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ICE Making Efforts to Deport Illegal Immigrants Convicted of Crime in New York City; New Information about Defense Secretary Nominee Pete Hegseth Paying $50,000 to Woman Who Accused Him of Sexual Assault Emerges; President Trump Invites California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff to Accompany Him on Tour of Wildfire Devastation in California; Migrant Deportation Flights with Military Aircraft Have Begun; Trump Pulls Out of Paris Climate Agreement, intends to Promote Fossil Fuels. Aired 8-8:30a ET
Aired January 24, 2025 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00]
KENNETH GENALO, DIRECTOR, ICE NEW YORK CITY FIELD OFFICE: Actually, I would prefer to take custody of the individual from NYPD or the Department of Corrections.
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: New York City has sanctuary laws that limit local law enforcement's ability to coordinate with federal immigration authorities, even in certain cases involving convicted felons in the country illegally. Analuisa pleaded guilty to rape and was released after serving his sentence of 273 days.
GENALO: If NYPD, or even in this case, the New York City Department of Corrections, had just reached out to us, if we had interest in this individual, we would have taken them immediately from them or from right from Rikers Island.
PROKUPECZ: And it avoids having --
GENALO: And it avoids this whole scenario that were working on right now. Cases could take weeks, months sometimes, and sometimes even longer, because we don't know where the individual is at.
PROKUPECZ: Even New York City's mayor is advocating for a change.
MAYOR ERIC ADAMS, (D) NEW YORK CITY: Those who are committing crimes in our city must be addressed. And we should change the current sanctuary city law to address that issue.
PROKUPECZ: Genalo emphasized that ICE's focus is on those who pose a threat to the communities they are in.
GENALO: Thats why I get disgusted and disappointed when I hear these false narratives about ICE is out doing sweeps, ICE is out doing raids. Once ICE is done going after criminals, within like three to four months, they'll be going after and targeting abuela. I mean, in my lifetime, I don't know what planet these people live on, but it's going to take us a lot longer than three months, especially here in New York City and the other largest cities, to arrest the criminals that are at large in our communities.
PROKUPECZ: But Trump's border czar stresses that others could be deported as well.
TOM HOMAN, WHITE HOUSE BORDER CZAR: There's going to be more collateral arrests in sanctuary cities because they forced us to go into community and find the guy we're looking for. When we go find our priority target, which is a criminal alien, if he's with others in the United States illegally, we're going to take enforcement action against them.
PROKUPECZ: Shimon Prokupecz, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Votes away from getting the job. Perhaps the Senate set to vote on Pete Hegseth's nomination to be defense secretary today. And he is now facing new questions over a $50,000 payment to a woman who accused him of sexual assault.
President Donald Trump is entering the Oval Office with two major natural disasters on his hands, and now his responsibility. Storm cleanup on the east coast, fires out west, he's traveling to both areas today.
And a mayor is now accusing ICE agents of a raid he says unlawfully terrorized his city. What happened in Newark, New Jersey, that has local leaders now speaking out?
I'm Kate Bolduan with Sara Sidner and John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.
A major moment is coming for the new president, the new Republican majority in the Senate and in the Congress, and Trump's hopes for his cabinet. The Senate will be voting on the nomination of President Trump's unconventional and controversial pick to be defense secretary tonight. Up to this point, Pete Hegseth's path to this final vote has been marred by uncertainty. After a contentious confirmation hearing, two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, announced they will not support him, citing his character and views on women in the military.
To add to those concerns perhaps, overnight CNN has learned new information about a $50,000 payment to a woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault, an allegation he denies. CNN's Lauren Fox has much more on this. And the math is the math. Republicans can only lose three Republicans in order to get him over the finish line. What do things look like? What are you hearing today?
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kate, I mean, we do expect a final vote for this nominee later this evening, late into the night. That is likely if Democrats don't agree to expedite this nomination swiftly. But the reason we know more details about this settlement is because of questions that came from the Senate Armed Services Committee members. This was in response to a question after the public hearing from Senator Elizabeth Warren. These are known as questions for the record. Essentially, they're a list of written questions that lawmakers often send to nominees after a public hearing has taken place, sort of follow up opportunities. And that is where this information about the amount of the settlement, $50,000 that was paid to this woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault back in 2017.
Now, Hegseth was never charged with sexual assault, and he has denied that he ever sexually assaulted anyone. But we should just note that this is new information because of these questions for the record.
Now, this is unlikely to change the math for Pete Hegseth's nomination in the hours ahead. As you noted, there are two Republican women who have now voted against advancing Pete Hegseth. We expect that they will continue to do so. That's Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Senator Susan Collins of Maine. And they both issued really lengthy statements explaining their votes. Both of them cited questions about whether or not Hegseth had really had a change of heart about the fact that he had previously said he did not believe that women in the military believed in combat roles. You also heard from Senator Murkowski. She had questions about his ability to lead the Pentagon, given just its massive scope and the fact she said she really doubted that he had the professional experience to be ready for this job. Kate?
BOLDUAN: Lauren, thank you so much to start us off this hour. John?
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we are standing by to see the president leave the White House for the first trip of his new term. The president is visiting disaster zones in North Carolina and California. And we woke up to the news that the president actually invited California Senator Adam Schiff to tour the California wildfire destruction with him. Now, you will remember, Trump has called the senator the enemy within, among other things. Schiff's office politely declined the invitation, they say, because of the scheduled confirmation votes. We're just hearing about that.
Let's get right to CNN's Alayna Treene at the White House. It really was a surprising invitation, Alayna.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Oh, absolutely. And I'd remind you as well, John, that Donald Trump's first day in office, just hours after he was sworn in, when speaking to reporters from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, he called Adam Schiff scum. And so this is, of course, a surprising development. And of course, the two of them have a long and fraught history.
But I want to read for you what a spokesperson for Schiff's office told me about the invitation. They said, quote, "Senator Schiff greatly appreciates the president's visit to see the devastation of these wildfires firsthand and the invitation to accompany him and regrets that he is unable to join the president in Los Angeles due to scheduled nomination votes."
Now, look, when I talk to Donald Trump's team about this and about the visits more broadly today, both to North Carolina and Los Angeles, they told me that, one, of course, this is something Donald Trump has said he wanted to do for weeks now, but also that he wants this to be more of a stately visit. He is president and he's going to these devastated communities, one by a hurricane, the other by these wildfires, and he wants to keep the attention, or at least the White House wants to keep the attention on those affected by these disasters.
Although, I will say the one adviser who told me this also said that any sort of criticisms against Democratic leadership, including that of Schiff and California Governor Gavin Newsom another person Donald Trump has really gone head to head with, would be justified, in their words.
Now, look, we also know that Donald Trump wants to talk about FEMA and the role that FEMA plays. We heard him discuss this earlier this week in an interview with Sean Hannity, saying that perhaps he would look into a way to streamline the amount of money and the resources that get funneled to these states. So that could be something we hear him address in more detail once he is on the ground, both in North Carolina and California, John.
BERMAN: And we, again, are standing by to see him leave the White House not too long from now. Alayna Treene, great to have you there. Thank you very much.
Sara?
SIDNER: All right, joining me now, Monterey Park resident Raya Reynaga, who lost her home in Altadena. Raya, you know, I talked to you two weeks ago. You loved your home. You lived there most of your life. It ended up being consumed by flames. You captured video of that as you fled in a heartbreaking scene. And were looking at those some of those pictures now. Where are you living now, and have you been able to get any emergency --
RAYA REYNAGA, LOST HOME IN EATON FIRE: I'm living at my father's house in -- and services have been very slow. Dealing with FEMA and the application process is just very overwhelming. And the insurance companies, it's discouraging. They don't make it easy. I'm still waiting on funding on both ends.
SIDNER: Thats got to be really frustrating. And I know you speak for a lot of your neighbors as well who are trying to unravel the bureaucracy around trying to get help after such a terrible disaster.
I do want to ask you about something that were hearing from residents in Altadena, saying they did not receive evacuation warnings before the fires burned through their neighborhoods, and they had to fend for themselves. Did you get a warning, whether it be electronically or someone knocking on the door during that night?
REYNAGA: Nothing. I did not get a warning. I did not get anybody knocking on my door.
[08:10:01] As a matter of fact, the day before we had power outages and that day it was completely dark, black, no power. It was just a nightmare.
SIDNER: So you did not receive a warning. What would you like to tell local authorities about the possibility and the danger of all that and what you want to see done?
REYNAGA: Do better, because lives have been lost. Do better. This is completely unacceptable. I was the last person on my street. They had to come get me. I could have lost my life. And again, if it wasn't for my sister, I probably wouldn't be here now. They better do a much better job because it's unacceptable.
SIDNER: President Trump, as you know, traveling to California today to assess the damage. But he is also at the same time threatening to withhold federal emergency aid to California to help with fire recovery. What do you think about that threat?
REYNAGA: That's terrible. We need to rebuild. We need funding. We need financing. And we're still waiting just to even get any information from FEMA. So that would just devastate and victimize us all over again.
SIDNER: Can I ask you what your biggest concern about your future is right now in Altadena, which is a neighborhood that is historically black. It is a neighborhood that is of middle class people who, some of whom have had even their insurance taken away from them before the fire fires hit. What is your concern about the future of your beloved neighborhood?
REYNAGA: Uncertainty. That is my concern. I'm uncertain if my neighbors are going to return. I'm uncertain if I'm going to have the funds and the help and the assistance to rebuild. I am uncertain about what my community is going to look like and how were going to recover and repair. That's my big concern.
SIDNER: Raya Reynaga, thank you so much. I know it's hard to keep talking about this, but I know that you're trying to fight through it with everything you have, and it's good to hear that your family is able to help you out at this time as well. Thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it.
BOLDUAN: Here's some breaking news coming in this morning. Deportations of migrants using military aircraft has begun at the southern border. We've got new information coming in from homeland security. We will bring that to you right after this.
And one of Donald Trump's many executive actions that he has signed already is declaring the country's first ever national energy emergency. But what that means and what impact his early moves on climate issues are already having.
And file this one under fashion or function. The messaging on one woman's bag that led directly to her arrest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [08:17:35]
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we do have some breaking news. The White House just announced that military planes are being used to deport migrants. According to a DHS official. The first flights left from Texas, bound from Guatemala overnight.
Let's get right to CNN's Priscilla Alvarez for the details on this. What are you learning -- Priscilla.
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, earlier. This week, the Pentagon had said that they were going to send military aircraft to El Paso and to San Diego. The purpose was to repatriate migrants who were in Border Patrol custody. In other words, those who had recently crossed the border.
Well, yesterday that began. Homeland Security official telling me that on Thursday afternoon, there you see the image, they did send a flight to Guatemala.
These, I'm told, are about 75 to 80 Guatemalans. I want to point out here. You see that they are handcuffed. This, the way that they are lined up in handcuffs is in line with the way that immigration and Customs Enforcement would board a deportation flight.
But what is striking here, of course, and what is notable is the military aircraft. That is what is different about this photo. And again, this is part of the Trump administration's plans to use Pentagon resources and Pentagon assets to deport migrants back to their origin country.
So, we anticipate that there is going to be more flights, of course. Again, the Pentagon had said this would be in El Paso and in San Diego. But clearly these flights using the military aircraft have now started.
BERMAN: That is a change and it is something that bears watching. Priscilla, thank you for that.
We also woke up to the news from officials in New Jersey, state and local officials there that there were raids from immigration officers there overnight. What have you learned on that front?
ALVAREZ: We're still collecting details on this, but it also speaks to the fears within many communities about what these raids entail and the fears that are often quickly fueled when they see Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Now, in this case, again, still trying to get more details. But what we do know from the business is that they said, or rather, the mayor, that this business that you see here was "raided" and they detained undocumented residents, as well as citizens and it seems that a military veteran.
Now, what we got in a statement from ICE is the following. It says, "US Immigration and Customs Enforcement may encounter US citizens while conducting fieldwork and may request identification to establish an individual's identity. As was the case during a targeted enforcement operation at a worksite Tuesday in Newark, New Jersey."
[08:20:10]
And I want to note here, because this has happened before, where ICE will go in for a targeted enforcement action. They may come across someone, and it has happened, in other administrations as well as the previous, that a US citizen could get caught up in this. But all of the same, this we're told, it started because of a tip.
Now, again, this is all still coming together. It does appear that it was targeted, though, of course, as I said earlier, it has sparked additional fears and it has raised alarm. And the reaction to this is notable because, of course, even if ICE was always carrying out routine operations, the response and the reaction has been fierce, especially from Democrats, because the reason behind them is unclear.
So again, we will learn more about this exact incident, but certainly the business owner saying that he is concerned, especially for any employees who now may be afraid of coming into work.
BERMAN: Priscilla, I know you'll keep digging on this. You provide great reporting and great context on this subject. Thank you so much for your work here --Sara.
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, it's the one thing President Trump has not blamed for the fires, that's climate change and as he prepares to visit areas hit by extreme weather disasters. Today, we're going to look at the impact this early decision on climate change policies could mean for future generations. That story ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:25:47]
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Among President Trump's initial wave of executive actions, one area he's clearly focused on, the climate. Specifically, rolling back and undoing climate actions by his predecessor. Like withdrawing once again from the Paris Climate Agreement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: But I'm immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris Climate Accord rip off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Trump also declared a National Energy Emergency and terminated Biden era policies on electric vehicle production.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I terminated the ridiculous and incredibly wasteful Green New Deal -- I call it the green new scam; withdrew from the one-sided Paris Climate Accord and ended the insane and costly electric vehicle mandate. We're going to let people buy the car they want to buy.
I declared a National Energy Emergency, and it's so important. National Energy Emergency to unlock the liquid gold under our feet and pave the way for rapid approvals of new energy infrastructure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Note on, part of that one, there is no mandate around electric vehicles in the US and consumers have for years demanded better fuel efficiencies in the form of hybrids and electric vehicles, as we well know. But taken all together, what does the president's actions mean for the country and the climate?
Joining me right now is Gina McCarthy. She was a climate adviser to President Biden, EPA administrator under President Obama. Thanks for being here.
The world has seen part of this movie before. Donald Trump withdrew from the climate accord in his first term as well. What do you think was the most significant impact of that then, and what does it mean this time?
GINA MCCARTHY, FORMER WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL CLIMATE ADVISER: Well, last time, he did this in the first administration, it just meant that other people had to step in and step up. And that's what Mike Bloomberg did then. He basically made sure that we cover all the funding gap that we had, and that the US would still be active on the international stage. And he made sure, we would keep reporting what we're doing here in the United States. And he's doing exactly the same thing again.
So I think that this is all an effort to try to move fossil fuels along, to try to give it the boost that this president wants. But frankly, claiming this is a national emergency on energy is absolutely ludicrous. The problem he has is that clean energy is so strong, so effective, so much less expensive, and so much more popular among the American public than what he is trying to do, which is to revive fossil fuels and make that the winner.
It wasn't -- it isn't now, and it isn't going to be. So he has to look at the future and stop looking at the past.
BOLDUAN: You're getting an interesting element of this that I'm picking up in some reporting. I'm seeing that the energy industry might not be -- I'll just call it listening to Donald Trump this time.
Reuters has new reporting that US oil and gas producers are applauding his focus on more domestic energy development. But here's the reporting, Gina. Big US oil companies, however, believe the withdrawal only limits -- from the Climate Accord -- only limits Washington's ability to influence an ongoing global energy transition to cleaner energy and exposes them to an uneven regulatory environment. That's according to Reuters interview with industry reps. And here's what they're saying. Marty Durbin, president of the US Chamber of Commerce's Global Energy Institute, which represents US energy companies said, "Its members would have preferred Trump keep the US involved in the pact."
A spokesperson for API says that the group has long supported the ambitions of the Paris agreement. You read that, and I'm -- could his move here this time, I don't know, hurt less? Backfire? What do you do with this?
MCCARTHY: I think, frankly, everybody is scratching their heads because the movements he's made is doing nothing to benefit him or fossil fuels. It is doing nothing but an attempt to slow down the clean energy revolution that is, frankly, winning everywhere.
You know, if he cares about serving the people, he's got to step up. Look, and when the federal government falls apart like it's doing right now, we have a whole bunch of folks in America that is all in, in Bloomberg and others working together, governors and mayors, they're going to keep filling this gap.
Everybody knows that clean energy is hands down the winner. And yet, he is denying the ability for us to actually move forward internationally and domestically with the right actions that the American people need to see.
[08:30:48]