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Mass Shooting Investigation in Canada; More U.S. Warships Heading to Middle East?; Search For Nancy Guthrie Continues; Immigration Enforcement Surge Ending in Minnesota?. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired February 12, 2026 - 11:00   ET

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

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PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Happening now, breaking news: a monthslong immigration surge in Minneapolis now coming to an end. What Trump's border czar is saying about the operation that led to the deaths of two U.S. citizens and sparked widespread backlash from both parties.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Plus, a new request: People who live near the home of Nancy Guthrie are now being asked to check for video as the search to find her drags on and on.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer with Pamela Brown, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BLITZER: And we're following breaking news this morning.

The border czar, Tom Homan, says the surge of federal agents in Minnesota is ending. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM HOMAN, WHITE HOUSE BORDER CZAR: I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude. A significant drawdown has already been under way this week, and will continue through the next week.

I'm very pleased to report that this surge operation and our work here with state and local officials to improve coordination and achieve mutual goals, as well as our efforts to address issues of concern here on the ground, have yielded the successful results we have came -- came here for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: And moments ago, the Minneapolis mayor, Jacob Frey, responding on social media and saying in part -- I'm quoting now -- 'They thought they could break us, but a love for our neighbors and a resolve to endure can outlast an occupation" -- end quote.

BROWN: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says the federal government should pay for the damage they caused in his state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN): This legislative session needs to be about recovery of the damage that's been done to us. I am also asking our team and I'm going to make appeals to our federal delegation. The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here.

There are going to be accountability on the things that happened, but one of the things is the incredible and immense costs that were borne by the people of this state. The federal government needs to be responsible. You don't get to break things and then just leave with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Also happening this morning, key federal immigration officials, as well as local leaders from Minnesota, are testifying before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee right now, all of this following bipartisan backlash to the immigration enforcement we have seen in Minnesota in recent weeks.

This hearing comes as the Department of Homeland Security faces a potential shutdown tomorrow night, with lawmakers facing a funding deadline to keep the agency fully operational.

BLITZER: Let's go live right now to our chief congressional correspondent, Manu Raju. He's up on Capitol Hill.

Manu, this morning, the Department of Homeland Security is facing a potential shutdown, as we all know, in the coming hours. Where do negotiations stand on all of this?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and this would be the third government shutdown of Donald Trump's second term.

And it seems very, very likely that it indeed will happen. And the ramifications would be significant, because the Department of Homeland Security not only deals with border enforcement, but a whole wide range of issues, everything from FEMA, meaning disaster response, everything to do with the Coast Guard, things like TSA, airline security, airport security.

So many different operations under this massive agency could come to a close at the end of the day tomorrow if there is no deal to extend government funding. And the fight is all about ICE and the Democratic demands to rein in how Donald Trump has deployed ICE agents across the country, particularly in the aftermath of what happened in Minnesota.

The two fatal shootings involving U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month prompted Democrats to say that they would not go along with additional funding for the Homeland Security Department unless there are changes to ICE. They proposed a whole wide range of changes, including requirements

that all ICE agents wear body cameras, that they no longer wear masks, changing how use of force policies are employed, also how warrants are being issued for suspected immigration -- illegal immigrants, and other matters as well that have caused Republican pushback. The White House is not going nearly as far as what the Democrats have wanted and came back with an offer late last night.

And we are getting word this morning that Democrats are not in favor of the White House's proposal in dealing with ICE, including Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader, and Senate Appropriations, the Democrat on that committee, Patty Murray, both indicating this morning that they were unlikely to accept that White House offer, which means, Wolf and Pamela, that we could see this shutdown happen tomorrow, Democrats vote against extending funding, and no path forward to resolving this issue by this deadline.

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BLITZER: Yes, lots at stake right now. Manu Raju, thank you very, very much -- Pamela.

BROWN: And, just moments ago, Wolf, a heated exchange on Capitol Hill. Minnesota and immigration officials are appearing before members of Congress this morning for this Homeland Security Committee meeting of the actions in Minnesota.

BLITZER: Here's one exchange between Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): Yes, sit there and smirk, smirk. It's sick. It is despicable.

(CROSSTALK)

KEITH ELLISON (D), MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Are you asking me for comment, Senator? Because everything you said was untrue. It was a nice theatrical performance, but it was all lies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator Hassan.

JOHNSON: You disgust me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: He said: "You disgust me."

That hearing is still happening, by the way, and we're going to continue to monitor it for any additional new updates.

BROWN: Happening now, Wolf, the search for Nancy Guthrie now on day 12.

Just minutes ago, Savannah Guthrie posted a new video on social media of what appears to be old home movies. Her quote: "Our lovely mom, we will never give up on her. Thank you for your prayers and hope."

That Instagram post comes as people with Ring cameras living near Nancy Guthrie's home north of Tucson are being asked to check video from two dates last month, January 11 between 9:00 p.m. midnight and January 31 between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. A suspicious car was seen on the 31st, the day when loved ones last saw her.

So let's bring in CNN's Ed Lavandera, who has been tracking this from the beginning live here in Tucson, Arizona.

What's the latest there, Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What is interesting about that alert out to neighbors is that it mentions a specific street here in the neighborhood where Nancy Guthrie lives, which is where we are at right now.

And this road is kind of one of the principal entryways into this neighborhood, so it's very plausible. And, of course, we do not know at this moment, but this could very well have been one of the roadways that the suspect who abducted Nancy Guthrie probably or might have taken to get in -- to get close to her house.

So it's significant, that request for those videos going out to neighbors dating around January 11, as you mentioned, from 9:00 p.m. to midnight and on Jan -- that's almost three weeks before Nancy Guthrie was abducted. And then you have this other time frame, which is a little bit different from what we have heard before, earlier in the day on January 31 in those morning hours from 9:00 to 11:00 -- 9:30 to -- or 9:30 to 11:00, whatever that was.

(AUDIO GAP) where yesterday we saw a number of FBI agents going up and down the area, going through the brush here and all this kind of terrain, meticulously all along the road, looking for anything that might have been discarded along the side of the road and that sort of thing. So that work has continued.

And investigators -- now we have a live shot of Nancy Guthrie's home this morning, where investigators are once again back at the house. Not exactly clear what they're up to today, but they have put up a white tent around the front door to Nancy Guthrie's home.

So, even though we have not gotten any clear indication that the volume, this enormous volume of tips that have been generated in the last 48 hours because of the release of the video and still images of this suspect arriving on Nancy Guthrie's porch, we have not any clear indication that they're any closer to naming a suspect or a person of interest or, more importantly, finding where Nancy Guthrie might be -- Pamela.

BROWN: Yes. We just pray. We're praying for that family, thinking of that family. Our hearts go out to them.

Ed Lavandera, thank you.

And if you have any information that could help investigators, please call the numbers on your screen. The FBI tip line is 1-800-CALL-FBI, and the Pima County Sheriff's Department at 520-351-4900.

And still ahead here in THE SITUATION ROOM: President Trump is floating the idea of sending more warships toward the Middle East to beef up the U.S. presence near Iran, but he insists he is working to reach a diplomatic solution.

BLITZER: And a million hot meals, with many more to come. Our conversation with celebrity chef Jose Andres, that's coming up right here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

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BROWN: Happening now: President Trump says he is willing to give diplomacy with Iran another shot after meeting yesterday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump's insistence on negotiations with Iran coming just a day after he told Axios he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East to prepare for a potential strike.

Let's go live now to CNN's Kevin Liptak at the White House.

So, Kevin, how notable are these remarks from the president and how important was this meeting?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: You know, I think it is significant, and it demonstrates that the president seems to be applying a carrot-and-stick approach to Iran at the moment.

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Obviously, the U.S. already has a massive amount of firepower in the region led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, which arrived last week. And the addition of a new aircraft carrier would seem to double the possibilities that the president has and the options that the president could deploy if he decides to execute a military strike against Iran. But, at the same time, it could potentially take as long as two weeks for a new aircraft carrier to arrive in the region.

And that, of course, would provide another diplomatic window for the president to use to try and get Iran to agree to some sort of deal, a nuclear deal, a deal that could potentially include other things like ballistic missiles and its support for proxy groups in the region, Hezbollah, Hamas, all of the issues that I think Benjamin Netanyahu pressed the president on yesterday as they sat down here at the White House for almost three hours.

That meeting proceeded entirely behind closed doors. That hasn't necessarily been true for the president's six previous meetings with Netanyahu. And I think, in my experience, when a president decides to hold these meetings in private, it is because they have some disagreements on various issues.

And I think the president's statement yesterday about how this meeting unfolded was notable. He described it as a relatively inconclusive meeting. He said that there was nothing definitive reached, but that he said he insisted, and he used that word insisted, that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated.

If it can, the president says: "I let the prime minister know that that will be a preference. If it cannot, I will just have to see what the outcome will be."

So you do see the president there still hopeful in some ways that diplomacy can be achieved with Iran. On the part of the Israelis, there has been some skepticism that such an agreement can be struck. The prime minister's office said that Netanyahu -- quote -- "emphasized Israel's security needs in the context of the negotiations."

BROWN: All right, Kevin Liptak live for us at the White House, thank you -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, let's discuss a little bit more right now with Israel's former Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren.

Ambassador Oren, thanks very much for joining us, certainly a lot to discuss today.

But, first, I want to ask you about the president's insistence that negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program will continue. How is that likely to be received where you are back in Israel?

MICHAEL OREN, FORMER ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: Good to be with you, Wolf.

Well, received in Israel with a bit of concern, I have to say. Keep in mind that the initial stance of the administration going into the negotiations would be, there would be three goals. One would be to eliminate Iran's nuclear program, the parts of it that remain after last summer's war and the bombing of those facilities by the United States, but in addition to that, the elimination of Iran's ballistic missile program.

Iran has about 2,000 ballistic missiles. Each one of them is capable of taking down an Israeli neighborhood, never mind a house, and they are now producing missiles at a very rapid rate. So, in a little while, they could have 3,000, 4,000 missiles of that type of caliber.

And then, finally, the goal was to eliminate or cease Iran's support for terrorist groups across the Middle East. That includes Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. And, apparently, over the course of the last two weeks, those goals have been pared down on the American side.

Vice President J.D. Vance came out about 48 hours ago and said, our goal in the negotiations is only to reach a nuclear deal to provide -- prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Even then, there's lots of leeway. Does that mean that they freeze their enrichment facilities or do they actually dismantle the nuclear facilities that Israel would want?

So I think those were the reasons, that paring down is what brought Benjamin Netanyahu so quickly to the White House yesterday.

BLITZER: As we mentioned just a few moments ago, Ambassador, President Trump told Axios this week he's -- quote -- thinking," his word, thinking about sending another U.S. aircraft carrier battle group to the Middle East to keep up pressure on Iran during these negotiations.

So what message does that send to other countries potentially in the region as well?

OREN: Well, the message is that Iran -- that the United States is going to keep a gun on the table, a pistol on the table, and that the president's finger is going to be on the trigger of that gun.

This is -- by the way, we have seen this film before. If you remember, last February, Prime Minister Netanyahu went to the White House, was told in the Oval Office in the presence of the president that the United States was going to go to direct negotiations with Iranians, something that President Biden hadn't even done.

And I think Benjamin Netanyahu was surprised and very worried, but it turned out that the president's threat to use military force if Iran didn't reach an agreement on the nuclear program turned out to be a very real threat. And he acted on that threat last June.

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I don't know if the same scenario is going to play out this time. And we don't know what transpired in that Oval Office meeting yesterday between the prime minister and the president. Very similar -- they could actually be putting on an act. For all we know, it could be camouflage for a program in which the United States, together with the Israel, mounts military action against Iran to eliminate its nuclear program and certainly to destroy those missile-making facilities.

BLITZER: The Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group is already in the Persian Gulf not too far away from Iran. And this other U.S. aircraft carrier battle group, the George H.W. Bush, potentially could be there very soon as well.

Sources are telling CNN, Ambassador, that Israel, for its part, is preparing what are being called contingency, contingency plans should these talks with Iran collapse, including possible Israeli military options. Does Israel run the risk of sabotaging these negotiations? What do you think?

OREN: No, I think Israel is going to be very, very cautious. I think Israel and the prime minister are very aware of the claim that's being made, particularly in antisemitic circles, that Israel is pushing the United States into another Middle Eastern war.

And so I think the prime minister has to walk a very, very fine rope on that and be sensitive to the political situation in this country as well. Yes, yes, America has politics too, not just the state of Israel, and so, yes, contingency plans, yes, but not pushing anybody anywhere. Keep in mind that an aircraft carrier is a mighty vessel and has about

90 planes on it. About 70 of them are warplanes. And there are various destroyers in this combat group. But Iran is a country of 90 million people. It's bigger than France and Germany combined. So, 70 warplanes against a target of that size is quite -- I think, quite a challenge.

And so a second aircraft carrier will certainly multiply the threat. And the Iranians may have concluded last summer, Wolf, that, hey, we stood up to the United States, the world's greatest superpower, for 12 days and its most powerful proxy, the state of Israel.

We could maybe with -- we could withstand maybe another attack by even two aircraft carriers, but we don't want to give up those programs, the nuclear program, support for terror and the ballistic missiles, which are in our DNA. Without them, basically, we don't have a regime.

So this is quite a dramatic moment in the Middle East, Wolf. I can't put a finer point on this. Israel, for all the controversies of the war of the last 2.5 years, has achieved some extraordinary military accomplishments.

And with the possibility of peace with Lebanon, peace with Syria, and a much reduced Iran, much hinges on what happens over the course of the next few weeks with these negotiations and the possibility of renewed military action, and whether the Middle East can truly change and that President Trump's claim to have brought peace to the Middle East can prove to be permanent.

BLITZER: We will see what happens.

Ambassador Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the United States, thanks, as usual, for joining us.

OREN: Thank you.

BLITZER: Pamela.

OREN: Good to be with you.

BROWN: Up next here in THE SITUATION ROOM, Wolf: Investigators are revealing brand-new details about the 18-year-old who carried out the worst shooting Canada has seen in decades, as the nation is now in mourning.

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BROWN: Happening now: Canadian police say they are still looking for a motive after a shooter killed at least eight people and wounded dozens more at a high school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

Officials say the alleged attacker is an 18-year-old who identifies as a female. Police said that the suspect was assigned male at birth and began transitioning to female six years ago. They say the shooter dropped out of school nearly four years ago and that officers had visited the shooter's residence several times due to mental health concerns.

Overnight, the mayor of Tumbler Ridge said the city is united in the face of this tragedy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DARRYL KRAKOWKA, MAYOR OF TUMBLER RIDGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA: Everybody is going to be grieving in Tumbler Ridge, and we're one big family. And I can't say that enough. We're one big family.

And my biggest thing I'd like to say to the community of the family we have here is lend your ear when somebody needs your ear. Lend your shoulder when somebody needs your shoulder. Give somebody a hug.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: CNN's Paula Newton has more.

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DWAYNE MCDONALD, BRITISH COLUMBIA ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER: Upon arrival, there was active gunfire. And as officers approached the school, rounds were fired in their direction.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New details about a deadly mass shooting in a small, tight-knit community in Tumbler Ridge, Canada.

Mobile phone messages warned of an active shooter, describing the suspect as a woman wearing a dress with brown hair.

DARIAN QUIST, TUMBLER RIDGE SENIOR: The alarm went off that I had never heard before. And our principal goes throughout the halls, and she's saying, "People, close your doors, lockdown," stuff like that.

I didn't. I think I thought it was a secure and hold and something like that at first, so -- but once things started circulating, we realized how serious it really was.

NEWTON: The town's high school was in lockdown, students barricading themselves in classrooms.

A local journalist conveying the terror now rippling through the small town.

TRENT ERNST, LOCAL JOURNALIST: I talked to a concerned parent who is here waiting. He got a call from his son who is sheltering in place in the gym. And he's just waiting to hear from his other kid and is quite rightly nervous.

NEWTON: Authorities say police arrived within minutes, but found six victims already dead at the school, at least 27 injured.

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