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Report: U.S. Prepares to Deport Families in 2016; Iraqi Officials: 70 Percent of Ramadi Freed from ISIS; Taliban Denies Intel Sharing with Russia; Holiday Storms Claim 14 Lives, Scores Injured. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired December 25, 2015 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:17] KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Merry Christmas, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan, in for Brooke today.

A new move the Obama administration, planning a series of deportation raids on hundreds of families in the U.S. illegally.

"The Washington Post" is reporting that the nationwide operation could begin as soon as early next month. According to "The Washington Post", the Department of Homeland Security is targeting Central American immigrants to come to the U.S. last year. Advocates say these immigrants, they were fleeing violence in their home countries. The raids will focus on adults and children who have already been ordered to be removed from the U.S. by an immigration judge.

Let's go over to White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski. She's traveling with the president in Hawaii with more on this.

So, Michelle, what if anything is the White House saying about these raids at this point. And what are you picking up?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kate.

Well, they're saying nothing about it. They have referred us to the Department of Homeland Security, and they've put out a statement. They're not really giving us any more detail, but they're not denying what has been reported by "The Washington Post".

Keep in mind, these are families who have not been in America very long. They're recent arrivals and they've already been determined by a judge to be ready for deportation. So, the administration -- as the administration sees it, they would be deported anyway.

But here's the statement that Homeland Security is putting out, "Immigration and Customs Enforcement focuses on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. Our border is not open to illegal immigration and if individuals come here illegally, do not qualify for asylum or other relief, and have final orders of removal. They will be sent back consistent with our ideals and our values." So this is getting some heat already from Democrats, especially

Democratic candidates for president, saying, you know, Jesus was an immigrant, he was a refugee. Can you imagine if these were your children and you were fleeing violence and poverty? Hillary Clinton has also weighed in, not as strongly as the other two, but she said she has concerns about this.

But then again, from the other side, from Republicans like Donald Trump, listen to the tweet he put out on this subject. "Wow, because of the pressure put on my me, ICE to launch large scale deportation raids. It's about time."

So, on this particular issue, I mean you're not going to hear a lot of criticism from Republicans. But back when we saw a huge uptick in the number of unaccompanied minors coming to the United States. It was last year around May, around springtime when we saw tens of thousands of unaccompanied kids, the administration was really getting pressure from both sides. You have Democrats saying, well, why aren't we letting more of these people say? They should be called refugees. They should be granted asylum. Why are we deporting so many people?

But on the right, you have them saying, why are we letting them stick around so long as they await their time before a judge because the system was so strapped.

The administration knows it's going to likely get hit by both sides on this. But there are differences in what the criticism is there obviously. But it's such a touchy issue, and you know if we're going to see hundreds of families deported very soon, you know the pressure is going to intensify and this time it's coming from Democrats.

BOLDUAN: And what those images, if there would be images of the family being deported, what they would -- how they would be used in the political debate, you can be sure that will happen.

Michelle, thanks so much.

KOSINSKI: Right. Yes.

BOLDUAN: So, Trump isn't the only presidential hopeful, as Michelle is pointing out, who's responding. Democrat candidate Bernie Sanders, he said this in a statement. He wrote, "As he spent time with our families this holiday season, we who are parents should ask ourselves what we would do if our children faced the danger and violence these children do? How far would we go to protect them? We need to take steps to protect children and families seeking refuge near here not cast them out."

As for Hillary Clinton, a spokeswoman for her campaign said this, "It is critical", she says, "that everyone has a full and fair hearing, and that our country provides refuge to those that need it and we should be guided by a spirit of humanity and generosity as we approach these issues."

So, what could the impact be of these raids on the presidential race?

Joining me now to discuss, CNN's chief political correspondent Dana Bash, and CNN political analyst Josh Rogin, who's also a columnist for "Bloomberg View".

Now, Dana, first and foremost, on what Donald Trump put out in the tweet that Michelle was talking about, claiming credit, saying the pressure that I put out there, that the pressure that he put on is leading to these large scale raids, I spoke to a top DHS official, she says that in no way was politics play a role in when an administration makes these plans for a deportation like this.

[14:05:05] But, honestly, regardless of Donald Trump having his facts straight here, is it still smart politics for him to take credit for it?

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, of course. Absolutely. You know, he's been taking credit for the way that the immigration debate has gone in the Republican primary process since the day that he launched his campaign back in June. And in some ways, he's right, much to the chagrin of many sort of mainstream Republicans who wanted the discussion when it comes to immigration to be far, far, far different.

In fact, we remember a couple of years ago the Republican National Committee did an autopsy on the 2012 election and explicitly said that the party needs to change the tone and the change rhetoric. And Donald Trump takes credit for making sure that that doesn't happen.

But I think that, you know, I think that whom ever you talk to at DHS or people that work there, no question. It's kind of crazy to think that politics has anything to do with it because if it did, Barack Obama would not be getting the pounding that he's been getting from the left. Not just today with Bernie Sanders, but over the past several years.

I know, Kate, when you worked here, you talked to some, especially Hispanic groups and members of Congress, they are been furious at President Obama, even calling him the deporter in chief.

BOLDUAN: So, Josh, Sanders, he blasted this plan. Hillary Clinton is somewhere short of that. The move, I mean, Dana points out, this is very politically sensitive topic for the administration. They get blasted no matter what they do. This move and the timing coming in early January, as reports say.

Does this put Hillary Clinton in a tough spot politically?

JOSH ROGIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, I agree with everything Dana said. But for Hillary, this is a lose-lose situation. If she supports the policy, she angers her base. If she opposes the policy, she gets attacked for distancing herself from the Obama administration.

In the end, she'll probably have to oppose it. She's never going to get credit from the right for being tough on immigration. As Dana said, even with this move, the Obama administration is still getting attacked.

If the administration had been able to delay this past the primary, it would have been a much more clear-cut decision for Hillary Clinton as she strives right now to stay to the left as the primaries are over and then move to the center when the general election comes.

The leak by "The Washington Post" did her no favors, but that's just some great reporting on their end and that explains why the White House has been so mum about this.

BOLDUAN: And likely will stay mum, as long as they can, because you can be sure Michelle in Hawaii is asking them every hour for more information about this.

ROGIN: Exactly.

BOLDUAN: Dana, we're talking about timing here in terms of those raids. But I want to talk timing in general in the presidential race right now. For the first time as we look ahead in the long time, the Iowa caucuses are in February, not in January, as we've seen in the past -- I think the last three cycles. Who does that help? Who does that hurt?

BASH: Well, first of all, it is so true. I remember eight years ago sitting in Des Moines wondering why I can't find Chinese food on Christmas, because it was nowhere to be found, because I had to be there because the caucuses for a week later, not even.

Who does it help and who does it hurt? It's hard to say. One thing that I was think about to answer this question is that kind of the culture of the Iowa caucuses at least in the last couple of election cycles have been that a conservative candidate who was like nowhere in the polls, comes from nowhere and ends up winning, Mike Huckabee in 2008, Rick Santorum in 2012. And now, with a little bit more time post-holidays, unclear if that's going to happen.

Ted Cruz is in the catbird seat right now. But there are actually Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum running in the race, but there are other people like them who could come from behind. But I think that it probably helps the people who are best organized and are the best funded, like Ted Cruz.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

ROGIN: I would agree with that and I would also say I think it helps Donald Trump because his whole campaign --

BOLDUAN: You still think it helps Donald Trump?

ROGIN: Absolutely.

BOLDUAN: I would almost argue that Donald Trump benefits from the less view here the better. He would benefit from the January 2nd caucuses. ROGIN: Well, here is why I say that, because Donald Trump is a

front runner because of the polls. There's a suspicion that once people start voting, that that will add more data that will hurt him and people won't vote for him who say yes to him when they're polled about it. So, as long as we only have polls to rely on, Donald Trump can maintain his front runner status.

I also think it hurts Hillary Clinton because she wants to wrap this up. She wants to get to the general election. She doesn't want to do this, equivocating between should I be a left candidate, should be a central candidate. So, the longer the primary drags out, the more she's put in that uncomfortable position.

[14:10:03] BOLDUAN: And, Josh, your specialty is national security and foreign policy. So, as the focus of the presidential race has shifted so much to national security, what are you most looking out for in the first few weeks of 2016.

ROGIN: Well, there's really two things. One is whether or not the fight against ISIS is going to make any progress. We see a big battle going on in Iraq and Ramadi. We see increasing steps toward a Syrian peace process. That is the biggest national security issue far and away. If that turns around, that will give Hillary Clinton, as part of the Barack Obama administration, a lot more confidence that she can run on the national security record she's responsible for.

Number two thing is the Iran deal. It gets implemented next month. That's a big political football. If that goes well, that helps Hillary Clinton who was integral in setting up that deal.

BOLDUAN: Final thoughts, Dana?

BASH: Yes, I just want to add to the first point that Josh made about -- if the talks about Syria and if more importantly the battle for Ramadi goes well and then continues to other ISIS-held cities. Last week that Hillary Clinton was at a debate and she talked about the fact that the Obama administration policy and strategy toward ISIS is actually doing well and she got hammered by Republicans across the board. If the strategy in these battles continue to show progress, be harder to say that about her.

ROGIN: Exactly.

BOLDUAN: But they definitely will continue to do.

BASH: No question.

BOLDUAN: Unquestionable.

Josh Rogin, Dana Bash, great to see you guys. Thank you.

BASH: Thank you.

ROGIN: Thank you. Merry Christmas.

BOLDUAN: Thank you. Coming up next, new video inside the fight to take back Ramadi,

as we're discussing. ISIS positions getting hit from the sky. This is the Iraqi military setting its sights on another ISIS stronghold. Is the tougher fight just around the corner?

Plus, a monster tornado captured on camera, as severe weather leaves a path of destruction across parts of the South, and the next big weather threat less than 24 hours away over areas that just got hit.

And do not blame Santa. FedEx is playing catch-up on Christmas as customers fume on social media over undelivered gifts. What the shipping company says it plans to do about it.

Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:15:46] BOLDUAN: Iraqi forces may be just days away from liberating Ramadi from ISIS, the key city in Iraq. But this final stage will be the most challenging yet. That's according to local officials who say the Iraqi army has now recaptured about 70 percent of the city.

This is the view from the ground today as the Iraqi troops fight. And then there's this, the view from the air, Iraq's ministry of defense releasing the video.

Joining me to discuss kind of the state of play here, CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Bob Maginnis.

Thank you both so much.

Barbara, Iraqis say Ramadi will be cleared by next week. What is the Pentagon's estimation?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, it may well be cleared to some extent, but the question is completely cleared? You know, really? Will the Iraqis have a total firm grip on the city? Perhaps not.

ISIS is likely to start launching guerrilla attacks, you know, running gun battles in the streets sort of thing. The ability to clear out every last fighter will be difficult especially because they're still battling their way through the explosive laden neighborhoods.

And then it gets to what we've talked about so much. You can begin to control the city but can you hold it over the long term. There are, you know, real questions about whether they can do that, whether people will come back and when people do come back, will then sectarian divides reemerge between the Shia forces that are fighting there right now and perhaps some of the Sunni civilians that will try to come back. BOLDUAN: Colonel, do you think, to Barbara's question, if they

clear it, when they clear it, can they hold it and what does it look like then? What do you think the answer is there?

LT. COL. BOB MAGINNIS (RET), U.S. ARMY: No. It is a tough decision. I think they've made some good decisions here, though. The reality is that they're using the Iraqi forces. They're not allowing the Shia militia which would be very antagonistic against the Sunnis in the neighborhoods.

We, the United States, have equipped the Iraqi forces with AT4s, which we're able to bust the positions they've established. They're using engineers more effectively to defuse some of the IEDs and the mines and a lot of the booby traps there.

But anytime you go house to house in a buildup area, it's tough slog. The official estimates as Barbara indicated were much short are than they were coming out of the generals new from the Iraqi forces. It could be next week. We don't know.

But there is clearly a test for the way ahead. And the way ahead at 260 miles north of there at Mosul, if Ramadi works, and I think all of us want it to work, then taking Mosul we'll have a, I suppose, way ahead. We'll know how perhaps we can take ISIS up there. But that's a much larger focus, a tougher battle than just Ramadi.

But this is key right now.

BOLDUAN: And as we've discussed earlier, Mosul is kind of the crowned jewel. This is what the Iraqi forces, they want to retake, they need to retake, not only purely taking back territory but I don't know, Barbara, the symbolism, the psychology of taking the fight to ISIS. But as you've said, this is a much different fight, a harder fight in Mosul. It's a different city.

How confident are you hearing from the Pentagon that Iraqi forces can handle that fight in Mosul no matter what happens in Ramadi?

STARR: Well, look, you know, there have been predictions for months now about the Iraqis moving against Mosul. So, it will be slow going. Big tests, though, of the administration's policy to train the Iraqis to look after their own security.

BOLDUAN: And, General, what role do you think the United States needs to have in these fights? We've heard air support and training as Barbara is talking about. Do you think when it comes to Mosul, it needs to go beyond that or is Ramadi the first test?

[14:20:05] MAGINNIS: Well, I think the president's decision on Special Operations forces is very key. They will not only advise but may in a limited fashion take out some of the high profile targets that are still perhaps in Mosul and the vicinity. So, we'll equip them, we'll use precision airstrikes, we'll be advising and then we'll help on the fringes.

I think if we can build the confidence up of those forces now going into Ramadi and then subsequently take Fallujah, which is between there and Baghdad, and then we can go north and the Iraqis will have the confidence. But Mosul, keep in mind, it is a very large target. It's going to take heart, you know, a longer time.

They'll take the same tactics of kind of circumventing it and then squeezing it and then finally going in and taking out the jihadists, the dead enders, that are in the inner part of the city that will no doubt die trying to defend their caliphate. But we can be victorious but we first have to do well in Ramadi.

BOLDUAN: Yes, this is the first step, the first test that really sets the stage for what's next.

Barbara, thank you so much. Colonel, thank you. Merry Christmas.

MAGINNIS: Merry Christmas.

BOLDUAN: Thank you.

Still ahead for us, the Taliban is denying the claim that they're cooperating with Russia in the fight against ISIS. This bizarre denial coming after the Kremlin said it's exchanging intelligence on ISIS with the Taliban.

CNN's Robyn Kriel has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Kate.

The Russian foreign ministry initially said that Moscow was working with the Taliban to share intelligence and information as the number of ISIS fighters grow in its regional neighbor Afghanistan.

However, the Taliban on Friday refuted that, saying they did not need any help fighting ISIS. Just why would the Russians work with an old enemy?

Well, a U.S. commander last month said to Congress that ISIS had gained strength in Afghanistan with as many as 3,000 fighters there.

And Russian President Vladimir Putin it seems would prefer to work with his enemy's enemy. Experts also tell CNN that Putin could be working to cut off the pipeline of ISIS fighters closer to home given to ties with ISIS and the insurgency in the North Caucasus. They say that Putin's moves are about projecting relevance and strength.

A U.S. official in Washington told CNN that while they don't believe that possible cooperation between Moscow and the Taliban would undermine the stability of what they're trying to achieve, they do worry about that kind of joint effort could be potentially destabilizing, allowing the Taliban to receive international recognition.

Kate, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOLDUAN: Robyn, thank you so much.

Coming up next for us, survivors of the deadly storms, they're speaking out after an estimated 14 tornado ripped across the southeast. We're going to hear their stories. That's next.

And is the weather going to get worse before it gets better? We have a report for you on that.

Plus, a nightmare holiday flight, a five-hour flight turned into a 20-hour ordeal. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:26:47] BOLDUAN: Those fierce winter storms are not only wreaking havoc across the south, a tornado also touched down in northern California. The National Weather Service reports the twister hit yesterday in Sacramento, a resident captured it -- just look at it -- on cell phone.

Winds were between 80 and 90 miles an hour. Thankfully, no injuries were reported but the storm did knock down trees and damage some homes.

Meantime, down south, recovery begins in earnest this Christmas Day for victims of Wednesday's deadly tornado. The death toll is now at 14 people killed. Dozens more were injured.

This new video shows the EF-3 twister that struck Holly Springs. That's in Mississippi, at the exact moment it rolled through town. Two people were killed there.

Nick Valencia is following all of the recovery efforts in the South, and meteorologist Allison Chinchar is in the severe weather center with a look ahead.

But, first, Nick, what are you hearing from the storm victims today?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kate, the damage has been devastating. A brutal string of storms across the south affecting Tennessee, Mississippi, as well as here in the state of Georgia. Fourteen people as you mentioned, Kate, have lost their lives as a result of the storm and there are still some, if you can believe it, that are unaccounted for.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA (voice-over): This Christmas, scenes of devastation in parts of the South and Midwest, heavy rain causing widespread flooding across North Georgia and tornadoes tearing across several states.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Started here, real loud, roared, started getting louder and louder, and I told her, we need to get in the house now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It sounded literally like a freight train. Sounding of the horn. It was coming.

VALENCIA: In Ashland, Mississippi, all that's left of Teresa McKay's (ph) home is the porch. She and her husband were inside when they saw the tornado coming. They ran and hid in this truck.

TERESA MCKAY, SURVIVOR: Nothing left of my house. Not one thing. Nothing but all that debris.

VALENCIA: This building may have saved Tony Goodwin's life when a tornado hit Perry County, Tennessee.

TONY GOODWIN, STORM SURVIVOR: I had my grandson in my arm, under my arm, and everybody got in except for my sister-in-law and I'm yelling at her, come on. You know? And she got in. As soon as she did, I shut the door.

VALENCIA: A tornado knocked his house off its foundation, but he and six others survived by taking cover in the storm shelter.

CAPT. BART ROSSON, PERRY COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: You'll never know how important it is to seek shelter immediately however you can because it's a lifesaver.

VALENCIA: Two of those killed in Tennessee were husband and wife, Ann and Antonio Isaguerre (ph). According to the Storm Prediction Center, at least 14 tornadoes hit Mississippi on Wednesday, but a single twister did most of the damage.

DR. PATRICK WASHINGTON, ASHLAND RESIDENT: This is a miracle. There's no way that three individuals were in this house at this time and they were able to walk away.

VALENCIA: Communities coming together, thankful to be alive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I went and bought toys for kids because I also have a little girl, and for them not to have Christmas and toys and stuff, there's -- it's not a holiday.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: We must remember the victims, the youngest so far reported killed in those storms, 7 years old -- a 7-year-old boy in Mississippi. It's going to be a difficult Christmas, Kate, for a lot of people here down south.

BOLDUAN: It's going to be horrible for them as they pick up the pieces. Nick, thanks so much. Really appreciate.

Let's get over to Allison Chinchar now.