for years as the West Los Angeles V.A. campus was mismanaged."

For the record, this land has been mismanaged by both Republican and Democratic administrations, and CNN started covering this story repeatedly and in depth in 2022, when Joe Biden was in the White House.

Given to veterans for a home in 1888, this land has been used for a posh private school, sports facilities, UCLA's baseball field, parking lots, oil drilling, and much more.

Meanwhile, by latest count, there are still about 3,000 homeless veterans here in Los Angeles County alone. In January, Trump's V.A. appeared to move towards satisfying a judge's

order to build 750 to 800 new temporary housing units on this land by next spring. Available documents show they're seeking bids for just 260.

No reply from the V.A. press secretary when we asked why.

It's hard to find out exactly what is going on here, because most of those involved in this project are sworn to secrecy, made to sign non- disclosure agreements, drawing bipartisan criticism.

REP. MARK TAKANO (D-CA): Were you ever asked by V.A. to sign an NDA before this moment in June of 2025?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I was not.

TAKANO: So, it's unprecedented?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Correct.

BOST: Since this is federal property intended to serve veterans, transparency should be a priority, not an option.

WATT (voice-over): The V.A. terminated the private Brentwood School lease in February. "Under President Trump, V.A. is taking decisive action to ensure the West L.A. VAMC campus is used only as intended: to benefit veterans," Secretary Collins said at the time.

But the school's sports facilities are still there on veterans' land.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Our thanks to Nick Watt for staying on top of that important issue.

Coming up, a rare high risk of flooding rain is possible for parts of Southern Texas and could create potentially catastrophic impacts. That, plus our top story in Iran when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:50:01]

MICHAELSON: Happening now, rescue teams are urgently searching for two people in the San Francisco Bay after a boat capsized near Alcatraz Island.

Authorities confirmed one person died after being pulled from the water. Sixteen others were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital.

Divers, helicopters, several boats are helping search efforts. Authorities described the three-deck vessel as a pontoon pleasure boat.

Initial reports indicated there may have been a fire, but authorities say they have found no evidence of that. More than 6 million people in central and Southwest Texas are under

flood watches as parts of that state face a rare high risk of flooding rain.

Rescue teams have pulled at least 45 people from flood waters after 6 to 12 inches of rain fell on Tuesday. The governor has issued a disaster declaration in 59 counties to help deploy resources.

Risk zones include San Antonio, Austin and cities closer to the U.S.- Mexico border. The weather prediction center says the storms could bring an additional ten inches of rain in some areas into Wednesday morning, and even more rain and significant flooding is possible in the region through the end of this week.

Thanks for watching the first hour of THE STORY IS. The next hour starts right now.