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President's Speech Interrupted; Young Illegal Immigrants To Get A Pass; Young Illegal Immigrants Cheer Obama; Embraces From The "Tickle Monster"

Aired June 15, 2012 - 14:00   ET

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

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. We have special coverage coming up, the president of the United States getting ready to walk down those stairs in the White House Rose Garden and address the nation, indeed, the world, on this new policy that his administration has announced today, opening up the door for maybe 800,000, maybe more, young people, illegal immigrants in the United States, to have at least for two years legal status so they can study for work.

We'll, of course, have live coverage of the president's remarks. We expect him to speak for about 10 minutes. Our chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin is standing by. Juan Carlos Lopez from CNN ESPANOL is standing by as well.

Jessica, let me start with you. And I just want our viewers who are just tuning in right now to fully appreciate what's going on. This has come as a big surprise to all of us. Earlier this morning were we told that Janet Napolitano, the secretary of homeland security, had a major announcement on immigration.

She went out and she made that announcement, giving legal status, for all practical purposes to young people, illegal immigrants, who have been here at least for five years, came before they were 16, are still under 30 years old right now. This is a dramatic shift in U.S. policy guidelines -- Jessica.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It really is, Wolf, and will be received as very welcome news by many Latino advocates who have been pushing the administration since the president took office to shift their immigration policy in some way to allow for some undocumented people to say here.

At least, in this case, some young adults will now have, in their view, at least some window of opportunity to stay in the country a bit longer. Some, no doubt, will criticize the administration for not pushing for comprehensive immigration reform earlier and doing more. But at least this is -- they may say it's little and late, but it's something.

What I will tell you is that according to administration officials that they came to this decision after working for the last three years on a number of steps that, in their words, or in their view, crack down on immigrants -- illegal immigrants who are threats to society, who repeatedly cross the border after being sent back and then come back and on policies that target people who have just come over the border in sending them back.

They wanted to devote their resources to those categories of individuals. Once they felt that they had beefed up policies that targeted those individual, they felt that that is where their resources were best devoted.

And so they were more comfortable not targeting this category of young people who have come here as the young children of illegal immigrants. That is the apolitical way to look at it.

BLITZER: As you point out, Jessica, this is not a formal executive order that the president will sign. This is more of a policy order coming from the Department of Homeland Security.

YELLIN: That's right. And so it's a change in policy as opposed to an executive order like some of those "we can't wait policies" the president has signed in the past.

I would add, Wolf, of course, that it's impossible to look at this outside the lens to some extent of politics. There's an election this year and we all know the president and his campaign are working to not just win the Latino vote, because he does already have significant support among Latinos, but energize the Latino vote.

Because he needs Latinos who already support him to be passionate in their support, to come out and vote because that margin could make the difference for him on Election Day.

And so to some extent we could see this through that lens and that this is one step in trying to tell this community, look I'm doing something for you, I've made good to some extent I what I could toward my pledge to help Latinos push towards some kind of immigration reform in the context of Democratic Party politics -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Stand by, Jessica. Juan Carlos Lopez is with us as well from CNN ESPANOL.

It's interesting, the Department of Homeland Security, Juan Carlos, estimated that maybe 800,000 young people would be directly impacted by this, would be eligible for legal status in the United States for two years.

The Pew Hispanic Center, which is a project of the Pew Research Center, estimates that number could be as high as 1.4 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States right now.

Give our viewers a little bit of the immediate reaction. What I've been hearing from a lot of Latinos is, they are thrilled. They say this is a very important step in the right direction and it will in fact energize many of them to further support the president.

JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ, CNN ESPANOL ANCHOR: Yes, Wolf, it's a very welcome announcement for many on many fronts, not only to these kids, between 800,000 and 1.4 million, that could benefit from this program, very similar to something already in place that's been in place for years for refuges from El Salvador and seven other countries.

Now the people from El Salvador living in the States have been renewing their permit every two years since 2001, and this is a very similar format although it's not the same thing. Now people are seeing this as a welcome sign, not only because it's going to impact these lives but also because they see it as another step, them getting closer to a possible immigration reform. So that's another interesting angle.

We have different groups that are coming together and that are supporting this initiative. We'll see how it plays out during the campaign. But for now, I think it's a very strong message from the White House to the Hispanic community. It's not what everyone wanted, but it's a very big step.

BLITZER: Will it be interpreted as in effect a substitute for the Dream Act, which the president supports, but was rejected by Congress?

LOPEZ: It is not the Dream Act. It's not immigration reform. But it's more than they were getting until yesterday. President Obama has said repeatedly he didn't have the authority to change immigration policy by executive order.

And you were very clear on the point that this is not an executive order, but still it's coming from the White House. So there is a change. People are seeing something, and something obviously in this context is better than nothing.

And they have a choice between what they are being offered right now and what they have from before.

BLITZER: It's interesting. So far we're getting some critical comments from many Republicans out there, but silence, at least so far from the Romney campaign. We're awaiting some statement from them. Presumably the Republican presidential contender will issue some sort of statement either in person or his campaign will issue something.

We're standing by for that as well. But a lot of angry reaction coming in from other Republicans, including some potential vice presidential running mates for Mitt Romney. As we await the president of the United States in the Rose Garden, let's take another quick break. Our coverage will continue in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The president is only seconds away from walking through that door over there, the West Wing of the White House. That's the door from the Oval Office. He'll walk out of the Oval Office and walk down the short little stairway to a podium and a microphone and make a statement on his administration's new policy guidelines for young illegal immigrants in the United States.

They will now have an opportunity to apply for legal status, a two-year process, every two years they will be able to renew, assuming this continues, no comprehensive immigration reform is enacted. The president is now in the Rose Garden. Let's listen.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good afternoon, everybody.

This morning Secretary Napolitano announced new actions my administration will take to mend our nation's immigration policy, to make it more fair, more efficient and more just, specifically for certain young people sometimes called "Dreamers."

Now, these are young people who study in our schools. They play in our neighborhoods. They're friends with our kids. They pledge allegiance to our flag. They are Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one, on paper.

They were brought to this country by their parents, sometimes even as infants, and often have no idea that they are undocumented until they apply for a job or a driver's license or a college scholarship.

Put yourself in their shoes. Imagine you've done everything right your entire life, studied hard, worked hard, maybe even graduated at the top of your class only to suddenly face the threat of deportation to a country that you know nothing about with a language that you may not even speak.

That's what gave rise to the Dream Act. It says that if your parents brought you here as a child, you've been here for five years, and you're willing to go to college or serve in our military, you can one day earn your citizenship.

And I've said time and time and time again to Congress that send me the Dream Act, put it on my desk, and I will sign it right away. Now both parties wrote this legislation. And a year-and-a-half ago Democrats passed the Dream Act in the House but Republicans walked away from it.

It got 55 votes in the Senate, but Republicans blocked it. The bill hasn't really changed. The need hasn't changed. It's still the right thing to do. The only thing that has changed, apparently, was the politics.

Now as I said in my speech on the economy yesterday, it makes no sense to expel talented young people who, for all intents and purposes, are Americans. They've been raised as Americans, understand themselves to be part of this country.

To expel these young people who want to staff our labs or start new businesses or defend our country, simply because of the actions of their parents or because the inaction of politicians.

In the absence of any immigration action from Congress to fix our broken immigration system, what we've tried to do the focus our immigration enforcement resources in the right places.

So we prioritized border security, putting more boots on the southern border than at any time in our history. Today there are fewer illegal crossings than at any time in the past 40 years.

We've focused and used discretion about whom to prosecute, focusing on criminals who endanger our communities rather than students who are earning their education, and today deportation of criminals is up 80 percent. We've improved on that discretion carefully and thoughtfully.

Well, today, we're improving it again. Effective immediately, the Department of Homeland Security is taking steps to lift the shadow of deportation from these young people.

Over the next few months, eligible individuals who do not present a risk to national security or public safety will be able to request temporary relief from deportation proceedings and apply for work authorization.

Now let's be clear, this is not amnesty, this is not immunity. This is not a path to citizenship. It's not a permanent fix. This is a temporary stopgap measure that lets us focus our resources wisely while giving a degree of relief and hope to talented, driven, patriotic young people.

It's the right thing to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

OBAMA: Excuse me, sir. It's not time for questions, sir. Not while I'm speaking.

Precisely because this is temporary, Congress needs to act. There's still time for Congress to pass the Dream Act this year because these kids deserve to plan their lives in more than two-year increments.

And we still need to pass comprehensive immigration reform that addresses our 21st Century economic and security needs. Reform that gives our farmers and ranchers certainty about the workers that they'll have.

Reform that gives our science and technology sectors certainty that the young people who come here to earn their Ph.D.s won't be forced to leave and start new businesses in other countries. Reform that continues to improve our border security and lives up to our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.

Just six years ago the unlikely trio of John McCain, Ted Kennedy, and President Bush came together to champion this kind of reform. And I was proud to join 23 Republicans in voting for it.

So there's no reason that we can't come together and get this done. And as long as I'm president, I will not give up on this issue not only because it's the right thing to do for our economy, and CEOs agree with me, not just because it's the right thing to do for our security, but because it's the right thing to do period.

And I believe that eventually enough Republicans in Congress will come around to that view as well. And I believe that it's the right thing to do because I've been with groups of young people who work so hard and speak with so much heart about what's best in America even though I knew some of them must have lived under the fear of deportation.

I know some have come forward at great risks to themselves and their futures in hopes it would spur the rest of us to live up to our own most cherished values.

I've seen the stories of Americans in schools and churches and communities across the country who have stood you have for them and rallied behind them and pushed us to give them a better path and freedom from fear, because we're a better nation than one that expels innocent young kids.

And the answer to your question, sir, and the next time I prefer you let me finish my statements before you ask that question, is this the right thing to do for the American people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

OBAMA: I didn't ask for an argument. I'm answering your question. It's the right thing to do for the American people and here is why. Here is the reason, because these young people are going to make extraordinary contributions and are already making contributions to our society.

I've got a young person who is serving in our military, protecting us and our freedom. The notion that in some ways we would treat them as expendable makes no sense.

If there's a young person here who has grown up here and wants to contribute to this society, wants to maybe start a business that will create jobs for other folks who are looking for work, that's the right thing to do.

Giving certainty to our farmers and our ranchers. Making sure that in addition to border security we're creating a comprehensive framework for legal immigration. These are all the right things to do.

We have always drawn strength from being a nation of immigrants as well as a nation of laws, and that's going to continue. My hope is that Congress recognizes that and gets behind this effort.

All right. Thank you very much, everybody.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) specifically ruled this out, sir, last year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about American workers who are unemployed while you import foreigners?

BLITZER: All right. They are shouting some questions at the president. But you can see he was clearly irritated there by one individual. I don't know who that person was who interrupted him while he was making that statement.

The president of the United States outlining some of the specific details of this new change in immigration policy, saying this is not amnesty. This is not immunity. This is not a pathway to citizenship, but going on to say this is the right thing to do for the American people.

The reaction has been coming in even before the president spoke. No reaction yet from the Romney campaign, although I anticipate we will get a formal statement at least from the Romney campaign soon enough.

Two potential Romney vice presidential running mates, though, have issued statements. Marco Rubio, the Republican senator from Florida, released this statement, among other things, saying: "Today's announcement will be welcome news for many of these kids desperate for an answer, but it's a short term answer to a long term problem, and by once again ignoring the Constitution and going around Congress, this short term policy will make it harder to find a balance and responsible long term one." That's Marco Rubio.

By the way, I just got a statement from Rob Portman, the senator from Ohio, also on the short list. He's now being vetted as a potential vice presidential running mate. He issued a short statement. Let me read it to you.

"Despite promising to address illegal immigration early in his term, the president has failed to lead on yet another important national issue and is instead resorting to an election year gambit that provides no certainty to immigrant, employers, and the American people."

Rob Portman adding: "The president's job is to build consensus on tough issues, not pick and choose what laws he enforces based on campaign polling data." That from Rob Portman who is on the short list as Romney's vice presidential running mate.

I want to get a quick reaction to what we just heard from Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County out in Arizona. He's been a fierce critic of the president on this issue, many other issues.

You heard the president, Sheriff, what's your immediate reaction?

SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: Great political speech. What happened in the past, why now? Why this time? Election year. Once again, he's right. The Congress should look into this. I hope they do make some decisions next year.

What's this resources, that they don't have the resources? I've been doing a great job in my office. You know what the reward is? Is to take me to court last month. Why can't they wait for the 1070? Let's see what the Supreme Court says.

Why now? So you know it's politics. Why 30 years? What is this? A little discrimination? You cut it off at 30. You think the feds are going to be able to keep track of the history of these 1 million people?

They're not going to keep track. It's going to be very difficult to pursue what the president wants or the Homeland Security wants, Wolf, on this policy.

This is a precursor to amnesty. It will go to other people, other situations. This is the beginning. I'll tell you right now, I've been involved for many years. And it's sad. Something must be done. But don't do it now for the Latino vote and before the Supreme Court comes out with their decision.

BLITZER: They are supposed to come out with a decision next week or the week after on the Arizona immigration law. Was there anything, Sheriff, you heard from the president in the Rose Garden that you liked?

ARPAIO: Yes, I'll tell you what I like. I don't like his policies. I'm glad he's speaking out because that's going to generate more controversy over this issue and maybe one day we'll get this thing solved through Congress.

BLITZER: Sheriff Arpaio, we spoke to you earlier. Thanks for your immediate reaction. We'll, of course, stay in close touch with you as well. Appreciate it very, very much. We're going to have much more coverage coming up. Brooke Baldwin is standing by. She'll have more of that heckler who interrupted the president in the Rose Garden when he was speaking. I'll have full coverage, 4:00 p.m. in THE SITUATION ROOM, including my full interview with Janet Napolitano, the secretary of homeland security.

For now I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. Our coverage in the CNN NEWSROOM with Brooke Baldwin will resume in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin. This is just one of those days that a lot of young people are going to remember for the rest of their lives, because years from now they are going to remember exactly where they were, exactly what they felt when the president told them they are free to remain in America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: The need hasn't changed. It's still the right thing to do. The only thing that has changed, apparently, was the politics.

Now as I said in my speech on the economy yesterday, it makes no sense to expel talented young people, who for all intents and purposes, are Americans. They have been raised as Americans. Understand themselves to be part of this country.

To expel these young people who want to staff our labs or start new businesses or defend our country simply because of the actions of their parents or because the inaction of politicians.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: Now, what the president has done today is offer this two-year deferral in deportations to certain young illegal immigrants. And we're going to talk about the details here.

And what exactly you need to know right now is he says this is not amnesty. You should also know he is doing this on his own. No request to Congress here.

And I want you to take a look at this. This is from Congressman Steve King. He says: "Americans should be outraged that President Obama is planning to usurp the constitutional authority of the United States Congress and grant amnesty by edict to 1 million illegal aliens." That coming from Congressman King.

So that's your debate. Amnesty or not. Amnesty, an instant issue here in this upcoming election. We're going to talk about that. First, I want to go to Jessica Yellin, our chief White House correspondent.

What exactly is the president doing here? How does this work? Lay it out for me.

YELLIN: Hi, Brooke. So first of all, it's a change in how the Department of Homeland Security is devoting the resources, is the way they put it. So the bottom line, it applies to people who will are under 30 years old. Who arrived in the U.S. before they were the age of 16. People who had no criminal record and who have at least a high school diploma or have served in the military.

So these are the kids who were brought over by their parents who were themselves illegal, and so as people colloquially put it, did nothing wrong themselves, have grown up here thinking of themselves as Americans, and now are being given an opportunity to stay here, apply for two years, and then re-apply for two years if this policy continues and so on -- Brooke.

But I know, and we just heard Wolf's conversation with Sheriff Joe Arpaio out of Arizona, Maricopa County, so a lot of Americans are probably saying, you know, hang on, because what the administration really is doing here is not enforcing the law. So how does the administration justify this decision not to deport people who are here illegally?

YELLIN: Well, it's what I said a moment ago, which is that they see it as allocating the resources differently. That they're cracking down on people who are threats to society, who cross the border repeatedly.

Here's how Janet Napolitano put it, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, she said earlier: "This is not designed to be blindly enforced without consideration given to the individual circumstances of each case. Nor are these rules designed to remove productive young people to countries where they may not have lived or even speak the language."

The key word here, Brooke, is, she says, "discretion," which is used in so many other areas, is especially justified here.

So the bottom line is, they are focusing on people, they say, who are threats to the U.S., who are repeat offenders in crossing the border and not to the kids. The other thing I'd point out is this administration does have a record high number of deportations, something that has actually outraged their Latino supporters who thought that the administration wouldn't follow that kind of a policy, perhaps one of the reasons they have come to this at this date.

BALDWIN: We're going to hear from some of the supporters in a moment. Now I want to talk big picture politics here. But stand by, because there was a moment, and I want to bring Brianna Keilar in for this, because she is there smack dab in the middle of it at the White House.

Brianna, I mean, my goodness, I was taking notes, listening to the president, and I just looked up and I heard someone shouting a question mid-sentence.

Let's listen to the sound and then we'll talk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: It is the right thing to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

OBAMA: Excuse me, sir. It's not time for questions. Not while I'm speaking. Precisely because this is temporary, Congress needs to act. There's still time for Congress to pass the dream act this year because these kids deserve to plan their lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: I spotted you with that yellow jacket, Brianna, what, one or two people away from him. Who was that? It was rude.

KEILAR: Well, I identified himself. I ran after him after the remarks, Brooke, and he identified himself as Neil Monroe from the "Daily Caller," which is a conservative outlet online.

I actually didn't recognize him and was extremely surprised because while no one may accuse the White House press corps of an extreme amount of decorum, there is actually, when it comes to remarks like, not just here at the White House, but on Capitol Hill, and you know, any beat that you're covering around town.

The president, members of Congress, what have you say their remarks and then questions come after. Normally in the case of President Obama, he doesn't take them, but we do yell them. We yell them normally after the remarks.

So he was yelling as the president was giving his remarks. He was asking what about the American worker? President Obama did come back at the end of his remarks really kind of chastising the guy.

BALDWIN: We have that. Let me interject. Let's roll that second sound bite.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: And the answer to your question, sir. The next time I prefer you let me finish my statements before you ask that question, is this the right thing to do for the American people? I didn't ask for an argument. I'm answering your question.

It is the right thing to do for the American people and here is why. Here is the reason because these young people are going to make extraordinary contributions and are already making contributions to our society. I've got a young person who is serving in our military protecting us and our freedom. The notion that we would treat them as expendable makes no sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So at the top of that, Brianna, just quickly to button this up be you. Clearly, the president was irked.

KEILAR: The president was hopping mad I would say. I think part of that may have to do with the fact that obviously this announcement today is not only very politically important to President Obama, but he's really trying to kind of reset after what have been a tough couple of weeks.

Where he's been off message or hasn't really been able to control the message be it bad jobs numbers or even the fact that he says the private sector is doing fine, and obviously there's some context to that and the Republicans pounced on that or all the way to his commerce secretary getting into a series of car accidents.

I mean, there's been so many things that have sort of distracted President Obama from focusing people's attention on what he wants to focus on. This, of course, is another minor example.

BALDWIN: Another one. Brianna Keilar, thank you so much. Just want to finish with Jessica Yellin. Jessica, big picture here. You know, look, it's like here is another issue this election year.

We have yet to hear from Mitt Romney. Though he is supposed to speak any moment now so perhaps he will address this publicly, but politics, clearly also at play.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Right. There's no question the president needs to mobilize the Latino vote for himself. The Latino vote already -- Latino voters by a majority support the president.

The issue is, how energized will they be to turn out and vote for him on Election Day? So he promised to make strides trying to get some kind of comprehensive immigration reform when he was running in 2008. He did not get that done.

So here is something folks might say it's very little and it's very late, but it's something. There's some excitement out there as you can see from some of the people who have been talking already in the streets about this, some of the rallies.

The one thing I'd add if I may about the heckler you heard there while it breaks White House decorum, Brooke, what we saw from the president, which we haven't seen in so many weeks was emotion. It gave him an opportunity to sound passionate about this.

He did sound passionate. That's what so many of his supporters have been saying we need from him right now. So in a way, it was a positive moment for the president when he declared his strong support for this. He sounded engaged.

BALDWIN: Yes, he was mad. Jessica Yellin --

YELLIN: He hates being interrupted.

BALDWIN: Yes, rude. Jessica, thank you. We're going to keep this conversation going here. L.A. Mayor joins me live with his reaction to the president's immigration policy change. That's next. Plus, this.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: As we continue our coverage really of major immigration policy courtesy of the president and the Department of Homeland Security today, I want to show you this picture, presumably the Republican contender for the White House here being introduced by his wife.

This is Mitt Romney about to speak here in New Hampshire kicking off his big bus tour. We certainly have our ear on this. We're going to watch and see if and when Mitt Romney addresses this immigration issue and change. As soon as he does, we will bring it to you.

In the meantime, as we have been reporting, you know, this major change in immigration policy today in effect the Obama administration will no longer deport young illegal immigrants that came into this country as children.

So this affects immigrants younger than the age of 30 who came to this country before the age of 16. They have to have clean records and either served in the military or be good students.

This is going to have a tremendous effect here on cities certainly with large Latino populations, i.e. Los Angeles. So we're going to talk to the mayor of Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Mr. Mayor, it is nice have you back on here.

Los Angeles, for our viewers is 48 percent Latino. So what does this major change today, what does that mean for your city and your police force?

MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, LOS ANGELES: Well, first of all, I couldn't be prouder of our president for doing what was right. For doing what I believe conforms and reaffirms once again that America is an embracing place.

Look,, we're using our discretion here to say the kids who have been here, many of them have came here as infants, they lived here their whole life, they know no other country. They often times can't speak the language of their parents.

They have an opportunity to stay here free of threat of deportation. They go to school or serve in the military. This is a great thing. They're going to contribute to the nation.

You asked the question about L.A. L.A. probably has the largest population, by far of these kids anywhere in the United States.

BALDWIN: Yes. You say it's a great thing. You say it's the right thing. We know somebody you're not a fan of, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, certainly a lightning rod in this entire debate. He spoke earlier on CNN. I want to play this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Mayor, there are a lot of Americans who is definitely agree with the sheriff. I know the president spoke earlier and said specifically this is not amnesty. This is not immunity. But my question to you is, is this a form of amnesty for children whose parents did break the law by bringing them into this country?

VILLARAIGOSA: This doesn't provide path way to citizenship. That's why we do need to pass a Dream Act and comprehensive immigration reform. You know, the Republican talking points for weeks now have been criticizing the president for not doing enough for the dreamers, for not actually passing the Dream Act.

Now, of course, they're going to switch and they're going to criticize the president because he is doing something, something that he has the discretion to do. I couldn't be prouder of him today because these kids want to contribute mightily to the nation. Many of them are graduating from high school, going to college.

BALDWIN: But their parents came here illegally. I'm throwing out the argument from a lot of people in this country.

VILLARAIGOSA: Which is why, right now, they won't have a path way to citizenship. The best thing Democrats and Republicans could do is have this debate in the Congress. Let's pass the Dream Act. Let's pass comprehensive immigration reform.

We have enforced border security. These kids are not a threat to national security. They have not committed any, breaking of any laws. Let's give them an opportunity to contribute and be a part of this opportunity America we all love.

BALDWIN: Right then the status no longer applies. Forgive me for interrupting, but I do want to also point out, you know, you are an Obama supporter. What about the sheriff's other point that the president is really doing this just to score political points?

VILLARAIGOSA: You know, I am an Obama supporter. I'm co-chair -- national co-chair of the campaign, the chair of the Democratic Party Convention, but I can tell you that I'm also the president of the Conference of Mayors.

And the Conference of Mayors unanimously bipartisan, Democrat and Republican, voted in support virtually every year of the Dream Act, of comprehensive immigration reform. This issue should not be partisan issue.

The fact is the kids can contribute mightily to the nation. Let's give them an opportunity to do that. They can contribute to our Social Security system, which needs an infusion of dollars. They can contribute in so many ways in Armed Forces --

BALDWIN: Here is the but because maybe people agree with you and say that's all well and good. These kids can't come over here illegally on their own volition.

But here's the but, what if then this create a slippery slope where other immigrants begin to sneak their children into the country just because of this major change?

VILLARAIGOSA: These are kids that were here before they were 16 years old. Look, we can speculate and disagree. I believe that both sides ought to have that debate. Let's have it in the Congress.

BALDWIN: Is that a realistic fear? Is that a justified fear?

VILLARAIGOSA: I don't think so. I think it is not a justified fear, but it certainly something that people will raise. Let's have that debate in the Congress. Let's do it right away.

Instead of going home on vacation and the way the Congress is doing now, let's have this debate on the floor of the Congress. Democrats and Republicans come together.

Let's fix this broken immigration system. Thank you to the president of the United States for the courage and conviction and for reaffirming why we live in such a great country.

BALDWIN: Mr. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in Los Angeles. Thank you.

Next, we're going to get some reaction from students protesting here in favor of the Dream Act. We're going to take you live once again to L.A.

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BALDWIN: Back to the big breaking story of the day, President Obama's announcement just about an hour ago that the U.S. will halt deportations of some young illegal immigrants.

I want to go straight to CNN Paul Vercammen. There's not too much going on behind you, Paul Vercammen, in downtown L.A. What was the reaction when there were folks surrounding you?

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Just absolute joy, Brooke. Yes, you're right the rally has ended. But earlier this morning about 150 young people gathered. They have long been fighting for the Dream Act.

And they were euphoric when they heard the news, just ecstatic and extremely personal for many of the people. We talked with one young woman who was just overjoyed because she thought about her sister who was set to graduate here in California.

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NEIDI DOMINGUEZ, DEMOSTRATOR: My sister is graduating tomorrow. This is the best gift I could give her having organized for this. She's an undocumented student that will be graduating and has lost a lot of hope in the whole democratic process and humanity as a whole. She grew up here since she was six feeling there was not going to be anything after her graduation. We're going to keep on fighting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: So a lot of raw and unvarnished emotion here on the streets of Los Angeles. For a short time earlier, some of the demonstrators had blocked that intersection. It's sort of symbolic because not only behind me is the immigration office.

But some of the immigration and customs vans literally drive down these streets and then take people away to be deported. So that's why they symbolically set up camp here. As I said, the rally over, but celebration continuing now privately for all of those young people that were here earlier and got the word out of D.C. -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: What about though, Paul, and we heard from the young woman, the sound bite we played, you know, tears streaming down her face.

I spoke with a young dreamer when I was covering the Florida primary a couple of months back, very, very visceral emotion. But, you know, this is a memorandum from the Department of Homeland Security.

This did not go through Congress. You know, if someone else is elected, he or she one day could choose to overturn this pretty, pretty easily. Do the students realize that? Do they fear that?

VERCAMMEN: They definitely realize it. But in the short term especially for somebody who could be facing deportation, this is the time to celebrate. I mean, they feel like this kept in the right direction.

They certainly want more. Some discuss the timing. They say it's about time. You know, they are basically thinking that this is that first initial step that could allow for many of them not to be deported. That's why there was so much celebration here in Los Angeles -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Paul Vercammen, thank you. Speaking of these young lives, this new policy change will make a major difference to young illegal immigrants like Jessica who made national headlines when she was allowed to graduate from a U.S. college after authorities discovered she lived here illegally for more than a decade.

I spoke to her back in a detention center a couple of years ago after a minor traffic violation. She's coming up.

But on to the Sandusky trial. The judge ruled in favor of the defense. A live report on this, next, on the new twist here in Pennsylvania.

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BALDWIN: Threats, abuse, screams no one could hear and embraces from the tickle monster. It's been a rough week in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse trial.

Jean Casarez is a correspondent for TruTv's "In Session." She has been inside the courtroom really all week long. There was a motion by the judge. What happened?

JEAN CASAREZ, CORRESPONDENT, TRUTV'S "IN SESSION": This is a critical motion at least for the defense. They asked the judge if they could bring before the jury, histrionic syndrome and put an expert on the stand to say that Jerry Sandusky suffers from it. What is it? Well, it's a mental disorder where someone has to be aggressive with others, aggressively wanting the attention from others for attention sake even to the point of being sexually aggressive.

The judge is allowing them to bring this expert in and testify. There's one catch, Brooke. The prosecution, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will now get to have their own psychologist examine Jerry Sandusky.

And that psychologist may say he is classic pedophile. So the defense has a big decision to make over the weekend if they go forward with this.

BALDWIN: Here is what I want to know because you've been telling us about these different accusers taking the stand, describing what they alleged happened. How they were abused? How does the defense counter that?

CASAREZ: You know, what we've heard in cross-examinations are very large cross examinations about that you're in it for the money. You have inconsistent statements. You didn't tell anybody to begin with.

But I think one witness they may put on the stand is Dotty Sandusky. That is the wife of Jerry. Because Jerry wanted this case right here in Center County. He wanted his hometown jury. Why?

Because Jerry Sandusky has been an idol for this community, he founded the Second Mile. He's the one that helped so many children through the years, everyone thought.

He is the former coach of Penn State University working side by side with Joe Paterno. I think the defense may want dotty to show in her eyes that he's a wonderful man and none of this is true.

BALDWIN: To hear the wife on the stand of Jerry Sandusky. Jean Casarez, thank you so much. Got to sneak a quick break in. Top of the hour, back in a moment.

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