NPR News: 07-15-2026 9AM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston.
Why is ICE pausing most vehicle stops during enforcement operations?
Immigration and Customs Enforcement says it's pausing most vehicle stops during enforcement operations. The change follows two deadly shootings in just over a week. Many federal immigration agents still don't have body cameras that could provide a clear record of what happens during those stops. NPR Sergio Martinez Beltran reports.
After the deadly shootings of U.S. citizens Rene Good and Alex Preddy in Minneapolis, DHS said it was going to quickly deploy body cameras to agents across the country. Well, that hasn't happened. Only about half of the field officers have body cameras, according to DHS. The agency is blaming Democrats in Congress and the partial government shutdowns for these. But the agency is once again vowing to deploy body cameras for all agents in the next 60 days. Advocates, politicians and community members are calling for independent investigations into these shootings.
That's NPR Sergio Martinez Beltran. The United States launched a fourth round of strikes overnight, targeting dozens of Iranian military sites along the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with attacks on U.S. bases. NPR's Adil Al-Shalchi reports the escalation comes as Washington reimposes a blockade on Iranian ports.
U.S. Central Command said the latest round of strikes lasted seven hours and targeted Iranian naval capabilities and defense systems. In response to a U.S. blockade, Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatened to block the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a narrow vital waterway that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, that would effectively halt oil exports from the Middle East. This comes as President Trump walked back a threat to impose a 20% fee on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz after consultations with Gulf allies. Sirens were heard in Bahrain and Kuwait early Wednesday, and Jordan said it intercepted missiles over its airspace. Hadil Al-Shalji, NPR News, Istanbul.
President Trump's nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will face a Senate confirmation hearing today.
How has the rollout of body cameras for immigration agents progressed and what are the barriers?
NPR's Ping Huang reports.
Dr. Erica Schwartz will face questions about her qualifications and vision for the role. She's a retired rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service, who served as deputy surgeon general in the first Trump administration, and has voiced support for vaccines. Public health veterans expect she'll be confirmed. What comes next is more of a toss-up. Dr. Marcus Plescia is district health director in Atlanta, Georgia.
What we really need right now is a CDC director who can step in and be a spokesperson on some of the emerging issues we're facing. It's been quite a while now that there's not really been a permanent person to do that.
If confirmed, Schwartz will take over an agency that's been struggling with workforce cuts, low morale, and added layers of political review under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 's leadership. Ping Huang, NPR News.
This is NPR. President Trump says elections will be a major focus of a primetime address on Thursday night. The speech comes as Trump pushes Republicans to pass stricter federal voting rules before November's midterm elections. It also comes as the administration deals with the war in Iran and renewed scrutiny of immigration enforcement operations. When asked for a preview of the address, Trump said a country cannot exist without what he called fair and free elections. Smoke and haze from wildfires burning in Canada are sweeping into the U.S. today. Officials say the drop in air quality is hitting at the same time that many areas are experiencing extreme summer heat. NPR's Brian Mann reports.
Crews in Canada are battling a cluster of big fires north of Lake Superior. The smoke from those blazes is now reaching the eastern U.S. A pall of smoke is already visible across parts of upstate New York. New York City officials issued an advisory warning of deteriorating air quality. This is hitting at the same time as a dangerous heat event, with the National Weather Service issuing an extreme heat advisory for parts of the east and the northern mid-Atlantic regions.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:05
2
Why is ICE pausing most vehicle stops during enforcement operations?
0:05–2:08
3
How has the rollout of body cameras for immigration agents progressed and what are the barriers?
2:08–4:52
4
What new U.S. strikes and Iranian responses escalated tensions around the Strait of Hormuz?
4:52–5:03