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Good morning, everyone. There’s a lot of news to cover today. First, the story of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the 10th person shot and killed by ICE agents since January 2025. ICE’s narrative is falling apart. The agency admitted it killed the wrong man, witnesses say ICE is lying, and new details continue to emerge. Also this morning: Trump says he will refuse to sign a key housing bill aimed at lowering housing costs, Trump fired the remaining bipartisan election officials in a late-night purge, Mitch McConnell was seen being taken away on a stretcher, and much more. All of the words of encouragement over the past 24 hours have meant so much to me. Thank you. If you’re able, please consider subscribing, upgrading your subscription, or gifting one to someone else. Your support allows me to keep doing this work, expand my reporting, invest in the resources needed to protect myself and my family, and continue bringing independent news to millions of people every day. Thank you for being here and for standing with me.
Here’s the news: Lorenzo Salgado Araujo: ICE fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during a Houston immigration operation, and the Department of Homeland Security have now acknowledged that he was not the intended target of the enforcement action. According to DHS, agents were looking for different individuals and stopped Salgado Araujo because they believed someone in his white van resembled their target. ICE has maintained that an officer fired in self-defense after alleging Salgado Araujo used his van as a weapon, but the agency has not released evidence supporting that claim, and witness accounts dispute it. The shooting is under investigation by the DHS inspector general.
The Washington Post has confirmed that the undocumented migrants who were in the van with Lorenzo Salgado Araujo dispute the Department of Homeland Security’s account that he tried to run over ICE officers before being fatally shot during an immigration operation in Houston. Through their attorney, they said ICE vehicles boxed them in, an agent quickly opened fire from the side of the van, and no officer was ever in front of the vehicle or in danger of being struck. The men, who are now in immigration detention and facing removal proceedings, say Salgado Araujo—a father of three who had lived in the U.S. for decades without a criminal record—was shot despite not resisting, and they are calling for an independent investigation. The incident has intensified criticism of ICE’s enforcement tactics, particularly because there were reportedly no body cameras worn by the officers and the witnesses’ accounts directly conflict with DHS’s public statement. Here is a statement from Lorenzo’s son, who found out that he was shot from Facebook:
 Lorenzo Salgado Araujo's fatal shooting by ICE agents in Houston marked the 10th fatal shooting by federal immigration officials since the start of President Trump's second term, reflecting a sharp rise in deadly encounters tied to the administration's immigration crackdown. Other victims include U.S. citizens Renée Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed during immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, and Ruben Ray Martinez, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Texas. In several of these cases, DHS initially claimed officers fired after victims used their vehicles as weapons, but those accounts were later challenged by video evidence or witness testimony. The growing number of fatal shootings has fueled calls from families, civil rights advocates, and elected officials for independent investigations and greater accountability from federal immigration agencies.
Election firings: Donald Trump has removed the remaining members of the bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission, leaving the independent agency without any commissioners just months before the 2026 midterm elections. The commission oversees election administration guidance, certifies voting systems, accredits testing laboratories, and maintains the national mail voter registration form. The White House has not explained how it plans to move forward, though the law establishing the commission allows the president to appoint replacements. The firings follow Trump’s continued efforts to reshape federal election policy after repeatedly challenging the administration of U.S. elections. The move has drawn criticism from election officials, who warn it could disrupt election administration ahead of the midterms. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes called the decision “irresponsible and dangerous,” arguing it risks creating uncertainty for election officials nationwide. While the president has the authority to nominate new commissioners under the Help America Vote Act, it remains unclear when or whether those vacancies will be filled. The Trump administration is escalating pressure on states to change election procedures by warning officials they could face criminal prosecution if noncitizens remain on voter rolls and by threatening to withhold portions of federal homeland security grants unless states adopt measures such as citizenship verification, expanded election audits, and a shift toward hand-marked paper ballots. The Justice Department has given states five days to explain how they will comply, while FEMA tied 20% of certain antiterrorism grants to meeting the election-related requirements. Election law experts and Democratic state officials argue the moves exceed federal authority, revive unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, and could create confusion ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, though some Republican officials have defended the administration’s efforts as reinforcing existing election laws. The latest actions follow a series of legal setbacks for the administration, with multiple courts rejecting attempts to obtain voter and election worker data from states and the Supreme Court recently ruling that states may continue counting eligible mail ballots received after Election Day.
Mitch McConnell: Newly obtained video by CNN and an eyewitness account show emergency responders loading Mitch McConnell onto a stretcher and into an ambulance after being called to his Washington home on June 14 for what dispatch audio described as an unconscious person experiencing cardiac arrest. McConnell has remained hospitalized for about three weeks, but his office has not disclosed the reason for his hospitalization or provided details about his condition. A neighbor said emergency responders appeared calm and did not use sirens when leaving, while another witness reportedly identified the person on the stretcher as McConnell. Despite ongoing public speculation, several Republicans and associates say they have recently spoken with McConnell and that he sounded alert, though no official medical update has been released.
 Mitch McConnell's prolonged hospitalization and absence from the Senate is complicating efforts to pass government funding bills ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline, particularly because he serves on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee and chairs its defense subcommittee. Republicans and Democrats remain deadlocked over defense spending, including the Trump administration's request for an additional $87.6 billion tied largely to the war with Iran, and McConnell's absence leaves Republicans without their one-seat majority on the committee. Without his vote, tied committee votes could stall spending legislation, increasing the likelihood that Congress will need a temporary funding measure to avoid a government shutdown. McConnell has not voted since June 11, and while Senate leaders say they have spoken with him, his office has released few details about his condition, prompting calls for greater transparency from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Other News: Trump said he will refuse to sign the Housing Bill, despite it having already passed both chambers of Congress, unless the Senate approves his proposed SAVE AMERICA Act. Under the Constitution, however, the bill is set to become law tomorrow regardless of whether Trump signs it, because the 10-day period for presidential action will expire while Congress remains in session. Trump claimed he was withholding his signature as a protest over the Senate’s failure to pass the legislation, which he said has overwhelming support among Republicans.
Scott MacFarlane reported that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool remains fenced off and inaccessible after Trump's July 4 event, saying the water has retained a "swampy" green appearance despite beginning to reflect again. He described the pool as looking "almost like it's quarantined in its green-like state," indicating it has yet to return to normal condition.
 Trump departed Turkey aboard the older Air Force One while his newly retrofitted, Qatar-donated jet flew ahead to England, with U.S. officials citing security concerns related to heightened tensions with Iran. Officials said the older aircraft, which was purpose-built for presidential travel, offers more established defensive and communications capabilities, while the newer plane was modified more quickly and is still viewed by some as less suited for high-risk international missions. Trump publicly denied there were specific security concerns, saying the Qatari jet was sent ahead so U.S. service members could tour it, though he later acknowledged that threats related to Iran could be a factor. The $400 million Qatari aircraft has faced ongoing legal, ethical, and national security scrutiny since it entered service, even as the Air Force maintains that it is safe and secure for presidential use. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he would “fix” the temporary grounding of eight South Carolina National Guard Apache helicopter pilots who were suspended after conducting low-altitude flybys over crowded beaches during a July 4 airshow. The South Carolina National Guard has described the suspensions as a routine, non-punitive safety review while it investigates whether the pilots complied with flight procedures.
 According to CNN, U.S. officials say Israel recently shared intelligence alleging that Iran had developed a new plot to assassinate President Donald Trump, though U.S. agencies had not independently verified the specific threat. Officials noted that the U.S. has long assessed that Iran could seek retaliation against Trump for the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, but some believe the Israeli warning may also have been intended to influence Trump’s decisions on Iran. The report comes as tensions between the U.S. and Iran remain high, with military preparations continuing even as diplomatic efforts toward a nuclear agreement reportedly persist. Trump said he believes he is Iran’s top assassination target, while the White House pointed to his recent public comments rather than addressing the intelligence report directly. China has become the second country after the United States to demonstrate recovery of an orbital-class rocket's first-stage booster through a controlled reentry and powered landing, with the Long March 10B booster landing on a recovery ship in the South China Sea using a net-and-hook system. The achievement marks a significant step in China's pursuit of reusable launch technology, though it still trails SpaceX, which has spent more than a decade advancing reusable rockets and is now focused on fully reusable Starship. The development underscores China's growing investment in closing the gap in launch capabilities. Meanwhile, Europe has lagged behind, with the European Space Agency and ArianeGroup's reusable rocket demonstrators—Themis and Callisto—still well behind both China's latest milestone and SpaceX's operational capabilities.
 New York City will become the first U.S. city to ban deceptive subscription practices under a new rule taking effect Oct. 1, requiring businesses to provide a simple way for customers to cancel recurring charges or face fines of up to $525 per subscription. The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection is also proposing a separate rule requiring businesses to advertise the full upfront price of goods and services, including mandatory fees, in an effort to eliminate so-called "junk fees." City officials say the measures are designed to stop companies from trapping consumers in unwanted subscriptions and hiding the true cost of products and services, including apartment rentals. The initiative, led by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Consumer Commissioner Samuel A. A. Levine, is part of a broader push to reduce costs for residents and strengthen consumer protections. A Utah judge will decide in the coming weeks whether the murder case against Tyler James Robinson will proceed to trial after a five-day preliminary hearing over the 2025 killing of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors presented DNA evidence allegedly linking Robinson to the firearm used in the shooting, along with surveillance footage they say shows him entering the campus and climbing to a rooftop before the attack. The court also heard testimony from Robinson's former roommate and romantic partner, who said Robinson expressed remorse the day after the shooting, reportedly saying he wished he "hadn't done it." Robinson's attorneys challenged the reliability of the DNA evidence as they sought to undermine the prosecution's case, while Judge Tony Graf indicated the hearing's focus should remain on whether sufficient probable cause exists to send the case to trial. Environmental groups are urging the Trump administration to relist Pacific gray whales under the Endangered Species Act after the population fell from about 20,000 whales in 2019 to fewer than 13,000 this year amid what scientists describe as a catastrophic mortality event. Researchers say climate change is shrinking Arctic sea ice and depleting the whales’ food supply, leaving many stranded whales emaciated from starvation, while ship strikes, oil development, pollution, harmful algal blooms, and Russian harvesting may also be contributing to the decline. Conservationists warn that thousands of whales may have died this year alone and argue stronger federal protections could help reduce preventable threats such as vessel collisions. If federal officials reject or ignore the petition, the advocacy group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility says it plans to sue to force a decision.
See you soon. — Aaron You’re currently a free subscriber to the Parnas Perspective. For the full experience, more content, and to support Aaron, upgrade your subscription. |
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