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Trump Expected to End DACA; Congress to Act on Dreamers; Congress Returns with Packed To-Do List; Condemnation Of North Korea; President Trump On DACA. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired September 04, 2017 - 13:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Jim Acosta in for Wolf Blitzer. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Washington and 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday in Seoul and Tokyo. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks for joining us.

We start with strong condemnation of North Korea following their latest and strongest nuclear test over the weekend. With new threats from North Korea, the United Nations' Security Council held an emergency meeting this morning to discuss options. Here is some of what we heard from the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley.

(BEGIN VDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: They now fire missiles over Japanese airspace. They now have ICBM capabilities. They now claim to have test a hydrogen bomb. And just this morning, there are reports that the regime is preparing for yet another ICBM launch.

To the members of the Security Council, I must say, enough is enough. Nuclear powers understand their responsibilities. Kim Jong-Un shows no such understanding. His abusive use of missiles and his nuclear threats show that he is begging for war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: CNN International Correspondent Paula Hancocks is live in Seoul, South Korea. Paula, we just heard from the U.N. ambassador for the U.S., Nikki Haley. South Korea's president spoke on the phone with President Trump a short while ago. What do we know from where you are and what do we know, in terms of what came out of that phone call?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, we have a readout from the South Korean side, saying that, first of all, both presidents agreed that this was a serious violation of resolutions, of the U.S., of international community.

And also saying that they wanted a strong and -- a strong -- a strong and realistic response that can be felt by North Korea. This is specified, the U.S. Security Council. They want a resolution, they have both decided, that will actually pinch. Very similar to what we heard from Ambassador Haley there. We are seeing a stronger message now from President Moon Jae-In following that fairly insulting tweet by the U.S. President, talking about South Korea appeasement of North Korea. So, certainly, we're seeing some strong words from the South Korean side.

They're both saying as well, they want pressure and sanctions to try and bring North Korea back to the negotiating table. At least that's what the South Korean side is saying. We don't know whether or not Mr. Trump is agreeing to the negotiating table at all.

And also saying the deployment of THAAD, the missile defense system, which is very controversial in this neck of the woods. South Korea has agreed to fully bring it into the country and deploy it as soon as possible. It says -- they say on a temporary basis, but certainly feeling the pressure there from the U.S. and, of course, from this recent North Korea nuclear test -- Jim.

ACOSTA: Paula Hancocks live in Seoul, South Korea. Thank you very much, Paula. We appreciate it.

The United States has made it clear that all military options are on the table with North Korea. We heard this response today from North Korea state media. We'll put this on screen. Provoke us as you wish. With our nuclear strategic weapons, we will eradicate the land of U.S. with no trace left on earth.

Our Athena Jones is at the White House. Athena, more tough talk coming out of North Korea, of course. And, today, the United States ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, you just heard that a few moments ago, she said, quote, "enough is enough."

What does the White House want from the United Nations and what is the U.S. prepared to do, at this point, about these threats that continue?

ATHENA JONES, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Jim. That's right. The U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, said enough is enough. And we've taken an incremental approach. And despite the best of intentions, it has not worked.

The White House would like -- the White House would like to see the U.N. Security -- United Nations Security Council approve quickly the strongest possible sanctions. And that is seen as the only way to resolve this diplomatically.

But, Jim, as you know, sanctions have not worked over the past couple of decades and neither has diplomacy of any sort worked to halt North Korea's progress.

As you mentioned, it was just a month ago that the U.N. Security Council approved the toughest sanctions so far against North Korea, in response to the ballistic missile testing that they were doing earlier in the summer.

That also didn't impact Kim Jong-Un's calculation, when it came to this latest nuclear test. And so, that is the challenge that the U.S. and the international community continue to face. The tough talk, the sanctions, the diplomacy haven't had any impact.

When it comes to what options the U.S. is looking at, apart from military options, we heard the president and secretary -- Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin talk about this idea of cutting off all trade with any country that does business with North Korea.

The problem there is that China, of course, is North Korea's main ally and trading partner, accounting for about 90 percent of that country's trade.

[13:05:01] But China is also one of the U.S.'s biggest trading partners, so cutting off that relationship would have huge economic and political ramifications. Critics are calling that an empty threat -- Jim.

ACOSTA: Athena Jones, it's hard to imagine the U.S. cutting off trade with China to deal with North Korea. Very interesting.

Athena Jones, thank you very much.

We're following another major story today. Sources now telling CNN President Trump is expected to end DACA, an Obama-era program that protects undocumented immigrants who come to the U.S. as children from deportation.

The fate of nearly 800,000 young immigrants, known as Dreamers, hangs in the balance. We heard from President Trump a short while ago in the form of a tweet. He was issuing this Labor Day message. But note the language here. He says, we are building our future with American hands, American labor, American iron, aluminum and steel. Happy Labor Day.

CNN White House Reporter Kaitlan Collins joins me now from inside the briefing room. And, Kaitlan, it's, sort of, unmistakable what the president's message was in that tweet.

What more do we know about the president's plan, at this point? We're still expecting to hear this come down tomorrow, right?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right. And sources are telling us that the president is likely to end this program.

But what we're also told is that they're likely going to create a six- month delay before ending the program. And now, that time period would give Congress some time to come up with legislation that would allow those undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States.

But these officials have cautioned that nothing is set in stone until the president, himself, announces it tomorrow.

As you know, Jim, this is a White House that often makes last-minute decisions on policy. So, they are stressing that nothing is official yet.

But this is definitely something the president has wavered on. It will certainly please his base. And it's something he brought up multiple times during the campaign that he thought it was illegal and would immediately terminate it if he got into office.

But once he won the presidency, we really saw him waiver on this and say that he was going to work something out for the Dreamers and have heart for them.

So, there's definitely a lot of question. There will be more questions tomorrow if they do decide to end this program over how they will implement it and how it will affect the people who are currently benefiting from DACA -- Jim.

COLLINS: All right. The president said, late last week, he loves the Dreamers. We'll find out what the president's decision is, it sounds like, tomorrow.

ACOSTA: Kaitlan Collins, thank you very much.

Here's some of the reaction from Capitol Hill on the president's expected DACA decision. California Democratic Senator Kamala Harris saying, quote, "ending DACA would be nothing short of heartless. It's on us to demand a vote on the Dream Act. We must stand with our Dreamers."

And Oklahoma Republican Senator James Lankford put out a statement essentially criticizing the president on all of this. It says, it right for there to be consequences for those who intentionally entered this country illegally. However, we as Americans do not hold children legally accountable for the actions of their parents.

Let me welcome in now Colorado Republican Congressman Mike Coffman, who is currently preparing his own legislative maneuver to protect these young immigrants in his state.

Congressman, the president said, late last week, he loves the Dreamers. That he wants to treat this issue with heart. But ending DACA with a six-month delay, does that sound like heart to you?

REP. MIKE COFFMAN (R), COLORADO: Well, I think the president's backed into a corner by the attorney general from Texas who is threatening, by tomorrow, if the president doesn't suspend the program, to go to federal district court. And this is the same attorney general who was able to strike down the DAPA program is unconstitutional.

So, I think that the president's in a bad position. I hope the president says tomorrow is that he supports the policy of the DACA program and wants Congress to pass it into law and wants it on his desk and he'll sign it.

ACOSTA: And what do you make of this six-month delay? Do you believe that Congress can take care of this within the next six months? The president called for Congress to repeal Obamacare. He has failed on a number of legislative items. Can he get DACA fixed through the Congress?

COFFMAN: Oh, I think so. And it's -- what I'm filing tomorrow is called the Discharge Petition on the Bridge Act. And the Bridge Act actually extends the DACA program for three years, giving time for Congress to find a permanent solution.

And so, if Republican leadership doesn't bring a bill to the floor, if I can get 218 signatures of supporters of DACA on the Bridge Act, then we can force a vote on it right away.

ACOSTA: But it has to get through the Senate?

COFFMAN: I believe it will get through the Senate.

ACOSTA: That's the trick.

COFFMAN: I really think that there is -- there is -- I think when -- people would rather not confront the issue. The president would rather not confront the issue. He's forced to confront it, again, by the attorney general of Texas.

The -- I just think that there's support from the Congress. And I can't imagine that the president wouldn't sign it, if it gets to his desk.

[13:10:01] ACOSTA: OK.

Let's move to the threat from North Korea. You're on the House Armed Services Committee. After meeting with the president --

COFFMAN: Right.

ACOSTA: -- yesterday, Defense Secretary James Mattis promised what he called a massive military response if North Korea threatens the U.S. or its allies.

What do you know about these massive military options that the U.S. has at its disposal? It just seems to be a further escalation of this rhetoric that's taken that part of the world and the U.S. to the brink of what could be a nightmare for everybody?

COFFMAN: Well, what I would hope would occur is that given our missile defense capabilities, that we would signal to North Korea that we will take out any missile launch, whether there's harmful intent or not. Even if a test launch, that we've got that capability to take that missile out in midcourse and we're going to do so.

And so, I think that that would be appropriate, but it is -- it is --

ACOSTA: Do you think that would be the next step for the U.S. to try to deter this behavior, is to just go ahead and knock down one of those missiles during one of their tests?

COFFMAN: I think that would be an appropriate response.

ACOSTA: And do you think that would escalate things further, though? Would it trigger --

COFFMAN: Oh, I think --

ACOSTA: -- the North Koreans to try to do something bigger and bolder?

COFFMAN: Well, I think that we are, sort of, the end of the rope, so to speak, right now, in the sense that we tried all kinds of strategies to contain their program. And they are really at the final steps of having a nuclear capable ICBM that can hit the United States.

So, not only a threat to the region but a direct threat to the United States. And so, this is an unstable regime with a -- with a leader that I think is unstable in and of himself.

And so, we clearly --

ACOSTA: And just to press you on that just a little, Congressman.

COFFMAN: Yes.

ACOSTA: Would that be interpret -- that would be interpreted, though, as an act of war, would it not, by the North Koreans? If we were to knock down one of their missiles?

COFFMAN: Well, sending a missile over Japan is an act of war. Sending a missile -- threatening to send a missile by Guam, by the territory of the United States, if they do so, is an act of war.

I think, though, we have other things that we can do. I think we -- there's a lot more leverage that we have with China, that we haven't employed yet. And although there could be an economic cost to the United States in doing so, it would be a much greater economic cost to China.

China's really the life line to North Korea. And if China holds -- really does hold the cards in this -- in this particular equation.

ACOSTA: And when you hear the president talking about -- you hear the White House talking about threatening trade with South Korea and threatening trade with China, what do you make of that? I mean, is this the -- do you really want to start a trade war with China to stop an actual war with North Korea?

COFFMAN: Absolutely. I mean, I think -- I think we've got a tremendous --

ACOSTA: You do?

COFFMAN: -- we have a tremendous trade deficit with China. So, it's -- I don't see it as a trade war, per se. Certainly, it might come down to that.

My hope the mere threat of that. I mean, obviously, any threat has to be backed by, you know, the credibility that it could be used I think -- I hope would cause China to put more pressure on North Korea to stop their nuclear program.

We don't want a war but we want this nuclear program stopped. I believe it is only China short of war that can do that. ACOSTA: OK. Congressman Mike Coffman, thank you very much. We'll

check back with you, obviously, as these issues -- important issues develop.

COFFMAN: Sure.

ACOSTA: Thank you, sir, we appreciate your time.

COFFMAN: Absolutely.

ACOSTA: Up next, Trump's -- President Trump's expected plan to terminate the DACA program would put him square in the middle of his home party and his base. So, how will that play out when Congress returns to Washington tomorrow.

Plus, Houston is getting ready to be open for business just as another storm is picking strength in the Atlantic, heading towards, potentially, the east coast. Very curious track here now for Hurricane Irma in its uncertain path ahead. We'll take a look when we come back.

[13:14:10]

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[13:18:10] JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Sources tell CNN President Trump is expected to end DACA, the program that protects nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children from being deported. But the president is expected to delay any action for six months to allow Congress time, in theory, to come up with legislation to replace it. In the past, President Trump has sent conflicting signals on this issue. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If they're with their parents, it depends. But, look, it sounds cold and it sounds hard. We have a country. Our country's going to hell.

I want the children that are growing up in the United States to be dreamers also. They're not dreaming right now.

We will immediately terminate President Obama's two illegal executive amnesties.

If they plan on serving, if they get in, I would absolutely hold those people -- now, we have to be very careful.

They shouldn't be very worried. I do have a big heart. We're going to take care of everybody.

Some absolutely incredible kids. I would say mostly. They were brought here in such a way -- it's a very -- it's a very, very tough subject. We are going to deal with DACA with heart.

We love the dreamers. We love everybody. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: All right, joining me now, CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, and CNN political commentator and Republican strategist and former RNC communications director Doug Hyde.

Doug, what do you think is behind the president's decision here? You hear people say, well, he's appealing to the base. He's got to keep the base happy, and Jeff Sessions, and the Breitbart people and the Steve Bannons of the world and so on. What is your sense? Or is this saying to the country, no, I was elected, these are the things I want to do on this immigration issue and I'm going to do them?

DOUG HEYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean I think the short answer is yes to all of that.

ACOSTA: Yes. Yes.

HEYE: There are ten different directions that this goes into. One is appeasing the base certainly, which will be very happy about this.

[13:20:03] The other, which I don't think that -- while I don't support the move, that I don't think that Trump has gotten credit for is there's -- there's some shrewd thinking here. This -- if you're Donald Trump and you try and triangulate yourself with the Republican Congress, you are putting this with a six-month waiting period in Congress' lap. And if they can't do anything, I can tell you, having worked in, you know, House Republican leadership, we couldn't do anything. That sets up that triangulation that Trump seems to spoil to have. Again, I don't think it's the right decision, but it may be a shrewd one politically for him moving forward.

ACOSTA: But, Maria, there's so many kids out there. These are kids -- and people just think of this term, the dreamers, and they may not, you know, fully absorb what this is. These are kids who were brought to this country, no fault of their own, by their parents. They're undocumented. The vast majority of these kids went through high school and college. They're playing by the rules. They're not breaking the law. They're just here. And they're just as American as anybody else.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Absolutely, Jim. And these are summa cum laudes, many of them. Many of them have bled and died in our military and this is how we treat them?

I appreciate what Doug is saying in terms of this being a shrewd political calculation. I actually don't think it's shrewd. But to think of these kids as a political calculation is not who we are as a country. I'm sorry, it's disgusting that this is what we have come to. But this is what we have come to under this president.

And, sure, the White House keeps saying, well, let's wait. We don't know. We know at the very last minute things could change. This president could decide something different. But from a --

ACOSTA: Which he could, yes. CARDONA: Which he could. But from a president who started this political campaign by calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals, I don't foresee anything different from him. I hope he proves me wrong. I really do. And so the other thing that I'm waiting to hear from him tomorrow, if he ends DACA, is this six-month delay. What does that mean? Doug says that this is for him to put it into the lap of Congress. Let's say next week Congress signs something and puts it on his desk. So is tomorrow, will he say, if Congress puts something on my desk in the next six months I will sign it. What will Bannon say? What will Breitbart say? What will Jeff Sessions say? I don't think that that is a realistic possibility from this White House.

ACOSTA: And, Doug, what's the difference between extending the DACA program and kicking it over to Congress and the expectation they will extend the DACA program and send it back to him and he'll sign the legislation? Why put everybody through this exercise and raise these anxieties for 800,000 kids out there?

HEYE: No, I think that's part of the disturbing thing about this move. And you're seeing a lot of Republicans speak out against this. Some are moderates, like Mike Kaufman, who you were just talking to earlier. Jim Lankford, the senator from Oklahoma, who's very conservative and is concerned on this as well.

I can tell you, from my time in the House of Representatives, we had a lot of Republicans who were speaking -- Eric Cantor, who was my boss, would say, let's focus on the kids. Let's make sure we take care of them first. And that sounded like a good and reasonable message. But it didn't resonate through the broader party. And that's why we couldn't get any ledge through on immigration by and large and it's why I think Congress may end up being stuck again.

ACOSTA: And also, Doug, there -- you have Harvey funding you have to deal with. You -- the president's hope for tax reform has to get done. This just adds another thing to that list.

HEYE: Yes, if you go back to the Sandy relief package, that was one of the most controversial things that we dealt with at the time. And you remember Chris Christie was attacking John Boehner every day. Now we're talking about linking it up to debt ceiling increase. We have other must-pass bills.

The interesting dynamic here that's different is, you have conservatives from Texas who, in the pass, might have supported some kind of offsets, might have supported coupling it with something saying, stay off of this bill. They tend to be pretty conservative. They're also the largest Republican delegation in the House. So they'll have some influence there.

ACOSTA: And what do you think about the possibility of this just getting, you know, jammed up with all this legislation? I mean that's a distinct possibility, I would think?

CARDONA: Absolutely. I mean people are already saying that there's not enough time to get everything done without having DACA now put into their laps.

But I think there's one thing that really merits underscoring. And that is, while this is being treated as a political football when it shouldn't, this is actually a no-brainer. Jim, you have seen the polls. When it comes to DACA itself and these dreamers, the majority, the vast majority of the American people, including Republicans, believe that it is the right thing to do, to give these kids a chance to stay here. A majority of the American people believe that they should be given a pathway to citizenship.

Seventy-five percent of Trump's voters, Trump's voters, believe that these kids should be able to say here. This is not a -- something that is difficult. What is difficult is for Trump to show some political courage tomorrow, to say that he is going to do finally the right thing, to be the president for everybody, instead of just the president for Steve Bannon, for Jeff Sessions, for Ann Coulter, for all of the right wing ultraconservative anti-immigrant people that have supported him.

ACOSTA: And oftentimes it's the last person in his ear. So maybe that will be you, Maria Cardona, if he's watching right now.

CARDONA: Wow, thanks, Jim.

ACOSTA: Maria, Doug, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

HEYE: Thank you.

ACOSTA: Up next, the city of Houston soon be back in business after Hurricane Harvey's devastating hit. The community is starting to rebuild and companies are getting ready to open their doors once again.

[13:25:06] We'll go live to Houston right after this.

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ACOSTA: Texans are starting the difficult process of rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey's devastating blow to that region. Now 95 percent of Houston is dry and most businesses are hoping to reopen tomorrow. While some people can't wait to return home, those who can are met with debris and remnants of the life they had left behind.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott says the storm damage could reach $180 billion. And House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced the first steps of federal aid during a visit to Texas earlier today. Take a listen.

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REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R), MAJORITY LEADER: We'll be back in session tomorrow. We'll take up the very first supplemental. This will include about $15 billion overall. And it's the first tranche for FEMA, so FEMA can continue to be able to supply.

[13:30:02] But as the cities and the counties get the estimate of the cost of the others, we'll be working with the governor, the senator and the delegation to make sure we get the next tranche of the supplemental together to come back to Texas.