Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Investigation Underway After Fire Engulfs Home of South Carolina Judge; Interview with Stephen Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy: Illinois and Chicago Sue Trump Over National Guard Deployment; Judge Temporarily Blocks National Guard from Portland. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired October 06, 2025 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: There are some new details to share with you about a massive fire that engulfed the home of a South Carolina circuit judge. Authorities are now investigating after that blaze destroyed the home of Justice Diane Goodstein and her husband, who is also a former state senator. Joining us now, CNN national correspondent Dianne Gallagher, who's following these developments.

So what more are we learning? Because there are a lot of questions about how this started.

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And that is still being investigated. You see those dark plumes of smoke stretching into the sky, those flames fully engulfing that beachfront home. The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division says that it has, quote, an active and ongoing investigation into the house fire.

The cause of the fire is not immediately known at this time, but firefighters from multiple departments responded on Saturday. The Edisto Beach home is owned by Diane Goodstein, a circuit court judge, and her husband, Arnold Goodstein, who back in the 70s was both a state senator and a member of the state house. Now, there were people inside at the time, and three people were injured in this fire.

[14:35:00]

The location made fighting those flames pretty tough as well, according to the firefighters themselves. St. Paul's Fire District says that the beachfront home, they had people who were inside escape by jumping from an elevated first floor location. But due to the remote nature of that lot, they had to use kayaks to rescue them from the backyard.

Now, again, we don't know what caused the fire, but South Carolina's chief justice did issue a statement noting that it was being investigated and adding, quote, local law enforcement partners have been alerted and asked to provide extra patrols and security. The judicial branch will remain in close communication with SLED.

Now, the FBI in South Carolina tells us that they are not involved in SLED's investigation. And look, just to give you an idea, Judge Goodstein has been on the circuit court for more than 25 years. She has presided, of course, over numerous high-profile cases during that time.

HILL: Wow. It is really something. Dianne, appreciate it. Thank you -- Boris.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Now to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour. Activist Greta Thunberg arrives in Greece after she and dozens of others were deported from Israel earlier today. They were among the 450 flotilla participants arrested last week while carrying food, water and medicine toward Gaza.

In response to claims of being abused in custody, Thunberg says her detention was, quote, not the story, putting the focus back on the war in Gaza. For its part, Israel has denied all claims of abuse.

Meantime, France's prime minister announcing his resignation after less than a month on the job. Sebastien Lecornu made the shocking announcement earlier today after he introduced his cabinet. When he spoke, Lecornu blamed a lack of compromise for his quick exit. He's been the country's fifth prime minister in fewer than two years.

France has faced political uncertainty since its 2024 election ended in no party having an absolute majority in parliament.

And some smugglers got creative trying to sneak contraband into Lithuania. Several hot air balloons carrying cigarettes entered Lithuanian territory, shutting down the Vilnius airport on Saturday, delaying a number of flights.

Officials say they recovered 11 balloons with over 18,000 packs of cigarettes. This happening as much of Europe is on high alert after several drone incursions around airports in recent days.

Still to come, how is President Trump working to get the government back up and running? We'll discuss with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on CNN NEWS CENTRAL. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Back now to our breaking news, Illinois and the city of Chicago are filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over deployments of National Guard troops.

Joining us now to comment, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller. We have a lot to get to, Stephen, including the government shutdown. Thank you so much for joining us, by the way.

STEPHEN MILLER, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR POLICY: A pleasure.

SANCHEZ: You have called the district judge's ruling blocking the deployment of National Guard in Oregon legal insurrection. Does the administration still plan to abide by that ruling?

MILLER: Well, the administration filed an appeal this morning with the Ninth Circuit. I would note the administration won an identical case in the Ninth Circuit just a few months ago with respect to the federalizing of the California National Guard. Under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, the president has plenary authority. Has --

SANCHEZ: Stephen. Stephen. Hey, Stephen, can you hear me?

It seems, Stephen, I apologize. It seems like we're having a technical issue. We'll try to fix that and get back to you after a quick break.

Stay with CNN.

[14:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: We're back out live with White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller. Stephen, I sincerely apologize for that technical difficulty.

MILLER: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: It seems like some wires got crossed.

You were describing the president's legal authority as you see it under Title 10. My question was whether the administration still plans to abide by that judge's order, restricting any National Guard troops from being sent to Oregon.

MILLER: Well, the administration will abide by the ruling insofar as it affects the covered parties. But there are also many other options the president has to deploy federal resources and assets under the U.S. military to Portland.

But I was making the point that under federal law, Section Title 10 of the U.S. Code, the president has the authority anytime he believes federal resources are insufficient to federalize the National Guard to carry out a mission necessary for public safety.

So it's important to understand that in Portland, ICE officers have been subjected to over 100 nights of terrorist assault, doxing, murder threats, violent attack, and every other means imaginable to try to overturn the results of the last election through violence.

The most important point I want to make today is that the number one and two items in the GOP platform in 2024 were to turn back the border invasion and carry out the largest deportation program in American history. Since Inauguration Day, there's been an orchestrated campaign of terrorism and violence against ICE officers.

Of course, we saw the recent sniper attack against ICE officers. They're publishing their families' photos online. They're threatening them with murder, they're threatening them with death, and they're physically attacking them in the street each and every day.

And yet, shamefully, the mayor and governor in Portland and Oregon have refused to render aid, leaving ICE officers to street fight every single night against these terrorists.

SANCHEZ: You make the claim of terrorist assaults and violence attack over 100 nights, and yet the judge overseeing this case says that that's untethered from reality. And local officials on the ground say that Trump's assertion of what's happening in Portland, that it's war- ravaged and burning to the ground, is far from true.

[14:50:00]

I looked at the police data, and police have made something like 70 total arrests since June, and there are no reports of buildings being burned to the ground.

The White House cited a guillotine being rolled out as a public display of rebellion, but there isn't actually a threat that these demonstrators are going to overthrow the government. Are you concerned that that response weakens your legal argument?

MILLER: No, they are actually, as we speak, trying to overthrow the core law enforcement function of the federal government. Of course, this is, I think, what we're talking past each other. When ICE officers have to street battle against Antifa, hand-to-hand combat every night to come and go from their building, when they try to exit in a vehicle, when they are swarmed and surrounded, and they try to tip the vehicle over, when people bring weapons to an ICE facility to try to engage in direct violent assault against ICE officers, what is the purpose?

It is to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement from carrying out the mission the American people elected them to do. Their objective is to make it impossible for ICE to carry out ICE enforcement. When in our history have we tolerated unlawful riotous assemblies night after night around FBI buildings or ATF buildings or DEA buildings?

This is the textbook definition of domestic terrorism, using the actual imminent threat of violence to keep federal officials from doing their jobs. And unless we send in troops and resources, then we will continue to bleed federal law enforcement resources in these street battles.

It is absurd. It is unconstitutional. It must be put down.

SANCHEZ: You cited Title 10 a moment ago. And under that statute, you need either a foreign invasion, a domestic rebellion, or a disturbance that inhibits the ability for law enforcement to carry out federal law. But ICE is still conducting operations.

The facility has not been overrun. It seems like local officials are fairly in control of the operation if ICE is still able to execute its mission. Is it not?

MILLER: Do you have any idea how much of ICE's workforce and resources have had to be reprioritized? How much of the Joint Terrorism Task Force's resources have had to be reprioritized to fight these domestic terrorists? Do you have any idea how many resources are spent --

SANCHEZ: You keep calling them terrorists.

MILLER: -- trying to hunt down and track each and every --

SANCHEZ: Isn't that hyperbolic to call them terrorists?

MILLER: No. if anything, I'm understating the severity of the situation. What issue was more central in 2024 than turning back the border invasion?

And since the day we came in, ICE officers have been subjected to a nonstop campaign of physical violence and harassment every single day, and outside the Portland field office, in particular, every night.

They come. They assemble. They fight. They try to impede movement. They physically attack.

For what purpose? Because we had an election, Boris. We had one. What's the purpose? To use actual physical violence to change the result of the election? To say you cannot turn back the border invasion.

Do you have any idea how many resources we have had to redesignate to deal with these street terrorists?

(CROSSTALK)

SANCHEZ: You explain that, Stephen. You explain that. Let me ask the question.

Let me ask the question. You make the case that these are terrorists, but in what we've seen thus far, the actual incidents of people inciting violence and not responding to law enforcement attempting to disperse them are not an open rebellion. I mean, again, you make this characterization as though they're terrorists, and I do wonder if it is potentially a problem in the future for Republicans.

If a Democratic president someday calls the National Guard to a red state over what they see as open rebellion but is what amounts to a demonstration that gets rowdy. I mean, is that not a fear here?

MILLER: They're posting pictures of their kids because it's a demonstration. They have a sniper on top of a building firing a high caliber rifle at a ICE facility because it's a demonstration, and they are engaged in a vehicle ramming attack.

SANCHEZ: But the National Guard isn't being sent to Texas. The National Guard isn't being sent to Dallas where that sniper was.

MILLER: Because the Dallas Police Department and the governor of Texas -- well, you walked right into that one -- have responded to every call for assistance and help. They gave a stand down order in Chicago, and they gave a stand down order in Portland. Do you realize that there's 11,000 federal law enforcement officers in Oregon?

That's larger than the size of the FBI. Local and state police are resourced to deal with this kind of riotous assembly, but they have refused. They've been given a stand down order. So, we need National Guard and federal troops --

SANCHEZ: They've arrested some 70 people since June. They've been arresting folks on the ground. They've been arresting folks on the ground.

They refuse what you're saying outright.

[14:55:00]

MILLER: We literally have the 911 audio of this stand down order in Chicago, and we have documented inside of DHS every single un- responded to 911 call over the recent weeks and months.

Look, let me present you with a counterfactual, and I know you're doing your best to try to be even handed here, but think about this for a second. Joe Biden let 15, 20 million illegal aliens into the country. Pick your number. It doesn't matter for the purpose of this.

What do you think would have happened if anti-migration demonstrators had assembled outside of every border patrol and ICE facility for year after year, physically attacking every ICE officer and border agent who is releasing illegal aliens, physically attacking the immigration lawyers representing illegal aliens, physically attacking the personnel at DHS, setting migrants free by the millions into our country?

What do you think would have happened? You think that the response would have been measured? You think it would have been light?

They would have had the military in every single facility protecting these federal officers. We shouldn't have to take all of the FBI, DEA, and ATF agents out of their desks, off their jobs, not prosecuting and pursuing cases of urgent national security, because the Portland police won't respond, the Chicago police won't respond.

The numbers that we need can only come from the National Guard. ICE officers should not have to live in constant fear of death. You say that I'm not using the right term.

What would you describe? An organized campaign of violence, fear, intimidation, and doxing, including attacks by sniper, attacks by vehicle ramming. What would you call that whose sole aim and objective is to disable the functions of an entire federal law enforcement agency, if not domestic terrorism?

What other term would apply?

SANCHEZ: Do you have evidence that this campaign is coordinated? Are you planning charges on anyone who is actually coordinating said campaign?

MILLER: Yes. So since the Joint Terrorism Task Force has gotten involved, we found that there are common funding, that there is common financing, that there are meeting points --

SANCHEZ: For what you're describing as actual terrorism. MILLER: -- that it's carefully orchestrated, it's carefully integrated.

SANCHEZ: And you're going to charge someone with terrorism?

MILLER: Well, so I would like to.

SANCHEZ: I bet you would like to, but that doesn't mean you're going to. Are you?

MILLER: No, no, no. What I'm saying to you is the Congress has statutes on seditious conspiracy, on insurrection, on impeding federal law enforcement. The domestic terrorism statute in Congress obviously needs to be strengthened for domestic terrorism in Congress.

We have foreign terrorism charges. We have an entire patchwork of federal laws. To the extent that there are charges that apply, we will charge them in every single case.

You have impeding law enforcement, you have seditious conspiracy, you have a conspiracy to the private rights, you have assault against law enforcement officers. But all of this meets the hallmark textbook definitions of domestic terrorism. I just want -- Boris, I just want you, just for a moment, to step back and think about what we're talking about here.

President Trump ran and won a campaign on turning back the border invasion.

SANCHEZ: You've said that several times, Stephen.

MILLER: You have the mayor of Chicago declaring a -- and I'll keep saying it --

SANCHEZ: We have a limited amount of time, so let me ask you about the governor of Illinois.

MILLER: He declared -- and he declared a no-go zone for ICE. How is that not insurrection?

SANCHEZ: Stephen, Stephen, we're set to hear from J.B. Pritzker in just moments. He says that you're attempting to inflame tensions and create a war zone. He also says that you are profiling, that you're targeting black and brown people, even those who turn out to be here legally.

What's your response?

MILLER: Well, first of all, the black people in Chicago are thrilled that we're getting the illegal aliens out of their communities who are stealing their housing, jobs, and resources. You've seen the video of the town halls during the Biden administration where Black citizens who were in aid to Chicago were begging to have the illegals taken out of their country.

What they've done is they've created a system of law in Chicago, in Illinois, where illegal aliens have far more rights than American citizens.

If an American citizen, for example, commits a crime of sexual predation against a child, they'll cooperate with the FBI. If an illegal alien commits a crime of sexual predation against a child, that illegal alien will be shielded in an ICE no-go zone.

I ask you the question, what is the right term to describe a local official declaring a no-go zone for ICE?

Would you tolerate it for FBI, ATF, DEA? No, you would not. But there is an effort to delegitimize the core function of the federal government of enforcing our immigration laws and our sovereignty.

It is domestic terrorism, it is insurrection, and no amount of insane, hyperventilating lies from Pritzker or Johnson or any other Democratic official will change our minds on that. ICE officers should not have to live in fear and violence to do their jobs, period.

SANCHEZ: So on the substance of the question, is it the case that as Pritzker frames it, you are profiling brown people, that this immigration crackdown is designed to go after people of color?

MILLER: That is the, it's such a, oh what a dumb question. The illegal aliens who are here are taking jobs away from Blacks, they're taking jobs away from whites, they're taking jobs away from Latinos, they're taking their health benefits away, they're taking their school slots away, and of course in many cases they're committing heinous crimes. We cannot have a system of law in this country that privileges illegal aliens ...

END