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Judge Blocks Deportations Of Banned Travelers; Trump Defends Controversial Travel Ban; Travel Ban Protests Planned In Nine Cities; Impact of Trump's Travel Ban On Hollywood; Federer VS. Nadal In Australian Open; Falcons Leaves For the Super Bowl LI Aired 6-7a

Aired January 29, 2017 - 06:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[06:00:02] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Trump deserves the profile of courage award for standing up and doing this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think that I will stay in the U.S. anymore because of this kind of treatment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am here to work with him for the betterment of the city of Dallas. I just don't think this policy is -- it does that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's not right. That's not fair. You can treat human beings better.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It's not a Muslim ban. We're going to have a strict ban and we are going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: So great to have your company as always. We want to wake you up and welcome you to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world as well. I am Christi Paul.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I am Victor Blackwell. Hello to you. We begin a breaking news. Overnight here in the U.S., legal action putting a temporary stop to President Donald Trump's executive order that bans nationals from several Muslim majority countries from entering the U.S.

PAUL: It follows another federal ruling, a court ruling last night out of New York, a judge granting an emergency stay, which stops federal authorities from deporting people holding valid visas who were caught in all of this confusion of Trump's immigration order because confusion I think is the operative word here.

BLACKWELL: Yes, we are going to dig into all of this this morning. But the president's ban on refugees sparking fierce and divided reaction, including protest and demonstrations at airports across the country. Watch.

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PAUL: Look at that scene there just a few hours ago. That was at SeaTac Airport in Seattle. Hundreds of people chanting "let them in." This is one of several protests that have been happening yesterday and overnight. Today even more are planned at airports in major cities across the country as you see there, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, Orlando, and the like.

BLACKWELL: Our team of reporters is covering this breaking news from every angle. We are going to start with CNN's Ryan Nobles in Washington. Ryan, there has been several rulings in districts across the country. Walk us through what happened overnight?

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Victor, and for the most part they have been victories for those opposed to President Donald Trump's executive order, but it marks the beginning of what will likely be a fierce court battle over the legality of Trump's policy.

In New York, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly issued a stay preventing the government from deporting citizens from those seven Muslim majority countries who have already arrived in the U.S. and who hold valid visas or are refugees.

Now in for decision, Donnelly ruled that, quote, "The petitioners have a strong likelihood of success in establishing that the removal of the petitioner and other similarly situated violates their due process and equal protection guaranteed by the United States Constitution."

Now this lawsuit, as you mentioned, Victor, one of several filed came as travelers around the country were detained after having arrived in the U.S. after President Trump signed that sweeping executive order.

Let's go over that order. It bars for 90 days people from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen from entering the United States. It also stops all refugees from entering the United States for 120 days, and it indefinitely puts a stop on Syrian refugees coming into the country.

Now in the first 24 hours of the order going into effect, the U.S. detained entry to 109 travelers heading to the country at the time the ruling was signed. A Department of Homeland Security official said and the official would not say how many of the 109 are now being detained in the U.S., and how many were sent back to their home country already.

Now in reaction to the court's ruling, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that it will, quote, "Comply with the judicial orders faithfully, enforce our immigration laws, and implement the president's executive orders to ensure that those entering the United States do not pose a threat to our country or the American people.

Now this is important. The ruling doesn't necessarily mean that people being held at airports across the country are going to be released. There are also rulings in Washington State, Virginia, and Massachusetts saying that the government could not deport those travelers who are being detained.

And there was also language that allowed them to meet with their lawyers. Now there were some confusion around the world about who is impacted, and these protests erupted and they were met with swift enforcement.

Now administration officials say that the executive order would protect the country from foreign nationals entering from countries that are compromised by terrorism. President Trump defended his broad executive order specifically pushing back on the criticism that the order targeted the Muslim community. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[06:05:09]PRESIDENT TRUMP: It's not a Muslim ban, and we are totally prepared to work it out very nicely. You see it at the airport, you see it all over. It's working out very nicely and we are going to have a very, very strict ban and we are going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: In one of those protests took place at Dulles Airport outside of Washington, D.C. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker was among a group of lawmakers trying to help out some of those folks who have traveled here to the United States. Hear what Booker had to say about the executive order.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR CORY BOOKER (D), NEW JERSEY: No matter what the White House is doing, always the power of the people is greater than the people in power.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: Now, keep in mind the White House is not backing down from the criticism at all despite more protest expected today including one near the White House. The Trump administration believes that they have the people behind them. This is something that President Trump campaigned on and they believe the fact that he won is evidence that the American people support this policy -- Victor.

BLACKWELL: All right, Ryan Nobles for us in Washington there. Ryan, thanks so much.

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PAUL: Very strong voices there protesting from the U.S., around the U.S., in fact, there are shots from multiple cities slamming President Trump's temporarily executive order banning refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim countries, as we've been saying this morning.

Now a federal judge in New York we said blocked that deportation of people stranded in U.S. airports under that order. There are protests planned today in several cities around the nation, including New York, and that's where CNN's Rachel Crane is live from JFK Airport.

Rachel, I know that you have been talking to some people who were affected by this ban. What are they saying to you?

RACHEL CRANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Christi. Well, we know that yesterday at least 19 people were detained here at JFK. We know that two of them, two Iraqi men were in fact released following a lawsuit that was filed yesterday.

But as you pointed out, we had a chance to speak to some of the family members of the detainees here yesterday, including one young Iranian gentleman, who was getting his PhD at Ohio State University, and his wife was issued an F2 visa and was on her way to meet him. She was detained. Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMED ZANDIAN, HUSBAND OF DETAINED TRAVELER: She called me through the phone that it was not hers, and told me that she will be deported and why she was crying. I don't think that I will stay in the U.S. anymore because of this kind of treatment. I don't have any clear vision about the future, about that treatment to Iranian and other nationalities, so I don't feel safe anymore to stay here in the U.S.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CRANE: He told us that initially the plan was for his wife to board a plane last night at 11:00 p.m. to go back to Iran, but following the announcement of the stay he told us that they changed their plans. It's unclear yet, though, if she has been released -- Christie.

PAUL: All righty, and we have been seeing these pictures of protesters, what protests are planned today?

CRANE: That's right, Christi. There was a massive protest here yesterday at JFK. We were here today a protest is planned in New York City where of course, Lady Liberty is visible. The plan is for the protesters to march to customs and border protection at One World Trade Center, and as you point out, there are also protests only just here in New York planned for today, but across the country, in cities like Los Angeles at LAX and Chicago, Atlanta -- Christi, Victor.

PAUL: All righty, Rachel Crane, we appreciate it. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: All right, Zachary Manfredri from Yales Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic joins us by phone. He helped draft the emergency stay motion of the ban in New York, and also joining us, Joey Jackson, CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney.

Joey, I want to start with you and let's talk about this Boston order which seems to be a stay on the entire executive order for the next seven days, but I want to get your interpretation. Let's put up a full screen for you guys.

It says, "Officials shall not by any manner or means detain or remove individuals with refugee applications approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services as part of the U.S. refugee admissions program. Holders of the valid immigrant and nonimmigrant visas and lawful permanent residents, and other individuals from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and who after the executive order, would be legally authorized to enter the United States."

So from your perspective, Joey, is this a full stay, which is essentially blocking the president's executive order for the next seven days?

[06:10:04]JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I believe it is, Victor. Just backing up a little bit, let's say this, we are seeing a number of orders that are popping up throughout the country, of course, the eastern district in New York, there's an order there.

There's one that came out of Seattle. There's one that you just referenced, and so I think at the bottom line is this, I think the court is essentially saying that if there are people who represent threats to the country, that's another matter.

But when you have an over broad executive order that seems to encompass people who are otherwise entitled to be here, now you have an issue. I should also note that in terms of the court, and what they are saying is they are saying essentially that, you know, there's an Immigration Nationality Act.

And based upon that act in and of itself, people are entitled to seek asylum, and so to what extent would that executive order violate that? There's also the convention against torture, and when it speaks to that issue, you cannot send someone back to a country where they could face torture.

And then finally you are looking at a 14th Amendment issue, and that is everyone should be afforded equal protection under the law irrespective of race, religion, et cetera. And so I think at base, Victory, you are seeing a challenge predicated upon those grounds.

And I should also say, when we are talking about a stay, what we are talking about is that a court feels that based upon the applications by the attorneys that there is a likelihood of success on the merit.

A stay doesn't mean that the matter has been litigated and the judge has essentially made a full-blown decision, but in reference to your question, at least initially, as it stands now, everything will be stayed until there is a full-blown discussion, a full blown hearing and all of these issues are meted out.

So for now it appears that the law is on the side of those attempting to come into the country. BLACKWELL: Again, that is seven days that this order is in effect. Let me come to you, Zachary. Your reaction and response to the orders we are seeing district after district across the country on the side of those who are attempting to come into this country.

ZACHARY MANFREDI, YALE'S WORKER AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ADVOCACY CLINIC (via telephone): Yes, thank you. So there are a number of different orders that have been issued. What is significant about the order from the eastern district of New York, Judge Ann Donnelly's order is it is an order for an emergency stay as it applies to a nationwide class action.

Which does enjoin the Customs and Border Patrol Agency from removing those individuals, who you already stipulated from the six countries, who are legally authorized to be in the United States, anywhere in the United States.

And our understanding is that the government now can sense and understand that the injunction does apply nationwide, and therefore regardless at this point now of where, you know, and the additional habeas are likely to be filed of individuals who have been detained in these airports, but that stay does apply across the country.

BLACKWELL: So back to you, Joey, your understanding that as we look at these district by district, this pertains to all people coming into this country who have these approved documents and have the visas that are required, although this is a district judge?

JACKSON: Well, let's be clear about it. What ended up happening in the eastern district was it was styled not only to grant relief for the two individuals who were detained, but it was filed also for everyone similarly situated in the form of a class action.

So in that regard, Victor, that's what gives it its broad applicability nationwide. The eastern district was filed as a class action not only on behalf of the two persons whom it affected, but if you read the lawsuit, it was applicable to anyone who may be in a similar predicament, and that's what gives it its nationwide applicability.

BLACKWELL: OK, so that's New York. Let's put up a full screen one here from the Boston order that says that Customs and Border Protection shall notify airlines that have flights arriving at Logan Airport of this order and the fact that individuals on these flights will not be detained or returned based solely on the basis of the executive order.

The Virginia order is limited to Dulles Airport. So these specific districts, and as they mentioned the requirements of passing the Border Protection are those limited to only those airports?

JACKSON: Well, each district order is applicable to that particular district, and so you may see throughout the country other people going in, who are within an airport, within that particular district seeking relief, but, again, Victor, just to be clear, the one that was filed, the complaint filed related to the eastern district in New York for the two coming into JFK, that was filed not only on behalf of them, but on behalf of everyone throughout the country, who are similarly situated like them and that has nationwide applicability.

BLACKWELL: Zachary, your reaction to what we are seeing at airports across the country, what we saw overnight, and what is planned for today, people coming out to protest this order and the detention of the peoples coming into the United States?

[06:15:07]MANFREDI: Yes, I think this is a huge victory at the moment for immigrants, for justice, for the rule of law. You know, it confirms the deportations based on the discriminatory policy are likely to be found illegal and unconstitutional, reaching thousands of people all across the country.

These different airports coming out to support immigrants who are here and I think it's to be beginning of what will be a longer struggle, but I think we have seen incredible outpouring of support.

We have also seen judges pretty consistently and uniformly recognize at least at this stage in the litigation that these individuals, who have a legal right to be here cannot be deported or removed.

And so those are encouraging developments, people will need to stay vigilant and informed. We have heard other additional reports that Customs and Border Patrol have not always been adequately complying with the order, with the stay that is now currently in place.

We've heard reports that individuals may be intimidated and people forced them into signing papers to voluntarily be removed, and so anyone, who, you know, is currently detained, we encourage them not to sign any paperwork without consulting with a lawyer previously.

BLACKWELL: Zach, let me jump in here. I want to know, what is the plan moving forward? Several of these orders are limited to the next seven days. Has a plan for next week been crafted?

MANFREDI: I think so. If you look at the entry for the Eastern District of New York case, there has been a briefing scheduled, February 10th, is when the government is required to initially reply to the emergency stay that was granted.

And then there will be opposition from the parties that initially requested the motion and in the meantime, I think you will see a lot more individual habeases for anyone who still detained, and there will be protest to release the individuals for those that will remain in Customs and Border Patrol custody at this time.

Because these are individuals as I said previously have been legally authorized like (inaudible), was an interpreter for the United States Army for over 10 years, and has been through an intensive vetting process already and determined to be safe to arrive in the United States after two years of visa application.

And him and other, you know, permanent legal residents of the United States who are being detained -- I think you're going to see a continued pressure to have them released.

BLACKWELL: Do you have any number on how many people are still being detained across the country? I know it's a moving target?

MANFREDI: It's a moving target very quickly. We have heard mixed reports across the board. At certain airports, we've heard that many people have been released pursuant to Judge Donnelly's grant of the emergency stay or other actions.

I think we are also getting reports of other folks who are potentially still being detained or held, and so it's important for people who are invested to continue to keep up the pressure, for lawyers to remain vigilant.

To do the individual work and outreach to make sure that people are complying with the order across the board, and that individuals who are -- who have legal rights to be here are allowed to enter the United States.

BLACKWELL: All right, Joey, one more question for you, and let's put up full screen graphic too. This was the response from the Department of Homeland Security after the eastern district of New York order but before Boston. I'm going to read it.

"The Department of Homeland Security will comply with the judicial orders faithfully enforce our immigration laws and implement the president's executive orders to ensure that those entering the United States do not pose a threat to our country or the American people."

Now after this seemingly all-encompassing order from these judges in the District of Massachusetts, Joey, do you expect that we are going to get a response or a challenge from the federal government and this could head to the Supreme Court?

JACKSON: I think that's certainly likely, Victor. And just I think what we are going to see is, you know, you have this stay, and what a stay again means is that for now we are going to put a hold on it, but the judge wants to hear more argument on the merits of the actual case.

So what will happen moving forward is that the government will put whatever opposition they have that will be responded to, of course, by the plaintiffs and the action who say this is improper, and then of course, a judge will make a final decision ultimately.

In the event that decision is inconsistent with the Trump administration's philosophy of what they want to do, there would be an appeal. That would go to a circuit judge, which is an appellate court.

And in terms of the appellate court, if there are splits in the appellate court throughout the country, now it could get to the Supreme Court of the United States so that would be the process moving forward. [06:20:02]BLACKWELL: All right, Joey Jackson, CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney, and Zachary Manfredi with Yales Worker and Immigrants' Rights Advocacy Clinic, thank you both for joining us this morning as we try to unpack all that has happened in just the last few hours.

JACKSON: Thank you, Victor.

PAUL: Still to come, an Iranian Oscar nominee may not be able to travel to next month's Oscar ceremony. How Trump's executive order is impacting Hollywood's biggest night ahead.

BLACKWELL: Plus, our political panel weighs in on the president's executive order and his claim that the ban is, quote, "working nicely."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: If you are just joining us, we are following breaking news. Federal judges have temporarily blocked President Trump's executive order banning refugees and immigrants.

BLACKWELL: All right, let's bring in Errol Louis, CNN political commentator and political anchor for Spectrum News, and Sara Westwood, a White House correspondent for the "Washington Examiner."

PAUL: All right, so Errol, President Trump says his ban is, quote, "working out very nicely." There are district courts, as we said, across the country ruling against him on this. The Department of Homeland Security also seems to be odds with this ruling. Do you see any evidence that this executive order wasn't executed properly?

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, sure. In fact, it wasn't really conceived of properly. We call it an executive order and it sounds as if you are ordering a meal at a restaurant and it's a lot more complicated than that. Normally before even releasing something like this, the composition of it and the drafting of it is done in connection with the Justice Department, the Office of Legal Counsel to make sure that it passes Constitutional muster.

With the State Department to make sure that the diplomatic implications are taken into account, and most of all with the National Security Council and the Department of Homeland Security. And our understanding is that none of those agencies had any input into this.

[06:25:09]That it was drafted and came out of the political unit of the White House itself, and what has ensued is what you could have predicted, which is chaos.

BLACKWELL: Sarah, to you, and let's look at this from the political angle. We know that House Speaker Paul Ryan released a statement supporting the executive order that was before we saw all that happened on Saturday and overnight.

But now we are hearing some dissent from Republican members of Congress, and I'm reading the "Washington Post" here, Congressman Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania is calling on the administration to halt action on this order.

What is the impact just in the second week of the president's term, of this administration, on his relationship with Congress and the difficult position that it's putting some in the House?

SARA WESTWOOD, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, "WASHINGTON EXAMINER": I don't think there's any question that when he went forward with this kind of executive action it was going to be controversial. It was something that he campaigned on so it's not surprising that he is pursuing it early.

And even all throughout the campaign it was a hot-button issue, it was very contentious. It divided Republicans and Democrats. So it was not something that was going to go over well with everyone.

But it is something that he campaigned on so it's something that he promised to deliver to his supporters and that appears to be what he's doing. It's not clear, you know, exactly the legal mechanisms and whether they are worked out perfectly.

But this is something he promised to do and it could be seen as a portrayal to the people who put him in office if he shied from that just because members of his own party were pushing back on him because that has happened all along.

PAUL: So Errol, we are seeing reaction from Iraq, Iran, Britishm Prime Minister Theresa May, who said, "Immigration policy in the United States is a matter for the government of the United States just the same as immigration policy for this country should be set by our government. We do not agree with this kind of approach and it's not one we will be taking." How much will the worldwide reaction to this shape what happens here at home with Congress?

LOUIS: Well, there are other reactions as well. Justin Trudeau in Canada, he said he will accept refugees, asylum claims that were refused here in the United States will be welcomed in Canada. There's a whole other pristine dimension of this where people who hold two passports who have dual citizenship, there is a question.

If you say, a U.K. citizen was also a citizen of, say, Somalia, does this apply to you? The answer which they had to sort of figure out in the confusion yesterday was going to be interpreted as yes.

So this creates a sort of a ripple effect all throughout the world, and this is a question of, you know, one wonders why the White House didn't just say here's an executive ordering all of the relevant agencies to come up with a viable and usable plan within 90 days, within 100 days?

You know, regardless of what he promised to his followers, I don't think he promised them to make this all happen within seven days, and if he felt that that -- if the White House felt that that's what they needed to do, even that could have been done if he brought in the relevant agencies and the relevant diplomatic staff to make sure that you get something that I think has now been undermine.

So the promise has now been undermined and the possibility of its success has been perhaps fatally undermined just because of a failure of execution.

BLACKWELL: All right, Errol Louis, Sara Westwood, thanks for being with us this morning. We are still getting more information in, and we received orders from different districts as late as 5:00 this morning, so we will continue to analyze these. Thanks so much.

PAUL: We are going to talk more about how world leaders seemed to be condemning Donald Trump's executive action here, and airports, when you think about what they are under, the pressure they are under, struggling with how to enforce it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:32:33]

PAUL: It's so good to have you with us. I am Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: I am Victor Blackwell. Welcome to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world.

PAUL: There are breaking news overnight to talk with you about. Federal judges putting a temporary stop to certain parts or portions of President Donald Trump's executive order banning citizens from seven Muslim majority countries from entering the U.S.

BLACKWELL: Now, this follows another federal court ruling last night out of New York. A judge there granting an emergency stay which stops Homeland Security officials from deporting people holding valid visas who landed in the U.S. as the president's immigration order took action.

PAUL: That action sparked chaos, confusion, protests in airports across the nation. You are looking at just four of those right now. Today demonstrations we know are planned in at least nine cities and airports across the country. So this will continue throughout today.

BLACKWELL: And we are getting reaction from around the world, leaders in Indonesia, the U.K., Turkey condemning the executive order causing s turmoil they say around the world.

PAUL: Now a government faction in Iraq is joining the Iranian government both calling for retaliation to this order.

Live from Ataturk (ph) Airport in Istanbul, Ben Wedeman, CNN's senior international correspondent. Ben, help us understand how this news is resonating there.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: All right. Here in Turkey it appears that the operations at this airport are going on as normal. We have been told by an official with the security company that deals with flights to the United States that tens of people have been turned away from flights to the United States. We did, however, speak to one man, an Iranian, a residence of -- a resident of Queens, New York, with a green card. He had come to Turkey to see his mother for the first time in five years. He will be allowed on the flight. He's worried however about what's going to happen when he actually arrives in the United States.

We know another case of a Syrian man who is due to board a Turkish air flight to Los Angeles, he however was not allowed on the flight. As he walked away, he said, this is injustice.

As far as the Turkish government is concerned, we've seen a tweet from the Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, he said, refugees are welcome in Turkey, the world's largest refugee hosting country. Turkey by the way has about 2.8 million registered Syrian refugees.

He went on to say, we'd happily welcome global talent not allowed back in the United States, which is reminiscent of what happened back in 1492 when Spain expelled the Jews.

[06:35:05]

The Ottoman sultan at the time Bayezid II expressed consternation as to why anybody would want to expel so many talented people and he said they are more than welcome to settle in the Ottoman Empire.

PAUL: So, Ben, we are not seeing anybody who is not even attempting to get on a plane. What you are seeing is people still trying -- still trying to get on flights to get to the U.S.?

WEDEMAN: Yes, we understand that as I mentioned for instance in the case of this Iranian man, he has been allowed on the flight, a Turkish security official told me he's good to go. However, I think word has gotten around so many people perhaps are simply canceling their flights altogether because they don't want to go all the way to the United States and be turned around.

And I have been in touch with people in Iraq, for instance, who were turned around. And keep in mind, when people have a refugee visa to the United States, for instance, they have sold everything. They sold their homes, all of their possessions. They quit their jobs and of course now they are discovering that that trip to the United States isn't going to happen and they have to go back and try to reconstruct lives they've just dismantled.

PAUL: My goodness. Ben Wedeman, thank you for putting it into that perspective for us. We appreciate it. Thank you so much.

We do want to make note here is we are just getting word that apparently people have been banned from boarding a flight departing from Cairo, Egypt now to the United States, that happening just a short time ago. So it seems that Egypt -- Egyptian officials there are banning people from getting on a flight to come here to the U.S. We'll continue to follow this as we get these reactions from across the country and across the world.

BLACKWELL: Yes. The pilot there announcing, according to somebody on the flight, that there was a -- this was due to international safety instructions. More on that coming throughout the show.

But still to come, an Iranian director nominated for an academy award that planned to be in the U.S. for the ceremony. How will the president's executive order impact his travel plans and others who are coming here, professionals en route? Our Brian Stelter has that story coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:40:59]

BLACKWELL: President Trump is praising his executive order banning refugees and nationals from seven countries. Listen to what he told reporters from the Oval Office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's not a Muslim ban but we are totally prepared to work it out very nicely. You see it at the airports. You see it all over. It's working out very nicely and we are going to have a very, very strict ban, and we are going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: OK. His reaction there, but look at what is happening nationwide -- protests. In fact, word-wide backlash condemning this ban. What you are looking at there are protests from airports across the country here in the U.S. Nine more demonstrations planned for today.

District courts across the country have blocked certain portions of this order. We want to talk about this with David Tafuri -- former Obama campaign foreign policy adviser, a former U.N. and state department official.

It's so good to have you with us again, David. Good to see you. Listen, President Trump's executive order, do you make anything of its expeditious walk through already, how quickly it has happened? Or do you -- do you think there was anything done wrong in terms of its execution in that regard or is it just he's doing what he promised to do?

DAVID TAFURI, FORMER OBAMA CAMPAIGN FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER: Well, the way it has been fashioned is very unfortunate. It's not going to support U.S. interest in the Middle East and likely has put in place a ban that is way too broad and is not going to make us safer here in the United States.

Let me explain. If ban travel from people from seven countries but none of those are countries where the most recent terrorists who engaged in the attacks in the U.S. were from. For instance if you look at the Orlando attacks, the San Bernardino attacks, and the bombings in New York, in New Jersey, the people who committed those attack were from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Afghanistan and Pakistan are not part of these seven countries that have been banned.

In fact, most of the 9/11 attackers were from Saudi Arabia and from other countries that are not part of these seven countries either. So what we've done is put in place a ban some that bans lots of people. Some of whom may in fact be terrorists but many of whom are our friends.

Let me talk about one thing that really troubling for me personally. I served in Iraq in the height of the war in '06, in '07. I worked very closely with Iraqis who helped me, including translators, and they risked their lives to work with Americans. We had in place then a refugee resettlement program for Iraqis who helped us and helped Americans with our interests in Iraq, and that rewarded them and also help protect them and brought them back to the United States once they became in danger. We completely blocked that program.

Any military person who has served in Iraq or Libya or Afghanistan will tell you how important this is program is in order to reward people who helped us. We need to have programs like that in place so that we can be successful in countries like Iraq, like Libya. We need more engagement in these countries. So we have to have a much more narrowly tailored programs to vet, refugees to vet who are going to visit, but we can't block in mass people from different countries.

PAUL: So In other words, what you are saying is that the president we know can enforce laws, he cannot create them, the staying power of this executive order is in question to you?

TAFURI: It's definitely in question. I mean, you see that now with judges issuing injunctions against the order. We'll see how it goes.

In general it's fair to say that the president does have the right -- he has executive authority to prevent people who are not U.S. citizens from coming to the U.S., but he has done it in such a way that it is a concern for federal judges. They are indicating that they have some concern it may be unconstitutional likely because it's too broad, because it's unfair, and because it violates our due process clause and our equal protection clause of the constitution.

PAUL: All right. David Tafuri, always appreciate your voice.

[06:45:00]

Thank you for being here.

TAFURI: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: And we are continuing to get to stories of how this is impacting people around the world. One of the persons impacted is scheduled to participate in Hollywood's biggest night of the year. Brian Stelter has that story -- Brian.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: The academy of motion pictures saying this is deeply troubling. What will happen one month from now? All the details right after the break.

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PAUL: Well, Hollywood is blasting President Trump's travel ban after word that Oscar-nominated Iranian director may be kept from the award ceremony.

BLACKWELL: He is up for the foreign language film award but as a result of the president's executive order that citizens from Iran like Farhadi -- his name is Asghar Farhadi -- and six other majority Muslim countries have been banned from entering the U.S. for the next three months. Let's talk about this with CNN's senior media correspondent and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES," Brian Stelter.

Brian, tell us what's happening here -- the reaction.

STELTER: Indeed. We have been hearing a lot thanks to your program, thanks to the programs this weekend about travelers who are already affected by these restrictions.

This is a case of somebody that could be affected about one month from now who might be onstage on Hollywood's biggest night who may not be able to attend the program now. You mentioned Asghar Farhadi. He's the director of this film "The Salesman" for the best foreign language film. He won that prize four or five years ago actually at the Oscars and also won the Golden Globes that year, so he was hoping to be in the country again this year for the ceremony at the end of February.

Here's what the academy is saying. This is the academy that runs the Oscars every year. They put out a statement about this when reports are spread that he may not be able to attend.

[06:50:04]

The groups said, "The Academy celebrates achievement in the art of filmmaking which seeks to transcend borders and speak to audiences around the world regardless of national, ethnic, or religious differences. As supporters of filmmakers and the human rights of all people around the globe we find it extremely troubling that Asghar Farhadi -- the director of the Oscar-winning film from Iran "A Separation" along with the cast and crew of this year's Oscar nominated film "The Salesman" -- could be barred from entering the country because of their religion or country of origin."

So an interesting note there the Academy suggesting it could not -- may not just be the director who wouldn't be able to attend this ceremony it could also be his cast, it could be his crew. Already one of the stars of this film, this foreign language film, had said that she is not going to attend next month. She is calling the ban racist so she is boycotting.

BLACKWELL: All right. Brian Stelter, we'll talk more in the next hour. Thanks so much.

STELTER: Thanks.

PAUL: Not only next hour but remember you can you catch Brian Stelter's show "RELIABLE SOURCES" later this morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

STELTER: Thank you for the plug.

BLACKWELL: All right. The Atlanta Falcons are heading to Houston for the Super Bowl today, but they are taking a pretty big entourage -- Andy Scholes.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, that's right, Victor. Not only are all of the players and coaches going, owner Arthur Blank bringing every single Falcons employee. He's going to tell us why he's doing that after the break.

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BLACKWELL: All right. So sports fans, tennis fans particularly are waking up to a treat this morning, as Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal battle it out for the Australian Open title.

PAUL: And Andy Scholes is here with this morning's bleacher report.

SCHOLES: Hey, guys. You know, these two are arguably the best two tennis -- men's tennis players ever.

[06:55:03]

Roger Federer considered arguable the best men's tennis player of all time but he hasn't won a grand slam title since 2012. So at age 35, he has really become the sentimental favorite every time he gets into this position to win one of these grand slams. And Federer and Nadal -- you know, we have seen some epic clashes from these two over the years (INAUDIBLE).

Their first meeting in a grand slam final since the 2011 French Open, Federer trying to win his 18th slam, Nadal, his 15th, right now they are battling it out in the fifth set for this Australian Open title. Nadal with the lead, 3-2.

All right. Today the Falcons fans have their final chance to say good-bye to their team before they head off to the Super Bowl in Houston. On Friday Atlanta City Hall hosted a send off party for the team. Now not only is the entire team, the players and coaches all going to Houston, the Falcon's owner Arthur Blank is bringing every Falcons employee. Earlier this week our own Coy Wire caught up with Blank and asked him why he decided to bring the entire organization to Super Bowl LI.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARTHUR BLANK, ATLANTA FALCONS OWNER: We wanted to celebrate this as, you know, as a brotherhood, the way Coach Quinn would put it. But it's a brotherhood that goes beyond just the players and coaches. I think that our associates that we invited that ordinarily could not afford to go, I think, they're -- you know, I mean, it's a once in a lifetime experience. They're overwhelmed by it. They are really at a loss for words.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: And I'll be following the Falcons to Houston later today as well. Our live coverage from Houston right there in Discovery Green starts tomorrow morning, guys.

BLACKWELL: A once in a lifetime. Is he saying, I'm not doing this the next time (INAUDIBLE)?

SCHOLES: That's right. Yes, yes.

(LAUGHTER)

SCHOLES: (INAUDIBLE) two (ph) in (ph) a (ph) row (ph).

BLACKWELL: Yes. (INAUDIBLE).

PAUL: Thank, Andy, so much.

SCHOLES: All right.

PAUL: And thank you for starting your morning with us.

BLACKWELL: We have a lot more ahead including the latest on the breaking news. That starts after a quick break.

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