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Senators Unveil Border Deal and Foreign Aid Package for Ukraine and Israel Ahead of Key Vote; Historic Day in Northern Ireland as Michelle O`Neill Becomes First Nationalist Leader; 19 Galaxies in Never-Before-Seen Detail. Aired 4-4:10a ET
Aired February 06, 2024 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COY WIRE, CNN 10 ANCHOR: We are here at this Sphere, Vegas, baby. I`m Coy Wire. Welcome to CNN 10, the best 10 minutes in news.
We`re in Las Vegas all week, revving up with a Super Bowl between the 49ers and the Swifties, I mean, the Chiefs. We`re going to be bringing all sorts
of fun coverage of the big game all week long.
We start today, though, on Capitol Hill where the Senate revealed a long awaited 118 billion bipartisan deal to address the migrant crisis after
Southern border, as well as foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
Let`s first turn to CNN Congressional Correspondent Lauren Fox, who breaks down what is in this proposed bill.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: After months of negotiations, what the bipartisan Senate group came to terms with is a change in the way
that the U.S. would ultimately handle asylum claims at the southern border. Specifically, they would raise the threshold of who would qualify to even
begin the asylum process.
They are also trying to move more expeditiously to ensure that what used to take years would now only take about six months. They are also introducing
this new emergency border authority which essentially says, if border crossings reach a weekly average daily threshold of 5,000, that the
administration must shut down the southern border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Now, despite the bipartisan cooperation on this legislation, it`ll be tough to get this bill passed. How Speaker Mike Johnson already
proclaimed that this bill would be, quote, "dead on arrival" if it reaches the House as many Republicans believe this bill does not crack down hard
enough on illegal immigration.
As you can tell, the border situation has turned into a divisive issue, especially as we`re in an election year. And the policy fight has spread
beyond Capitol hill and the campaign trail. Our Rosa Flores reports from Eagle Pass, Texas, where a week`s long standoff over border security issues
continue between the State of Texas and the Biden administration.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Eagle Pass looks like a warzone.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordering miles of razor wire placed along the Rio Grande and around a public park to block migrants like this group of
Venezuelans from entering the U.S.
(On camera): They are trying to turn themselves in to immigration authorities.
(Voice over): Texas shutting down 2.5 miles of border in Maverick County and denying US Border Patrol access.
GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): Texas, very simply, is securing the border.
FLORES (voice over): County Sheriff Tom Schmerber says that Texas takeover puts local officials in a tough spot.
TOM SCHMERBER, COUNTY SHERIFF: It is creating some kind of a problem for us because we cannot get, like, in the middle.
FLORES (voice over): The weeks` long standoff between Texas and the Biden administration over command and control of the border in Eagle Pass has
turned into a partisan rally cry.
GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): And now, it is as bad as it`s ever been at the southern border.
FLORES (voice over): Dozens of Republican governors and attorneys general from around the nation and former President Donald Trump`s side with Texas.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to express our thanks to Governor Greg Abbott.
FLORES (voice over): House Speaker Mike Johnson also said: "I stand with Governor Abbott."
The last time Congress passed comprehensive immigration reform, it was 1986 and Ronald Reagan was president.
RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The most comprehensive reform immigration law since 1962.
FLORES (voice over): And while a bipartisan group of senators are pushing for a border deal now, the bill appears to be dead on arrival in the House,
much of it due to the strong opposition from former President Donald Trump.
TRUMP: This is a terrible bill. Terrible bill for our country.
FLORES (voice over): Sheriff Schmerber from his neighborhood at Eagle Pass is calling out Trump for lobbying against a bill that both parties say is
the toughest border security legislation in decades.
FLORES (on camera): Would you blame President Trump if the deal doesn`t go through?
SCHMERBER: Yes, because it`s going to hurt us. You know, I see that as political. President Trump, it is just self-interest.
FLORES (voice over): Magali Urbina, a Republican with riverfront property in Eagle Pass that is lined with razor wire says the border deal falls
short of fixing the issue.
(On camera): Former President Trump has been lobbying against that bill. Do you agree with him?
MAGALI URBINA, EAGLE PASS LAND OWNER: I do agree with him. Actually, I believe that when Trump was president, having them remain in Mexico, I
think that helps.
FLORES (voice over): Meanwhile, in Eagle Pass standoffs like this --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking in foreign language.)
TRANSLATION: We are asking for human rights.
FLORES (voice over): Between the group of Venezuelan migrants already on U.S. soil and state police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking in foreign language.)
TRANSLATION: You have to return to Mexico.
FLORES (voice over): Are daily occurrences that don`t stop illegal immigration, instead just delay it for a few hours or a few days.
FLORES (on camera): Texas Governor Greg Abbott hosted about a dozen governors from across the country here in Eagle Pass, in Shelby Park,
inside the takeover zone, the zone that was taken over by the State of Texas a few weeks ago. And what`s extraordinary about this visit is that
Governor Abbott and these governors are advocating for states to enforce immigration policy. Now, what`s extraordinary about that is that the U.S.
Supreme court has upheld that immigration is a federal function.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: Pop quiz hot shot.
In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed to end a decades long struggle in this part of the United Kingdom?
England, Northern Ireland, Wales, or Scotland.
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement brought an end to 30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland that had come to be known as, "The
Troubles."
Now, just a few days ago, Northern Ireland`s first ever Irish nationalist, Michelle O`Neill became the leader of the country`s government. Her party,
Sinn Fein, was once the political arm of the Irish Republican army, which sought to reunite with the rest of Ireland.
According to the Good Friday Accords O`Neill will share power with a Deputy First Minister from the Unionist Party, a group that desires to remain a
part of the United Kingdom. ITN`s Kathryn Samson explains how this new government hopes to serve all of Northern Ireland.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHRYN SAMSON, ITN SCOTLAND CORRESPONDENT (voice over): And it was a historic moment for Sinn Fein`s Michelle O`Neill cheered into the chamber
by supporters, the first nationalist or Republican to ever be appointed First Minister of Northern Ireland.
MICHELLE O`NEILL, FIRST MINISTER OF NORTHERN IRELAND: Today opens the door to a future, a sure future. I am honored to stand here as first minister.
We mark a moment of equality and a moment of progress, a new opportunity to work and to grow together.
SAMSON: This day, she said, would have been unimaginable to her grandparents, made possible by the Good Friday Agreement. Michelle
O`Neill`s father was an IRA prisoner, and she has attended memorials for former members.
But she has pledged to show respect to the royal family and cooperate with colleagues who cherish the union.
O`NEILL: This is an assembly all Catholic, Protestant and a center. I am sorry for all the lives lost during the conflict without exception. The
past cannot be changed or cannot undone, but what we can do, what we all can do, is build a better future. I will never ask anyone to move on but I
really do hope that we can all move forward.
SAMSON: The DUP, who collapsed dormant exactly two years ago in protests over Brexit trade rules, today nominated as deputy first minister. Emma
Little-Pengelly`s family also has links to "The Troubles." Her father was convicted for his role in a loyalist plot. In her speech, she spoke of
remembering the devastation from an IRA bomb.
EMMA LITTLE-PENGELLY, DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER OF NORTHERN IRELAND: Michelle O`Neill and I come from very different backgrounds. But regardless of that,
for my part, I will work tirelessly to ensure that we can deliver for all in Northern Ireland.
SAMSON: The post of deputy first minister has equal power but less symbolic weight. Some unionists have found Michelle O`Neill`s appointment
hard to bear.
JIM ALLISTER, LEADER, TRADITIONAL UNIONISTVOICE: We have a Sinn Fein first minister, but not in my name, nor in the name of thousands of unionists who
will never bow the knee to IRA Sinn Fein.
SAMSON: It`s been a very long road to reach this point. But many hope it will be a platform to start fixing things.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: Today`s story getting a 10 out of 10, some dazzling new images from the James Webb Space Telescope. It captured these 19 spiral galaxies using
near and mid-infrared technology that highlights stars and glowing dust in a level of detail astronomers have never seen before.
Now, galaxies come in all different shapes and sizes, right? But spiral galaxies are those that look like giant pinwheel. They have these long arms
reaching out of the bright center stars and the main ingredients to form them. Gas and dust are inside these arms.
Astronomers believe about 60% of all galaxies are spiral shaped, including our very own galaxy, the Milky Way. I love space.
I wanted to put a mini observatory in my house, but the costs were astronomical. So I just checked out a book on anti-gravity. I can`t put it
down.
All right, you super stars. Remember #YourWordWednesday is tomorrow. Submit your unique vocabulary word today in the comment section of my most recent
post @coywire on social, and we`re going to choose a fun winner to work into tomorrow show. Good luck.
Shout out time now. Let`s go to Bluffton, South Carolina, shout out to the Bobcats at Bluffton High School, rise up.
And this shout out goes to Weld Central Middle School in Keenesburg, Colorado, go Rebels, going out and making an awesome Monday lovely people.
And we`ll see you right back here tomorrow. I`m Coy Wire, and we are CNN 10.
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