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Federal DEI Staff Put on Leave; ICE to Use Common Sense with Migrant Arrests; John Sandweg is Interviewed about Deportations; Rare Storm Blankets South; DOJ Sidelines Workers. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired January 22, 2025 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Fueled by resurgent Santa Ana winds. Officials say the fire is not threatening structures at this time, and it is spreading fairly slowly. No mandatory evacuation orders are in effect.

And new this morning, lawyers for actor and director Justin Baldoni have released footage from the set of "It Ends With Us" in an attempt to refute sexual harassment claims that actress Blake Lively made in a lawsuit. Lively is suing Baldoni, alleging harassment on set. Baldoni has denied all claims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN BALDONI, ACTOR: Am I getting beard on your today?

BLAKE LIVELY, ACTRESS: I'm probably getting spray tan on you.

BALDONI: It smells good.

LIVELY: Well, it's not that. It's my body makeup.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: And they win! They won.

BALDONI: All right, cut.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right, according to his lawyer, Baldoni's intention in releasing the footage was to refute claims made about his behavior during that one scene. Baldoni is also suing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for $400 million, alleging the company tried to destroy him.

A brand new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Shutting down DEI. Overnight, the White House moving to gut federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs, laying the groundwork potentially for major layoffs.

And a deadly winter snowstorm slamming the southeast and shattering records. Airports, closed. Roads, a mess. Leaving states not accustomed to this kind of winter weather, scrambling.

Five years ago this month, one of the greatest basketball players of all time passed away. Kobe Bryant's tragic death. And now a new look at his legacy.

I'm Kate Bolduan with Sara Sidner and John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

BERMAN: Get out by 5:00 p.m. That is the order from the Trump administration for all federal DEI officials. That is diversity, equity and inclusion. All of them in the government put on paid leave today. This is a sweeping purge. We've got new reporting on the memo that went out overnight with the order. And just moments ago, the president of the National Urban League spoke to Kate about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARC MORIAL, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: It's reprehensible. It is nothing but an effort to repeal the progress that this nation has made over the last 60 years, and it has to be resisted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right, lets' get to CNN's Alayna Treene at the White House.

Alayna, you've got new reporting on how all this came down overnight.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right.

Well, first of all, I would just note how big of a priority this was for Donald Trump. Just moments after he was sworn into office, he signed this order.

But then I'm also learning, according to two sources familiar with some of the discussions around this, that beginning Monday night, just hours after he was formally inaugurated, the Office of Personnel Management, OPM as we call it, began calling some of Donald Trump's cabinet secretaries, telling them that this guidance was coming, giving them some of this guidance on what they were trying to do with shutting down these diversity, equity, inclusion programs. They said that that guidance was coming shortly.

And then, of course, we saw that memo come in yesterday essentially alerting these different agencies across the federal government that any people who fall under these DEI programs would be notified by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday that they would be going on paid leave.

Now, again, this is a big priority for Donald Trump. I think the sweeping nature of it and just how quickly he moved to act on this shows how important it was to him. Both Donald Trump and his allies, over the past couple years now, have argued that these, quote/unquote, DEI hires are discriminating against other people.

Now, I will also note, though, that this really undoes a lot of the work that former President Joe Biden and other advocates for these different programs said was trying to right a historical wrong. And we do know as well that Biden, when he came into office, he signed several orders as well trying to expand federal workplace protections for these different DEI groups.

So, a very sweeping change. We are told that all trainings, federal contracting, other type of work is going to be canceled now due to this order and the guidance that has gone out from the OPM office.

BERMAN: Yes, big changes happening very quickly.

Alayna Treene, thank you very much.

Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning, roughly 10,000 refugees who were set to travel to the United States have just had their flights canceled, according to a new memo from the State Department.

And President Donald Trump is now clearing the way for ICE to make arrests in schools and churches in an effort to make it harder for migrants to legally enter the United States.

[09:05:04]

CNN's Julia Vargas Jones is on the border. She's been speaking with migrants over these many last few hours.

Julia, there are a lot of families who are, frankly, living in fear now because of the mass deportations that have been promised. And it can happen anytime and anywhere. What are you hearing from families as you speak to them about what is happening?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, they are fearful and they're starting to panic because of all of these changes. They're just not sure what is coming down the horizon.

And I'm talking about families who are in process, going through that immigration process. So, they have documents that say they can stay in this country, they just don't know for how long.

We spoke to a Venezuelan mother of two who was among one of the last batches of people to make it through before the shutdown of the CBP One app. We found her at a shelter here in San Diego.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: You were one of the fortunate ones that got in before the end of the CBP One application. How do you feel in this new wave of people that are not going to have the same opportunity?

NEDI, ASYLUM SEEKER FROM VENEZUELA: (Speaking in foreign language).

JONES: So, she said she feels fortunate because she was able to get in, but that she left so many friends she made along the way, not only Venezuelans, but other people that she met who were staying behind and are not getting the same opportunity.

NEDI: (Speaking in foreign language).

JONES: So, she says she's worried that she might eventually be deported.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: And meanwhile, organizations like the Catholic Charities, who have been helping and really been a lifeline, Sara, for these migrants and for these border communities, they are saying they no longer will be able to help as federal authorities are no longer releasing those migrants through to their care.

Look, for the past two years they've helped more than 400,000 people in this area. And it's unclear where these people are going to go. If they will be taken to detention centers, or if they will be released on the streets, if they'll be dropped off on the streets of these cities along the border, or if they will be sent back to Mexico to await their immigration appointments as this policy is being reignited by the Trump administration.

Sara.

SIDNER: Yes, the uncertainty causing a great deal of fear and the actions promised by Donald Trump as well for migrants in this country. Thank you so much, Julia Vargas, there live on the border for us.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: And Tom Homan, the new border czar, said today that deportation operations have already begun, telling Fox News this morning that ICE agents arrested 308, as he described them, serious criminals, yesterday. He also said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM HOMAN, BORDER CZAR: There's nothing in the immigration law that says you've got to be convicted of a serious crime to be removed under the INA. So, if you're in the country illegally, ICE can visit you. But right now, as we said repeatedly, and that President Trump's been clear, we're concentrating on the worst first. The public safety threats. The national security threats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Joining us right now is the former acting director of ICE, John Sandweg.

It's good to see you again, John.

What do you think of Homan's take there?

JOHN SANDWEG, FORMER ACTIN DIRECTOR, ICE: Well, Kate, look, Tom has been consistent in repeatedly saying that they're going to focus on the worst first, right? The serious criminals. Those who pose a national security threat.

But we know from the data, and just looking at the 2019 data, which - which again was the last full year of Trump's ICE before Covid, there just aren't that many individuals in the United States who pose a - who have been convicted of a serious crime, even arrested for a serious crime, or otherwise pose a risk to public safety.

So, as we talk about mass deportations, it's inevitable that we're going to start tapping into these other populations of individuals who've been here a long time, who have deep ties to the United States, U.S. citizen children, U.S. citizen family members. You know, just a long-term presence in the country. They may be able to start the very beginning, kind of focusing on those identified targets who might have a serious criminal history, but it's not going to take long before they run out of those targets.

BOLDUAN: And let's put a fine point on that, because this is something, as you said in our last conversation, you know, a few weeks ago maybe, you said, it really is, when you look at it, when you run the numbers, if you really are just looking at the numbers, it's not a game. But if you're looking at the numbers, at some point you say they will have to go after people that are not criminals, violent criminals, threats to national security, if you will, if they want to continue with their promise of mass deportations of up to a million people being removed from the country a year.

SANDWEG: Yes, Kate, look, I mean, historically, ICE does an incredible job already and has done for over a decade of scouring the prisons and jails in America, identifying every single person who's booked in after being arrested for any sort of offense.

[09:10:09]

The reality is, though, by and large, the majority of those people are arrested for petty offenses, driving without a license, traffic related offenses, you know, loitering. The kind of things that don't necessarily have a strong nexus to public safety.

You do get about 20,000, 30,000 individuals a year who are convicted of more serious crimes. And ICE has always prioritized those individuals and does an excellent job of getting them - taking them into custody and then getting them out of the country when they're done with their prison sentence.

But again, that total population of any nexus to the criminal justice system is really only about 130,000, maybe 150,000 at most. It's a population again that ICE already gets. So, as soon as you start saying we're going to go after, you know, 300,000, 400,000, 600,000 deportations in a year, you have no choice but to start tapping into these other populations that are typically people who have absolutely no connection to the criminal justice system, have been here a long time, have never been arrested for anything, and really develop deep ties because they've been here so long.

BOLDUAN: Let me ask another part of this. And it's all connected. You and I have talked for a long time about how ICE, how CBP are

underfunded. There aren't enough officers or agents. There aren't enough beds to hold people. There aren't enough immigration judges to handle the backlog of deportation cases or asylum cases, let alone adding in this new effort.

So, is this crackdown going to hit a brick wall of logistics of sorts if they want to continue to make good on this promise of mass deportations?

SANDWEG: Look, I've long believed, if you look at the existing current legal frameworks and the current ICE resources, there is no way he could do this mass deportation. But the executive orders lay out exactly how he's going to plan to do this.

Look, his team, Stephen Miller and others and Tom are very familiar of the challenges. They understand the resource constraints. They understand the challenges with the immigration courts. They know the biggest impediment to mass deportation are those backlogs that you and I have discussed. So, they lay out their plan here. And the plan is this. They've categorized this as a foreign invasion. And what that allows them to do is tap into both Department of Defense and military resources, really in what would be an unprecedented way, but as laid out in these executive orders. And then two is, invoke the commander in chief's authority through the Alien Enemies Act, which hasn't been invoked yet but he signals he's going to by labeling this a foreign invasion, which would allow them to bypass the immigration courts entirely.

So, he already started at the border. He lays out, because of this invasion, I'm invoking my power as a commander in chief to basically say there's no access to the immigration courts, no asylum claims, period. He also lays out public health grounds and then says we're going to do remain in - or return to Mexico as well. But put that - you know, that basically - he's trying to eliminate access to the immigration courts there. But he's also signaling he's going to do that on the interior with the mass deportation front.

Now, when it comes to the ICE officers, I think they have two plans that - to - in ICE detention beds most importantly. First is he says, Department of Defense, get with DHS and give them the detention space they need. So, I think we're going to see military-style detention camps in military bases. That's - he signals clearly that's where they're headed.

And then secondly, as I think we're going to see at least a forced mobilization by tapping into sheriff's offices across the country and state and local police, turning them into immigration officers to boost ISIS' arrest capacity.

Look, under the normal framework, mass deportations is impossible. If he's not enjoined by the courts, which is a huge if, it is possible under the kind of path that's laid out in these executive orders.

BOLDUAN: It's really interesting. John, your level of expertise on this is very important and will be - continue to be going forward. Thanks so much for coming on. I really appreciate it.

SANDWEG: Yes. My pleasure.

BOLDUAN: Sara.

SIDNER: Yes, Kate, extremely informative.

All right ahead, a deadly, unprecedented winter storm slamming the south, dumping record snowfall and causing traffic chaos. We're tracking the latest on the weather that is paralyzing places like Florida and Louisiana.

Also, President Trump's sweeping pardons for nearly all January 6th rioters drawing backlash from both sides of the aisle. But Donald Trump, he doesn't care. He's doubling down on his decision.

And as he promised on the campaign trail, Trump has launched a major shakeup at the Department of Justice. Some senior career officials being moved out.

Those stories ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:18:55]

SIDNER: Snowmageddon has arrived in the south. The winter storm is breaking records, dumping snow and sending temperatures plummeting. Widespread closures and deadly conditions are affecting millions of Americans in Texas. Ice created a deadly scene - that is, of course, not the scene there. That is a bunch of children really enjoying this really difficult conditions. Now there is the view of that scene where at least five people, because of those icy roads, were killed in a car accident. A record eight inches of snow blanketed New Orleans. The treacherous conditions, though, well, kids decided they were going to just try to endure it and even enjoy it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who needs Vail Resorts? We can do this in Nola.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Young at heart.

New Orleans, along with Pensacola and Mobile, all broke snowfall records Tuesday.

[09:20:01]

There is currently more snow on the ground in Florida than in Iowa and Nebraska combined. What a time we are living in.

And CNN's Ed Lavandera is in the midst of it all in Houston for us.

It is quite a scene out there, Ed, and you're just chilling. No hat. Probably no gloves knowing you. What's the deal?

Yes, that's what I thought.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's starting to feel better. I mean there's definitely a chill in the air. And, yes, it was quite a day yesterday. You don't - for people along the gulf coast and the southern U.S., a snow event where you - people around here are much more used to flooding events, tornadoes and hurricane warnings and that sort of thing. So, this was quite the departure.

But the enjoyment of the snow event from yesterday has kind of moved into the next phase of this, which is the - and here we go. Watch this guy.

SIDNER: Oh, boy.

LAVANDERA: Oh, I thought he was going to slide right through the intersection.

SIDNER: Goodness.

LAVANDERA: And that's exactly what we're talking about, is the concern about the way the roadways are looking. And all along, from Alabama, Mississippi and Florida and Louisiana, warnings going out to people that even though the snow has stopped, the sun has come out, there's a real concern about the condition of the roadways. Temperatures have been well below freezing overnight. So, all of that snow and slush has hardened up and is iced over. And officials are warning people to be very careful, to stay off the roads even today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPTAIN GREYSON WILSON, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: Essentially, they're going to be driving on an ice rink. So, the message is clear from us that, please stay off the roadways, stay off the overpasses. By driving on those roadways, you're not only putting yourself at risk, you're putting first responders at risk that have to go out there and other people that are unfortunately on the roadway.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: I saw just a short second ago a social media post from the sheriff here in Harris County talking about how there have been actually very few accidents on the road here in the Houston area because people are staying off the roadways. So, that is the concern.

The good news is, Sara, the temperature gets above freezing here in a couple of hours. So, hopefully later on this afternoon this - all of this kind of melts away.

And before I leave you, you were talking about all the fun stuff that you've been seeing. Did you see the video of those guys in Louisiana in an airboat doing donuts in the snow? Look that one up if you haven't seen it. I thought that was really fun.

SIDNER: I am going to do that right now, Ed Lavandera, because you know I love a little fun.

I really appreciate you and your team being out there in just a windbreaker, because that's how you roll there down in Texas. Appreciate you.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: He - Eddie's got this.

SIDNER: He does.

BOLDUAN: He defies all temperature demands. He's been blown around in too many hurricanes to be worried about any of it.

Let's turn to this right now.

A major shakeup inside the Justice Department this morning. Multiple sources telling CNN top prosecutors in the department have been sidelined. At least 20 career officials now reassigned.

CNN's Evan Perez has much more on this new reporting for us.

Evan, what are you learning about this?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Kate, this is the consequences, obviously, of what Donald Trump has promised that he wanted to do with the Justice Department is a sharp turn right here. And we know of at least 20 people who have been given reassignments. They're being told, in the next 15 days, to basically show up, to be part of new task forces. One of them is obviously focused on this new push on sanctuary cities and on immigration. And we know that some of the officials affected are career senior level prosecutors in the national security division, people who are handling extraditions, international extraditions, immigration matters. All of those folks are being told they're being reassigned.

Now, some of them are interpreting this to be an effort to basically sideline them and to make sure, or to at least send a message that they may want to consider leaving the Justice Department.

There's also - this goes beyond just the main justice headquarters here in Washington. The administration has now put new loyalists in offices. Some of the key U.S. attorneys' offices. There's Ed Martin, who's been made the acting U.S. attorney here in Washington, D.C. He's a MAGA activist, somebody who, as you see there, represented January 6th rioters and - and was part of the stop the steal movement.

There's also John Durham, who's been put in as acting attorney -- U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York. He's the son of a former special counsel, John Durham.

And Danielle Sassoon, who's now the acting U.S. attorney in - in New York City.

Now, part of this is also trying to remake the FBI. We know of a senior aide for Representative Jim Jordan, who's now been put over there to make way and to pave the way for Kash Patel, of course, who is the nominee to be the FBI director.

[09:25:02]

He's still awaiting confirmation, Kate.

BOLDUAN: And also, Donald Trump is facing more questions about the pardons around January 6th defendants as the Justice Department is now dropping active cases. What are you hearing about this?

PEREZ: Well, one of the things that the president is pushing back on is this - that he's pushing back on is this idea that by pardoning these people, that he is sending a message against law enforcement, that he is not supporting law enforcement? He's pushing back on that idea, saying that he believes that these sentences that were imposed were vastly, vastly harsh. And so that's where you see the - the narrative now coming from the White House. And what you're going to hear from Republicans in Congress is that they want to close the books on January 6th because they think that the pardons that the president has issued, the clemencies that he has issued, really close the door to all discussion on this.

BOLDUAN: Evan, good to see you.

John.

BERMAN: All right, quote, "I'm a big back the blue guy." This morning, Republican lawmakers struggling to defend the president's decision to pardon January 6th rioters who attacked police officers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)