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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
DHS I.G.: "Dangerous Overcrowding" in Migrant Detention; Trump Vows to Continue Census Fight; Critics Question Trump July 4th Event; Candidates Stumping in Iowa Over July 4th Weekend; USWNT Advances to World Cup Final; Violent Protests Over Ethiopian Teen's Death in Israel; Can Spider-Man Save the Summer Box Office?. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired July 03, 2019 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[04:33:10] MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN ANCHOR: Extreme overcrowding, prolonged detention, immediate attention required, damning findings by an internal watchdog as the border crisis spirals out of control.
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: And one win away. The U.S. women's national team heading back to the World Cup final. That makes it three straight for these outstanding women.
Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. I'm Dave Briggs.
KOSINSKI: I cannot stop watching them. It makes me so excited.
BRIGG: It is really been an entertaining run, especially doing it without their captain and arguably the best player.
KOSINSKI: Yes, this is happening right around the Fourth of July. Good way to be patriotic.
I'm Michelle Kosinski. It is 33 minutes past the hour here in New York.
Well, a new and dire warning about conditions from migrants detained at the U.S. southern border. Extreme overcrowding and prolonged detention without proper food, hygiene, or laundry facilities just part of what's laid out in the report by the department of homeland security's internal watchdog. The I.G. says these and other problems require immediate attention and action.
Over the last few months, the growing influx of migrant families and children has led to longer times in custody and overcrowding at facilities meant to be temporarily.
BRIGGS: The situation at the border grows more urgent by the day. The border patrol now leading the search for a 2-year-old missing in the Rio Grande. On Monday, a woman who just crossed the river into Texas told the agents she had lost her daughter on the way.
Of course, this comes just a week after that harrowing image of a man and his daughter who had drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande. CNN's Nick Valencia has more on conditions at the border from El Paso,
Texas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Dave and Michelle, this new report by the office of the inspector general is based off of five visits to the southern border, principally in McAllen and Weslaco, Texas. And what is clear from the images that is how overcrowded these facilities are.
[04:35:02] In some cases, migrants don't have enough room to lay down comfortably on the concrete.
According to inspectors in this report, the conditions in these facilities are so dangerous, they pose a health and safety risks not just to the agents but also to the migrants in custody. Now, here's some other thing that stand out from the report. Half of the 8,000 detainees in custody in McAllen were held longer than the 72 hours which is required under law. A third of the children were also held longer than the law allows.
Now, we've heard from DHS officials who say they're doing the best they can with the resources they have. But to Democratic lawmakers, some who visited the southern border this week, it's simply not enough -- Dave, Michelle.
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KOSINSKI: Nick, thank you.
Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson claims when Democrats toured a migrant detention center in south Florida on Tuesday, they were only permitted to see a single classroom and an empty dorm, along with some supplies like soap and toothpaste. And that is where the access ended.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. FREDERICA WILSON (D-FL): I asked to see the girls. There are 700 girls in this facility. I saw 30. When I tried to go into the dormitory that houses the girls, they said to me they were anyone take -- they were in intake and it might be dangerous or contagious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Congresswoman Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania became emotional while describing an incident Monday with a detained migrant. She said members shouted that they were members of Congress who were there to help.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MADELEINE DEAN (D-PA): You know what they did? They passed a note under the floor -- under the door. And we got in trouble. The guard worried we were sending something. The children sent us a note out.
And the note said, how can we help you? The children wanted to help us. That's inhumanity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: There's new fallout from that Facebook group of current and former customs and border patrol agents who joked about the plight of migrants. In an exclusive interview with CNN, one agent claims he heard a supervisor make fun of dead immigrants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANONYMOUS BORDER AGENT: He was making fun of them.
VALENCIA: Saying what?
ANONYMOUS BORDER AGENT: That what difference does it? It's just another life. He made a comment also regarding running over illegals. I'm like, you cannot run over people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: The U.S. border patrol chief says the words of those few individuals on Facebook directly undermines the public's trust.
BRIGGS: President Trump taking a direct shot at the Supreme Court days after it ruled the 2020 census cannot contain a citizenship question. The president tweeting, quote, it's a very sad time for America when the Supreme Court of the United States won't allow a question of is this person a citizen of the United States. He also vowed to keep fighting to add the question even though just hours earlier, the administration announced the citizenship question would not be on the 2020 census.
It was Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross who originally ordered the Census Bureau to add the question. Yesterday, he said the bureau would go ahead and print the form without it, despite a disagreement with the high court ruling.
Stocks could be doing better if it weren't for Trump's trade wars. According to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, if you took out all the days where trade affected the market, the S&P would be at 3,100 points, a gain of more than 4.5 percent that investors are losing out on.
Still, the trade optimism is driving the S&P higher. The average closed at 2,973 points Tuesday, its highest level ever.
Despite record highs, there are still underlying worries about the global economy. The temporary truce between Trump and President Xi didn't cancel tariffs that were already affecting the economy. There's also the threat of new tariffs on $4 billion worth of goods imported from the European Union.
Nevertheless Trump tweeted Tuesday that the economy was, quote, the best it has ever been. A short week for investors. The stock market closes early today and is closed tomorrow for Independence Day.
KOSINSKI: Now to the 2020 presidential race. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris are campaigning head to head in Iowa today. As new poll numbers show Harris and Senator Elizabeth Warren solidifying their status as top tier presidential candidates.
Still, there is some room for error. Polls show 60 percent of likely Iowa caucusgoers say they may change their mind before the vote.
BRIGGS: Asked for their second choice, Iowa Democrats picked Harris followed by Warren and Mayor Pete Buttigieg. On the issues, the poll suggests we'll likely hear about health care, climate change, and immigration. Many will be stumping in Iowa.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny has more from Washington.
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JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Former Vice President Joe Biden heading back to Iowa today, but no longer as the commanding front-runner in the race.
[04:40:04] The last time he visited last month. He will be joined on the campaign trail by Senator Kamala Harris who's been gaining ground after her debate last week in national polls, as well as in a new Iowa poll. She's about neck and neck with Elizabeth Warren but has overtaken Bernie Sanders.
Now most of these Democratic candidates will be on the ground in Iowa over the next several days campaigning for the early caucus-goers. Now, seven months from today is the date of the Iowa caucuses, next February. A lot can happen, no question. But we are seeing the top tier of the race solidify. And all of those top-tier candidates will be in Iowa campaigning. Pete Buttigieg, as well, making his case to voters.
But even though Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will not cross paths directly, they'll be at different parades, meeting with different voters. There is no question at all. Both campaigns will be eyeing one another as they're making their way here. They'll be campaigning throughout the weekend.
Joe Biden also going to South Carolina over the weekend, also joined by Senator Harris. You're getting a sense of what this dynamic is going into what is a critical month of July. Leading into the next four weeks before the next debate here on CNN in Detroit -- Dave and Michelle.
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BRIGGS: All right. Jeff, thanks.
A CNN exclusive you don't want to miss. Former Vice President Joe Biden sits down with Chris Cuomo. See it starting Friday morning at 6:00 a.m., only on CNN. All right. To sports, the U.S. women's national team headed back to
the World Cup final for the third straight time. The defending champs beating England 2-1 in a hard-fought semifinal.
CNN's Amanda Davies live in France with more.
Good morning to you, Amanda.
Really England had their chances, though. They had the goal called back because of off sides. Then they had a penalty kick, two huge moments in a great match.
Good morning.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Good morning, Dave. Yes, it was an epic semifinal. But ultimately, England's Lionesses were tamed by the tiggering king (ph) Alex Morgan, and U.S. team who showed they were the top-ranked in the world, the reason others are calling a benchmark. Even without with their talismanic Megan Rapinoe, she was ruled out with a minor hamstring industry. The U.S. side dominated.
It was a very much case of no Rapinoe, no problem. Once again the USA were lightning quick out of the box. They scored for the sixth time in six games inside the first 12 minutes. This time it was veteran of over 100 who impressed who set the defending champions on their way, closely followed by birthday girl Alex Morgan as she keeps up her campaign for the golden boot award given to the top scorer.
Again, there's controversy over the celebrations after all that criticism, you may remember, for being overboard in the USA's opening trashing of Thailand. Then Carli Lloyd's subtle golf clap against Chile. This time, Morgan stopped for tea. Was it a dig at the very English tradition? Was it a reference of the Boston Tea Party on July 4th? We don't know. She left us guessing.
And ultimately, it was left to goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher to seal the deal, she set off to save that late penalty you mentioned from England captain Steph Houghton to book the USA in a record fifth World Cup final.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALYSSA NAEHER, USWNT GOALKEEPER: Just meant a lot to me to have, you know, through this whole thing my teammates have had my back. I've had theirs, and it was just kind of a culmination of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIES: Such a moment for Naeher having faced criticism as to whether or not she's up to the job to stand between the sticks and the U.S. goal. But it was as stunning as you'd have wanted a semifinal to be. The USA know they'll be back in the big one Sunday. Rapinoe expects to be back, too, later on Wednesday. We'll discover if it will be the Netherlands or Sweden joining them, Dave.
BRIGGS: Yes, I think -- you're right, though. The bigger question is, is Rapinoe back for that final. Can't imagine anyone will keep her off the pitch.
Thank you, Amanda. Great job reporting from there.
KOSINSKI: Thanks, Amanda. I wonder if Amanda -- I wanted to ask if she was offended by the tea drinking.
BRIGGS: Everything is made of the team's arrogance. It's confidence. They're having a good time.
KOSINSKI: I know. It's sensitive stuff, though. It's sensitive.
BRIGGS: If you know Alex Morgan which I happen to have interviewed on occasion, she's not taunting. They're celebrating. They're a confident, fun team watch. Who cares if they're arrogant?
KOSINSKI: Raw emotions there, but hey, great.
BRIGGS: It was a pleasure to watch.
KOSINSKI: It was great.
BRIGGS: Yes.
KOSINSKI: Well, giving birth is painful enough. An epidural may help, imagine if a tube got lodged in your back. That's next.
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[04:48:59] KOSINSKI: More protests are expected after police move in and break up demonstrations by members of Israel's Ethiopian community and their supporters. The protests stem from the death a young man from Ethiopian origin at the hands of an off-duty police officer.
CNN's Oren Liebermann is live in Jerusalem.
Oren, what is the scene like right now?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, are more protests scheduled for today, not only in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv but basically across the entire country. All of this starts on Saturday night when police say an off-duty police officer came up to a park in a city in northern Israel and saw two people arguing. At some point he felt his life was in danger and opened fire, shooting and killing a 19-year-old Ethiopian Israeli Solomon Tekah.
That then led to the protests you're seeing here. Police have taken that officer into custody because there have been questions and speculation about whether the officer's life was in danger ads the investigation continues.
As you can see on the streets here, the anger in the Ethiopian-Israeli community. They have for years felt like second-class citizens and that bubbled to the surface with the shooting and killing of Tekah.
[04:50:02] And more protests scheduled across the country. In the course of these protests, police say there were Molotov cocktails thrown. We've seen cars burned. We've seen protesters tried to break into police headquarters in a number of locations.
And that, of course, is where police drew the line. According to police, 111 officers were injured and 136 protesters were taken into custody. Dozens of them injured, as well.
Those numbers alone make this the biggest protest we've seen across the in the 4-1/2 years that I've been here. And that gives you a sense of the anger bubbling over in the community that we're seeing here.
Michelle and Dave, there are more protests scheduled for this afternoon. We will certainly be there and even more protests scheduled throughout the weekend. So, this is not a problem going away quietly or quickly.
KOSINSKI: Thanks, Oren.
BRIGGS: OK, back here, Seattle Children's Hospital has closed all 14 of its main operating rooms after a patient died from a mold infection. Officials said five other patients were infected with Aspergillus mold in 2018 and '19. The hospital blames an air quality problem in the operating rooms. It will not reopen them until it has fixed the issue and air tests prove the rooms are safe.
KOSINSKI: A New York jury has awarded $60 million to a high school student who was badly burn Friday a classroom chemistry experiment in 2014. Alonzo Yanes was a student at Beacon High School when he was burned. He's still being treated with skin graft today.
The experiment was intended to demonstrate the colors of flame produced by combustion of various metals or salt. It resulted in an explosion and fire. Several months later, the American Chemical Society put out a safety alert recommending that schools no longer use the equipment.
BRIGGS: An 18-year-old new mom says she was in agonizing pain and unable to walk after a hospital mishap left her with an epidural needle stuck in her back for days. Selena Gray gave birth to her daughter last week at Sacred Heart Hospital in Milton, Florida. Before going into labor, she received an epidural in her spine. Gray said the procedure was botched, leaving the plastic entry tube lodged into her back.
After the delivery doctors tried to take the epidural out but couldn't. Gray then transferred to another hospital where it was successfully removed. Doctors there could not give a firm timetable for her recovery or guarantee she would fully recover.
It's hard for me to get through that story --
KOSINSKI: Ouch. I know. Me, too. We're squirming here. My back hurts now.
We better move on.
BRIGGS: Not pleasant procedure. KOSINSKI: Moving on.
Well, the summer movie season is in need of a hero. And can yet another superhero, Spider-Man, swing in to save it? CNN Business is next.
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[04:57:14] KOSINSKI: We better pay attention to this one because transporting a corpse in the state of Nevada does not qualify you to drive in the carpool lane.
Dave, going to need to get that corpse out of your car.
BRIGGS: Yikes.
KOSINSKI: New HOV lanes just opened on I-15. And on Monday, a trooper pulled over a man driving a hearse. When the officer told him he was being stopped for an HGOV violation, the driver pointed to the casket in the back and said, he doesn't count?
That prompted a tweet from the Nevada highway patrol. We should clarify this. Living, breathing people count for the HOV lane. The driver was given a warning.
BRIGGS: Wow.
The 2019 graduating class of the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy is getting a special promise from their commencement speaker, Pharrell Williams. The artist and music producer offering all 114 grads of the charter school's internships next summer following their freshman year of college.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHARRELL WILLIAMS, MUSICIAN: The world is watching Harlem, but this renaissance will be different. And believe it or not, with respect, it's going to actually be better. The reason why is because the new Harlem renaissance has education at its core.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: All of the 114 graduates have been accepted to the college. Fantastic.
KOSINSKI: A lot of interns, though.
BRIGGS: A check on CNN business at 4:58 Eastern Time.
Global markets around the world, here they are. Asian markets closed lower as trade concerns weigh on investors. European markets are higher as trading begins there. On Wall Street, futures are barely moving. The S&P set an all-time high for the second day in a row Tuesday, closing at 2,973 points.
The Dow closed up 69. It's only about 41 points below the record high it set in October. The Nasdaq also entered the day higher.
It's a short week for investors. The stock market will close at 1:00 p.m. and is closed tomorrow for Independence Day.
Anheuser-Busch is hoping to raise billions when it lists its Asia business in Hong Kong in the biggest IPO of the year. It plans to offer 1.63 billion shares for between $5.16 and $6.02. It would raise $9.8 million beating Uber's IPO. The ride share company raised $8.1 billion when it went public in May.
The biggest brewer could use the funds to reduce its massive debt. The IPO could also help the company in China, the largest market for beer. The stock will make its debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange July 19th.
Can your friendly Spider-Man have a struggling -- help a struggling summer season? "Spider-Man: Far From Home" estimated to bring in $125 million box office over its six-day holiday opening.
That will be good news for a season down roughly 9 percent compared to last year. Multiple sequels including "Men in Black International" and "Dark Phoenix" underperformed, and "Toy Story 4" couldn't match Disney's high box office expectations.
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