His son Ronaldo Salgado said, “He dedicated his life in the United States to giving his family the American dream.” In the smoke-filled summer air of 2026, it’s become harder than ever to ignore our national hypocrisy. In the leadup to the midterms, the Trump Administration continues to cast doubt on election integrity even as it has succeeded in gutting voting rights. Under the Trump Administration in 2026, the pool’s reflective bottom is painted over is in a color called “American flag blue,” and our ability to see ourselves is further obscured. For our August/September issue, smack between the nation’s semiquincentennial and a midterm election threatened by anti-democratic reforms, The Progressive is covering the State of our Disunion.