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Homeland Security Rules that Young Immigrants Can Defer Deportation. Greeks Vote on Country's Future. Mitt Romney Campaigns in New Hampshire. Father Rallies Against Drunk Driving.

Aired June 15, 2012 - 11:00   ET

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


DON LEMON, ANCHOR, "CNN NEWSROOM": Hello, everyone. Don Lemon here.

We have a very big immigration decision out of Washington to tell you about. Homeland Security now says illegal immigrants who came to this country as babies or toddlers and never known any other homeland, who may not even know they are here illegally, won't have to fear deportation.

New measures announced just last hour are not guarantees of citizenship, though, or anything else, but they are a major development from an administration that's been under fire for record deportations.

Straight to CNN's Brianna Keilar at the White House who has been following this. It's not a stunning reversal of any sort of policy or anything from the Obama administration, but it certainly did come as a surprise that the announcement was going to be made today, Brianna.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is certainly a very big deal, Don, to protect young illegal immigrants. This is something that Democrats and some Republicans have been calling for in Congress for over 10 years now and has had a hard time getting through Congress.

But basically here is what the announcement says. If someone came to the United States as a child, so 16 years or younger, they don't have a criminal record, they don't pose a national security or a public safety risk, in school or a high school graduate or have their GED or an honorably discharged former member of the military and not over 30, they would be eligible to defer deportation for a time period of two years which could be renewed and they may be eligible for work papers.

Now, I will I just got off from listening to a conference call with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and some senior administration officials. One of the questions that was raised was the uncertainty that something like this still creates.

Some reporters were asking what's the incentive to come forward if, for instance, say President Obama doesn't win reelection, if there would be a different policy under Governor Romney. We're certainly waiting to see what his response will be to this. If this is something he'll agree with. If there's no guarantee of a work permit, why people might come forward. But the bottom line, this is a huge play, no way you cut it, in an election year for a key Democratic constituency and that is Hispanic voters.

LEMON: People are saying this is playing politics. In an election year, it's all about politics. The main goals of both these candidates is to get elected here. The president is more than 60-plus percent of the Latino vote already, so this certainly garners probably a bit more of that.

But I want to go into a little more detail about this. Some people are calling it the "Dream Act Lite." If you want to continue your thought with that, you can, but in my estimation, this appears to go a little further than the Dream Act because it's for people who are even younger than college age.

KEILAR: Yes, that's right. There are some differences, but it's like if you tweak some of the numbers. The work permit thing might be new, but it's somewhat similar. We can say that.

The whole idea is the same. If a young person has come to the U.S. because their parents have brought them here and it's not something they have done on their own, but have reached a certain age and up for potential deportation back to a country that's not their home and the U.S. is very much their home, especially in the case of young illegal immigrants who are doing fine here and doing well in school or have a college education and are still facing deportation.

But when you look at this, Don, through the political prism, you can see why this is an important move and an important signal that President Obama is sending. If you look at the states that have growing Hispanic populations, that are key to his reelection, North Carolina, where he just squeaked out a win in 2008, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Iowa, these are growing Hispanic populations.

And then there are states that are solidly Hispanic, like Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. These are states where, because of the Hispanic population, you could argue that in the 2010 midterm elections, there were -- for instance, Senator Harry Reid was able to hold on to his seat and remain Senate majority leader in Nevada. That's something he could not have done without the Hispanic vote. It is very important.

LEMON: Brianna, I want to talk about this because people have been saying this election is probably going to end up with the fringes with the niche vote, the women vote, the Latino vote, the black vote, or what have you. That's what's going to decide this election and certainly the Latino vote is a huge electorate in this country.

But I want to hear what Republicans are saying now, but what they have said in the past and I'm just quoting from things that we have written about and talked about here on CNN, that they see this as sort of a back-door amnesty policy.

Certainly Mr. Romney and many Republican lawmakers want to tighten the borders here. They don't believe in this new announcement from the White House. They don't believe in this at all. This is certainly in opposition to their thinking about what we should do as far as illegal immigration.

KEILAR: Certainly, we're waiting at this point to hear from some Republicans. I do understand -- this is happening very quickly and I'm just hearing through my BlackBerry here -- that there are Republicans on the Hill that don't like this.

But the other thing you have to consider, Don, is that this is something that targets, arguably, children, right? These are younger Americans. That's certainly something that, I think, has the sympathy of many more Americans than, say, some blanket approach where you'd just allow anyone in the country illegally to defer.

So at this point, I think we shouldn't draw any blanket conclusions and we'll be waiting certainly to hear what Governor Romney has to say about this.

LEMON: And you're looking at your BlackBerry and I'm looking at my notes, as well, while we want to take a breath here, this is coming in sort of really quickly here, Brianna.

Standby, I want to bring in our senior Latin affairs correspondent, Rafael Romo, and talk about this.

Rafael, what I want to talk about, as I'm reading a little bit more about this and talking to you -- Ana Navarro, as well, who's one of our new contributors here -- there have been closed-door meetings with the administration that Latinos have spoken to the administration and to the president about this policy, record deportations.

This is something that he's doing months before the election. Sixty-one percent in the latest polls that he had Hispanic-Latino vote. This will no doubt garner more of that vote and people are calling it politics, but it's certainly not the end because this is not a path to citizenship.

RAFAEL ROMO, SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR: You mentioned that a couple of minutes ago. Obama won with 67 percent of the Latino vote in 2008.

You know very well that when he was a senator in Chicago, this is one of the issues that he would talk about constantly, favoring the Dream Act, all the time and one of the reasons why he got elected was because he was given that mandate to go ahead and do something on the Dream Act.

But what we have heard and what I'm hearing from Latino leaders in the country is that, instead of doing that, his administration has deported 400,000 people every single year. And for those people who were expecting the president to do something, he has done very little.

So now we have an election year. The announcement is being made. This has the potential of benefitting 800,000 kids. Many of those kids have been protesting for years. This is an issue that goes back to 2005 or even earlier, so it is a great opportunity for them to have this dream come true.

LEMON: But as I said, to have the dream come true, isn't the end game citizenship where you don't have to worry about these things, you don't have to go back and reapply every couple years for a work permit?

The criticism from the right has been and will be that this is an end-run around them and also that this is a back-door to citizenship, even though it doesn't say that.

ROMO: That's right. The criticism from the right has been illegal is illegal no matter what, no matter if you came to this country on your own or whether you were brought in as a kid. It doesn't really matter.

And the other thing is exactly what you mentioned. What kind of message is this going to give to the rest of the world? You come to this country illegally, you bring your children, and once you're here, your children are going to get this sort of back-door amnesty. That's been the criticism on the right.

LEMON: We've been assuming that just by the way that we're speaking and I'm sure most people are speaking, is this is something that Hispanics absolutely are in 100 percent agreement with, but not every single Latino believes in this policy.

There are Latinos who believe you have to come here legally and, because I came here legally, by you not coming here legally, it makes the way I did it seem small or inconsequential.

ROMO: And it is a very good point. The Latino vote is not monolithic. But at least on this issue, even though you will find a significant percentage of those who say exactly, most Latino voters, especially this year and we have more younger voters than ever, are going to agree with some sort of Dream Act.

The negative effect on the Latino community is not going to be big enough to offset the positive effect.

LEMON: Rafael Romo, thank you very much. We're not done with this subject. We're waiting at the White House for the president to speak here at 1:15. We'll carry it here on CNN.

Thank you again, Rafael Romo. We'll keep following this story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We're following breaking news here on CNN. We're talking about the new policy on immigration to be announced by the White House shortly. Janet Napolitano is going to talk about that and then, also, the president will come out at 1:15 today and make his announcement as well.

In the meantime, we're waiting for the Republican response, specifically, from Mitt Romney, who is now in New Hampshire. He's on his bus tour. And, of course, yesterday, he's in Ohio and he's been traipsing the country really raising money and campaigning. Yesterday raising almost $4 million. The president raising $4.5 million yesterday.

But again, he's making his campaign stop. He's in New Hampshire, so we'll continue to monitor that. This is going to affect the election, this whole announcement coming in an election year, just months before the presidential election.

The criticism, of course, is going to be that this is political from the Republicans and, also, they are going to say this is in exact opposition to our immigration policy. They will talk about the jobs, of course, that it's going to take from Americans. You can expect to hear all of that from the candidates and the president will talk about why he is in support of this particular policy.

Want to move on and talk about Greece on the final day of campaigning ahead of Sunday's do-over elections. Greeks have about another day-and-a-half to make up their minds on the course of their own country while the rest of us really hold our breath for the economic fallout.

John Defterios is in Athens for our sister network, CNN International. John, remind us of the connection, please, between these Greek parliamentary races and the world economy, will you?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's not a very big economy. It's less than $300 billion. In fact, it's shrunk some 20 percent in five years of recession.

Usually you have a recession in the United States that lasts twelve to twenty-four months. This is a very deep recession and it's seen as a vote for the euro or against it.

If you take a step back -- and we're in Parliament Square in Greece, Syntagma Square -- this is the cradle of democracy and they are voting whether or not to veer left and go to communism.

Believe it or not, if they go left, there's a good, strong potential they may opt out of the euro going forward. They joined that currency more than ten years ago. So if Greeks goes out of the euro, then it brings into question, will there be another two or three countries that will consider doing the same?

We have a Spanish debt crisis. The Italians have been yearning to go back to their old currency, the old lira, as well. So this could be basically the dyke breaking open if the Greeks decide to go to communism. This is a country that fought communism, 1947 to 1949.

If they say this is too much austerity, we want to opt out. It could shake the global markets and even the U.S. markets.

LEMON: We just went through this about six weeks ago.

DEFTERIOS: Yes. We had the elections on May 6th and I think it shows the desperation of the people right now in Greece. Basically, I kind of see it almost like the Arab Spring that we saw in the last year. This is the Greek spring.

They are basically tossing out all the politicians that have ruled in this country for the last four decades and they are so desperate that they are thinking about bringing in somebody who's suggesting to throw away the austerity package to potentially go out of the euro right now because they don't see any hope in sight.

An unemployment rate of 22 percent. Youth unemployment of 50 percent. So they are going back to the polls and, right now, they are neck-and-neck with New Democracy, which is a center-right party, with the far-left party, Syriza. So they are really quite desperate right now, not knowing which way to lean, Don.

LEMON: John, thank you very much. Greece is due to make still to make more budget cuts by the end of this month and it faces a big bond payment, almost 4 billion euros in August.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Romney going back to his roots, to the New Hampshire town where he officially kicked off his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. There you see him live.

He's back in Stratham today for another kickoff, a bus tour that will take him to six states that will likely play a big role, a key role in who wins the November election. From New Hampshire, Romney will travel by both bus and plane to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, and finally ending in his home state of Michigan. That's on Tuesday.

Jim Acosta joins us now from Stratham. He is with Romney. Never a dull moment, Jim. Any response? Are you hearing anything about this new immigration policy from the Romney campaign?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Don, not as of yet. We are waiting for that response from the Romney campaign to some of these moves on the part of the Obama White House when it comes to immigration.

I will tell you, though, that Mitt Romney has evolved on this issue of the Dream Act. A lot of people are comparing what the Obama administration is doing today with immigration with respect to those young undocumented immigrants in the country and talking about it in the framework of the Dream Act, which is that legislation which would give younger illegal immigrants a path to some kind of citizenship.

The Romney campaign has said repeatedly and Mitt Romney has said himself earlier in this campaign that he would veto that act or that legislation if it came to his desk as president.

But I will tell you that back in April at a fundraiser in Florida, Don, Mitt Romney did say that the Republican party needed its own version of the Dream Act because he felt that that issue was damaging the party among Hispanics. There is a lot of polling to demonstrate that. Then at an event with Marco Rubio a week after that fundraiser, he said he's looking at Marco Rubio's version of that legislation. So it's going to be interesting to see how the campaign, how Mitt Romney responds to all this today.

I will tell you that this is overshadowing what they thought would be a very big day for the bus tour that you just referenced.

LEMON: Jim, can I jump in here? It's interesting that you bring up Marco Rubio. I was going to ask you about that. Of course, Marco Rubio is one person that they are saying is possibly a vice presidential contender for Mitt Romney and I'm wondering on this particular issue, if someone like Marco Rubio helps out the Romney campaign even more so.

ACOSTA: That's right. Don, there are a couple of potential vice presidential running mates out on the campaign trail with Mitt Romney today. Kelly Ayotte, the senator from New Hampshire, was just up on- stage with Mitt Romney a few moments ago and then, later today, Tim Pawlenty will be on the campaign trail with Governor Romney. So it will be interesting to watch.

But, Don, this is a very interesting development on the part of the White House. The president had that big speech in Cleveland yesterday. A lot of people in his own party did not respond to it very positively and then this development happens today.

I would not be surprised if there's some people inside the Romney campaign that are scratching their head and wondering if the Obama campaign, the president, is trying to pivot a little bit from what was not exactly a spectacular day for the president yesterday.

LEMON: As I say, never a dull moment. Thank you very much, Jim Acosta.

One other point, the Democrats aren't sitting on the sidelines during Romney's bus tour. The Democratic National Committee kicking off its own bus tour today only five miles from Romney's starting point. They plan to follow a similar route, most starts coming slightly ahead of Obama.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: After losing his daughter to a drunk driver, a father in Montana set out on a mission to try to protect all the children of his community from the same fate.

Ahead of this Father's Day, we celebrate "CNN Hero," Leo McCarthy, the courageous dad who refused to let his daughter become just another statistic.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

LEO MCCARTHY, COMMUNITY CRUSADER, "CNN HERO": October 27th, 2007, was a beautiful autumn day. Mariah was with her two friends. I didn't know the last time I kissed her would have been the last time. Later that night, they were walking down this path when an under- aged drunk driver swerved off the road and hit them. Mariah landed here. She died that night. They were only a block away from it my house.

Mariah was only 14 and I'm thinking, how did this happen? It is so preventable.

My name is Leo McCarthy. I give kids tools to stay away from drinking.

Our state has been notoriously top five in drinking-and-driving fatalities in the country.

The drinking, it's a cyclical disease that we allow to continue.

Mariah's challenge is be the first generation of you kids should not drink.

In the eulogy, I said, if you stick with me for four years, don't use alcohol, don't use illicit drugs, I'll be there with a bunch of other people to give you money to go to a post-secondary school.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I promise not to drink until I'm 21.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I promise not to get into a car with someone who has been drinking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I promise to give back to my community.

MCCARTHY: I think Mariah's challenge is something that makes people think a little bit more to say we can be better.

Mariah is forever 14. I can't get her back, but I can help other parents keep their kids safe. If we save one child, we save a generation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Back now to our developing news here on CNN. The Obama administration, going to stop deporting young people, illegal immigrants, and start issuing them work permits. Of course, there are some rules that go along with it.

I want to go to the attorney, Sarah Moshe. She's an attorney for students who face this particular issue.

Sarah, this helps your clients out tremendously, I'm sure. You're their immigration attorney.

SARAH MOSHE, ATTORNEY (voice-over): That's right. It does. Thank you. It helps tremendously.

LEMON: Sarah, how does it help your client?

MOSHE: It helps those who -- it's not the end of the road, but it's great, great news. It helps those who were -- particularly those who were brought here without the intent to violate the law, so when they were much younger, have lived in the United States, are in school, have graduated, have obtained a GED, and don't have criminal records, to postpone deportation, particularly if they are facing deportation at the time, and even if they aren't, they can apply affirmatively for this benefit. So it will allow them to live without the fear living over their head they can be sent back to their home country at any moment.

LEMON: Sarah Moshe, attorney, representing clients who face this particular issue. She says that this helps out her clients.

Thank you.

We want to go to Sheriff Joe, Sheriff Joe, Maricopa County sheriff.

Sheriff, when you got the news about this announcement -- thank you for joining us, by the way -- what did you think?

JOE ARPAIO, SHERIFF, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: Thank you, Don. Politics. Why -- timing. Why now? Why not? Let Congress decide next year on this issue and on all of the illegal immigration problems we have.

LEMON: Sheriff, you have been around long enough. You know, it's all politics. Are you surprised that this is politics? Is that even a valid argument? It's all politics.

ARPAIO: Yes. We have the 1070 law. The Supreme Court will be coming down with a ruling very soon, maybe Monday. Why is he going all public on this? This is the first step towards amnesty, any way. That's the main goal of this president.

LEMON: Do you remember when I spoke to you a couple weeks ago, and you said to me, listen, most people in Washington have no idea of what we're dealing with on border states. They have no idea. They are just ignorant when it comes to what you say are the pressures that illegal immigration put on your state and states like yours and the borders. Is this an indication of that? And not just from -- it happens to be coming from a Democratic administration -- but I'm sure you still feel that way. I would think it solidifies your argument.

ARPAIO: Yes, in a way. We're going to continue enforcing this illegal immigration laws, including the state laws. We do have state laws that we enforce.

But I'm just more concerned about the politics of this. Whether you say it doesn't matter, it does matter. And I would like Congress to look at this Dream Act issue next year and do something about it instead of talking all the time and letting the president come up with an executive order.

LEMON: I know -- Sheriff Joe, I didn't say it doesn't matter. I just say -- I mean, should you be -- someone that's been around as you -- that you surprised by the politics. It's all politics. I also want to talk about this because there are people who say, and even some Republicans, who say, on this issue, Republicans need to take a different look at it because it's hurting the party, it's hurting your candidates. How do you respond to that?

ARPAIO: Well, let them take a look at it. Let Congress take a look at it. And you know, don't worry about the politics. Let's get something done about it.

One thing good about this, I hope it generates some interest with the people and with the Congress so next year they will do something. Very simple. If they want to change a law, that's OK with me. I enforce the laws. If they are not there, I don't have to enforce them. But I am going to continue to enforce all these illegal immigration laws. And I'm not too concerned about the 1070, whatever they come out with, because we have been doing it any way.

LEMON: OK. Listen, you said you're going to continue to enforce immigration laws. Does that mean that you are going to ignore what the president is going to announce today?

ARPAIO: No, I'm not going to ignore it. I'm not going to violate the Constitution or the laws. But I'm just saying that Congress should look at the situation and not let the president keep coming out with his executive orders at the time that he's running for president. It's all politics. You know, they have gone after me, three and a half years, investigated me. Why did they take me to court last month? This is a political year.

LEMON: Immediately -- any immediate impact on you and your state?

ARPAIO: No. We just arrested six more last night in the workplace, human smuggling. We still do our job. By the way, all these -- you say there are one million young people. Actually, 15 or 30 is young. You know, I had a birthday yesterday, so 30 is young. But still, why haven't they done something. If these people are here illegally, how come they haven't been deported? Why are we talking about it now?

LEMON: Well, quite a birthday present for you, Sheriff Joe.

We appreciate you joining us here on CNN. Thank you.

ARPAIO: OK.

LEMON: All right.

ARPAIO: Thanks. Thanks.

LEMON: We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Breaking news on CNN. A hot-button issue. The Department of Homeland Security says it is reprioritizing its deportation of illegal immigrants. If you came to this country as a child, a young child, if you go to school, stay out of trouble, the government won't try to send you back.

CNN's Candy Crowley joins me now to talk about the policy and the politics at work here.

Candy, I'm sure you saw my interview with Sheriff Joe. He says I'm surprised by the politics of this. I'm like, come on, Sheriff.

(LAUGHTER)

I have not seen him that down ever in an interview, a day after his birthday. He was not happy about that. And many conservatives aren't.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, but it's going to be interesting to see how they play this. A lot of what the president has done here is something that Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican, had been working on. We haven't seen the details of his Dream Act, or his version of the Dream Act. It does go to the heart of the most innocent of those who don't have documentation here in the U.S. I mean, you know, they are brought here as kids. They were under 16. They have to be under 30 now to qualify for this. So we're talking about young people who didn't really have a choice about coming here. So kind of the most innocent of those folks that are here. And we have seen some of the Republican Party wanting to do something for these students and for these under 30 that came here as children.

So while Mitt Romney first seemed to kind of rule that out a while back, he clearly does talk to, has listened to, has been with Marco Rubio. So I will be interested in seeing what his take is on this particular issue.

LEMON: Candy, are you saying people like Marco Rubio and Mitt Romney, who Jim Acosta said is revolving on this issue, are you saying this may line up to Marco Rubio's thinking?

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: -- conservatives on board?

CROWLEY: I'm saying that there are similarities certainly between Marco Rubio's plan, and what he was talking about, and what the president is doing. We do know that Mitt Romney said, I'm listening. It's an election year. I don't know -- but what we do know is that now both of these candidates are looking at swing voters. Yes, this was a base move for the president, if you want to look at it politically. This was to stir up the Latino vote, which is already fairly Democratic. But it adds some excitement to that base. But swing voters also look at things like this. And by and large, swing voters sometimes have looked at these -- in previous polls, have looked at immigration issues and sided more on the Democratic side than the Republican side. So Mitt Romney is no longer trying to appeal to the base of his party. We're now moving into swing territory. So I don't know what he's going to do. We'll let it be a surprise. But I wouldn't be surprised if it's not a full-on, this is awful.

LEMON: OK. Politically though, can Republicans really oppose this apart from repercussions from Hispanic voters? We're talking about productive young people who didn't knowingly break the law. And if they come out strongly against this, does this make them, in some way, seem mean or too stern or evil in some way?

CROWLEY: That's the -- right. That's the concern. But we have already seen some Republican reaction saying, wait a second, the president is sort of doing this by executive order, changing policy. We have been discussing it up here. We think this is an election-year ploy. We have seen at least one congressman say, all this does is put more people into the workforce when Americans are looking for jobs. So you're going to see most Republicans, I suspect, will be against it. It will be interesting to see what Mitt Romney and some others will do.

LEMON: Candy Crowley, you have a very busy day and evening. Thank you very much. We appreciate it.

CROWLEY: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: We're going to go to Philadelphia where a jury appears to be struggling with a landmark case of child sexual abuse in the Catholic abuse. This is the ninth day of deliberations in a trial that could not only put away an accused pedophile priests but also a church higher up who knew everything and did nothing.

CNN's Sarah Hoye joins me now by phone.

Sarah, I understand, yesterday, jurors asked to rehear days of testimony. What happened with that?

SARAH HOYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Yes, it was the other day they asked to hear several days of testimony, to which the judge denied, saying and instructing the jury, basically, you have to rely on your recollection. That's your job. We will not be retrying this trial during the deliberation stage. So you have to use your notes. Use your brain power and think back to what you heard and who you believe, and deliberate on that.

LEMON: The defense, Sarah, already pressing for a mistrial, correct?

HOYE: Yes and no, Don. How that works really is it's somewhat procedural, if you will. The jury had asked and actually was read part of the Reverend James Brennan testimony from a canonical trial, which is basically a church trial, back in 2008, regarding the allegations against him, which are that he attempted to rape a 14- year-old. We had heard testimony from that victim during the trial, as well as wanting to -- the jury wanted to compare and contrast these two testimonies. So his attorney was quite upset about that and made a fuss and asked to have a mistrial, which, of course, the judge denied. So we're now day nine of deliberations, day 46 of this trial.

LEMON: Sarah, thank you very much. It's interesting. Not far away from there, they are dealing with a similar incident, or incidences. We're talking about Jerry Sandusky also on trial.

Sarah Hoye, thank you.

When and if these verdicts come in, we're talking about the priests now, you'll hear them first right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Right there he is. You recognize him? The vice president of the United States, Joe Biden, speaking live in Orlando to give the keynote address at the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Over 200 mayors from around the country are in Orlando to discuss budgets, infrastructure, jobs, job creation at that conference. And I spoke with Antonio Villaraigosa earlier in the week. He spoke at that conference as well. We'll follow.

What is the best gift you have ever given your brother? What if I tell you one sister is giving him the gift of fatherhood.

Recognize this guy as well?

(LAUGHTER)

He's our chief medical correspondent. Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us to explain.

We're talking about surrogacy. And you've gotten a look at some examples of people doing this?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Surrogacy, as a stand-alone issue, it's complicated to make surrogacy happen. This particular story jumped out at me because of some of the even more intricate details. I'll show you a quick picture and I want to introduce you to these couples here.

If you look at the family tree -- and we have a picture of this. There is a brother and a sister sort of at the heart of this. There is James, and his wife is, Natalie. They had a baby and after that, Natalie was told she could not have anymore children. That's when Jane, Natalie's sister-in-law, stepped in and said, I will be your surrogate. So sister is surrogate for brother and sister-in-law.

LEMON: Wow.

GUPTA: Take a look at how it happens.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATALIE LUCICH, UNABLE TO HAVE MORE CHILDREN: October 30th, 2010, I was brought into the hospital, because I was two weeks late. I had to be induced. After he came out, I got to see him, and he got to be put on my chest. And then I basically just to start feel good. JAMES LUCICH, NATALIE'S HUSBAND: The bleeding slowly over 45 minutes started to get worse and worse as time went on, and basically they had to take your uterus out after trying to save it.

NATALIE LUCICH: We chose surrogacy as our first option, because I still had eggs left, and we were able to have our own child, it would be James' and my child.

JAMES LUCICH: After a couple of days in the hospital, my sister felt compelled to tell us that she would be more than happy to carry a baby for us. It just really brought tears to our eyes that my sister was that willing to do this for us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you today? You are pregnant.

NATALIE LUCICH: Yay! We are having a baby!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: As we say, ah.

(LAUGHTER)

But it is not like the couples can shake hands, because there is a lot involved.

GUPTA: Even though they are related, which makes it so interesting, that you have to go through the medical tests, which you would expect, and psychological counseling, Don. This is a big decision to say, I will carry my brother's baby here. But besides that, it is an adoption as well, so even before the baby is born, again, despite the fact that they're related, there is adoptive paperwork that has to be dealt with as well. Because in the end, if somebody -- they change their mind or have second thoughts, it is a legal proceeding.

LEMON: I have been wanting to ask you about the next story. And you remember the mini Darth Vader --

GUPTA: Oh, yes.

LEMON: -- from the Super Bowl ad? He his -- you saw him. We can show him, Max Page. I've been wanting to ask you, because I know that you have been spending a lot of time with him, and he has --

(CROSSTALK)

GUPTA: He is ridiculously cute kid.

LEMON: He is a cute kid.

(LAUGHTER)

Open-heart surgery yesterday?

GUPTA: He was born with a congenital heart defect. and he had the eighth open heart operation to replace a valve. He is doing well. We heard from -- you know, they have been communicating with us, and we have become quite close. They said a couple of tough days. He's in a lot of pain. He doesn't drink water. He's disoriented. But this is the reality for the kids. they have this operation at birth, but it is a lifetime of operations for someone like him. But signs are looking good.

LEMON: Yes. That is him and his brother, right?

(LAUGHTER)

GUPTA: Yes, that is right. That is max and Els (ph). and they are watching, because they watch you all of the time. He is in the hospital right now, but I bet you, he is making a good recovery.

LEMON: You will speak to the family again, because you spent a lot of time with him.

GUPTA: Yes.

LEMON: And someone tells me that you hit it off.

GUPTA: Well, he wants to ask out my daughter.

(CROSSTALK)

GUPTA: He's 6 years old.

(LAUGHTER)

GUPTA: And I said, well, a few years between my friend, Max, but we will see.

LEMON: They start young.

GUPTA: They do.

LEMON: Careful. I hope your shotgun with two beautiful daughters.

GUPTA: Three.

LEMON: Three beautiful daughters.

GUPTA: Three shotguns.

LEMON: Three shotguns.

(LAUGHTER)

Thank you, Dr. Gupta.

GUPTA: Thank you.

LEMON: Thank you. Don't miss "Dr. Sanjay Gupta, M.D.," tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. eastern. And you can check out his exclusive interview with the surrogate families there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. Breaking news here. The Obama administration changing the policy on immigration. Those who came here illegally as children will no longer be deported. They are going to issue work permits instead of deporting them. Homeland Security secretary made that announcement, and also spoke to Wolf Blitzer who will be joining Fredricka Whitfield at the top of the hour, moments away on CNN. Stay tuned for that.

America's relationship with dogs is the focus of a new HBO documentary looking at the complex, passionate and conflicting positions that we, as Americans, have when it comes to canines.

CNN's Kareen Wynter gives us a preview of the film and it's eye- opening, heartwarming and sometimes shocking stories.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SHOUTING)

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For so many animals that can't be cared for, their reality can be grim as depicted in the new documentary "One Nation Under Dog: Stories of Fear, Loss and Betrayal."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is the emotion that is overwhelming, knowing that you can't take everybody home.

WYNTER: The scenes are graphic and uncensored.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can only save so many. So they end up in a gas chamber.

WYNTER: But also uplifting and inspiring.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are seeing a sweet side now. All right. Is this who you are?

WYNTER: The film's heroes are remarkable, a Tennessee-based shelter that sells pet-inspired art to fund rescues, volunteers saving hundreds of dogs from the puppy mills, and the story of a man with the gift of the ability to rehabilitate any dog.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I look for dogs that might not have a shot, and I can give them a second chance.

WYNTER: Seeing a balance of hope and reality was important to the filmmaker, Helen Goosenberg Kent.

HELEN GOOSENBERG KENT, FILMMAKER: America has this incredibly conflicted relationship with dogs. We love them, and yet we leave them. What that adds up is to two million dogs killed in animal shelters.

WYNTER: She hopes that the message is loud and clear, inspired to adopt and encourage sterilization.

KENT: People don't tend to spay and neuter their dogs, for some reasons. Some are cultural and some are economic. And people don't know that there is a place to get it done inexpensively, and they have to understand it is not bad for the dogs.

WYNTER: Places like the Amanda Foundation's Spay Mobile, where Haley and her Uncle Otto are leading by example.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We found her on the street and brought her home.

TERI AUSTIN, PRESIDENT, AMANDA FOUNDATION: What we wanted to do at the Amanda Foundation is to use a template to be used through the country. We want to show that through education, service and goodwill, you can really change things.

WYNTER: Teri Austin is the foundation's president.

AUSTIN: The Spay Mobile is 30-feet long. It's the biggest one in the country.

WYNTER: Austin has no ties to the documentary, but the mission is the same.

AUSTIN: Reduce the number of dogs that are filling the shelters and dying on the street.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It gives you more happiness in your life. It makes you feel how it is actually to be loved.

WYNTER: And responsibility is something that this eighth grader has grasped not only by setting an example, but saving lives in the process.

Kareen Wynter, CNN Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: "One Nation Under Dog," as it's called, debutes June 18th on our sister network, HBO.

Thanks for watching. I'm Don Lemon.