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Homeland Secretary to Tour Immigrant Facility; Why LeBron Should Sigh with Cavs; Colleges Don't Report Sex Assaults

Aired July 11, 2014 - 10:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: At the border and across the country, tempers flare as Americans line up on both sides of the heated immigration debate. Take a look at this video just in from Houston. It shows a big banner on a highway overpass that says, quote, "Deport illegal aliens are killing America's future."

Also in Houston, one of our affiliates caught up with the woman who says she's furious with the President's request for nearly $4 billion in government funds to handle the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNADETTE LANCELIN, HOUSTON RESIDENT: It's not right. Now billions of dollars want to be borrowed from the White House to help feed and house them. What about the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kids here in our neighborhoods, in our country?

All these kids, really? Why can't they go back? I'm sorry that the parents are in poor living conditions, or (inaudible) or whatever is going on. I don't care. I care about what's going on right here in my own backyard, my neighborhood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Later today, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson gets a firsthand look at a facility that will house more undocumented immigrants that's in Artesia, New Mexico. But he may not get a warm reception in that state. New Mexico's Republican Governor Susanna Martinez has blasted not only the President over the border crisis, but her own party as well, pointing the finger at Congress for failing to get anything done.

In a statement to the "Albuquerque Journal" Martinez wrote, quote, "The immigration situation we face today is a direct failure of gridlocked Washington lawmakers and President Obama. Immigrants flood across the border or parents drop their children there, expecting the federal government to just throw up its hands and let them in. That is not an immigration policy that is a failure of leadership.

Ana Cabrera joins us now. Appreciate you being with us this morning Ana. What do we know about this facility that Jeh Johnson is going to tour in just a few hours? ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Poppy this is one of those

temporary housing facilities that have been set up, since there was the overflow of all the immigrants in Texas. Now, we know this is a federal law enforcement training center typically. So a place where they typically will train those federal officers, special agents, but it's been converted now into this temporary housing facility for hundreds of undocumented immigrants. And it's been converted just in the last couple of weeks.

We know already more than 200 women and children have arrived here. The facility itself can sleep up to 672 so customs and immigration officials are expecting a lot more to arrive, flown in, bussed in from Texas where they crossed the border illegally coming from Central America.

We have learned at this facility they'll be staying in a dorm-like setting. So they're sort of a (inaudible) of sorts. They're given food. They're given clothing. They're given opportunities to play outside. Even teachers are brought in to help educate the children because that is part of federal law. So really trying to set a normal type setting for these children and these women as they await their fate -- Poppy.

HARLOW: And you know, Ana, you have this perspective that we sitting here in the studio don't have. You're on the ground, you're in that town. And you have been talking to the people on the street. We have seen this play out in Murrieta, California in other towns. What's the mood like there? How do they feel about what's happening in this debate and the fact that many more maybe coming to their town?

CABRERA: Poppy, by and large, people here are concerned. We know there was a town hall meeting. A small town hall meeting and some 400 residents packed into that meeting to discuss this issue. They really aren't happy about it. In part, because they worry that the resources put towards the immigrants arriving here are going to drain resources from the town.

Listen to this one woman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we need to help provide for the children and the women but I also think that our city needs to focus and our government needs to look at our own kids that are doing without. They don't have housing provided to them. And that they don't know when they're going to get their next meal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: So that's just one concern. There are also concerns about border security. There are concerns that immigrants will see the situation here and it will encourage even more undocumented immigrants to come into the country. They're also worried about the possible spread of illness and disease -- Poppy.

HARLOW: And quickly, before we go, Ana, do we have any sense from government officials there, those that work at the center how long these children and others may be staying at the facility?

CABRERA: Again, they stress, it is a temporary facility, but they can't say a specific number of days. They say it could be days, it could be weeks, it could be months. It just depends on each individual case because all these immigrants are given the due process in an immigration court -- Poppy.

HARLOW: Ana Cabrera, appreciate the reporting for us from New Mexico. Thank you.

As the thousands of undocumented children wait for their fate to unfold, a number of organizations are on the ground. They're helping with food, medical care -- really emotional support. For ways that you can help, if you'd like to, go to cnn.com/impact.

Still to come here in the NEWSROOM, King James, Cleveland or Miami? We don't know yet. Has LeBron James made his decision? Where should he go? Andy Scholes breaks it down -- Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS: That's right. The Cavs or the Heat, what would be a better basketball decision? We'll take a look at both teams' rosters after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: NBA fans refreshing (AUDIO GAP) LeBron James' Web site. No joke. Looking for some word on where the king will take his talents this time. LeBron hopped on a flight back to Miami from Las Vegas with his teammate, Dwyane Wade. But don't have a cow, Cleveland fans. The two had reportedly planned together -- to travel together in advance.

If LeBron is still mulling over his options we might have some advice for him.

CNN's Andy Scholes looks at the reasons why -- you think -- do you think Andy LeBron James should go home?

SCHOLES: You know, I think he should. You know, despite going to four straight NBA finals with the Heat, the Cavs may actually be a better choice based solely on basketball.

If we look at the Heat's current roster right now, they only have four players. They have Norris Cole, rookie Shabazz Napier and two (inaudible) acquisitions Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger. So if you add LeBron, Wade and Bosh to that, it's probably not as good as the Heat of the past four years. Ad to that Dwyane Wade's knee problems he's been having. You know, he only played 54 games last year. And the Heat's roster looks even less desirable.

Now the Cavs on the other hand, they have one of the most up and coming rosters in the NBA thanks to having the first pick in the draft three times since LeBron left. They have rookie sensation Andrew Wiggins. They have Anderson Verajao who's the only hold over from when LeBron was last playing for the Cavs. They also have Kyrie Irving, all-star point guard who continues to get better and better very season.

Now they also have the potential to add another big piece and that's all-star Kevin Love. The Cavs have reportedly had discussions with Minnesota to acquire Love if LeBron agrees to go back to Cleveland. The only bad part of that would be that the Cavs would probably have to trade Andrew Wiggins in that deal. But it would still be a great trade because it would create this new big three of LeBron, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. And Poppy that would be the best big three there is in the NBA.

HARLOW: First of all, do not take Kevin Love from Minnesota, please don't do that.

SCHOLES: He says he wants to go no matter what. We'll see what happens.

HARLOW: I know.

And you know it's been interesting. I've been reading, a lot of reports that had been saying a lot of these big names are waiting to -- teams and players waiting to see where they're going to go, all depending on what LeBron James does. I mean he has so much pull.

When it comes to Cleveland fans, I think they're salivating after they heard what you just had to say. I want you to listen to some of what the folks in Cleveland have to say about LeBron's possible return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love LeBron James. I hope he comes back. Cleveland misses you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got some real bitter feelings when he first left, but happy to get a championship back in Cleveland.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He definitely made me care about the Cavs and actually go see games and I would love to have him back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He should have never left us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he should come back. I think he -- we got a good, young team here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope that everybody goes to all your games and the "Q" is completely packed all the time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I understand basketball players and sports players will leave for the money. But the way he rubbed his nose in Cleveland in the whole decision thing. He dissed us, he played us real bad. Just -- not welcome back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it would be awesome for the city of Cleveland for LeBron to come back, but it's just amazing how one individual impacts so many people's lives.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If he did come back, he won't get the same love as he did before he left because of the way he left.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: LeBron's from here. He has always been part of us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean if he does come back, I mean we can use the help. I mean honestly, you know what I'm saying?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Wow. I don't know, Andy. It's like you can't win. I mean you win if you're LeBron James. You have a stellar career and a couple of bucks in your pocket. But you can't win -- you can't please everyone.

SCHOLES: That's right. And you know what, Poppy, there's a new report out. ESPN saying this morning that the one thing holding LeBron from going back to Cleveland is that letter that owner Dan Gilbert wrote four years ago where he just bashed LeBron James for leaving the Heat.

HARLOW: Right.

SCHOLES: ESPN is reporting that's the one thing LeBron -- that's still holding him up from committing to going back to Cleveland and some people think that LeBron's camp actually put that out there so that Dan Gilbert is the one fans end up blaming for LeBron coming back and not LeBron himself.

We'll have to see what happens. It's a very interesting dynamic. Hopefully Poppy though, we find out today and this doesn't drag out into the weekend.

HARLOW: Right because he's heading to the World Cup. But if we don't find out today, people will keep crashing his Web site until we do find out.

SCHOLES: Me included.

HARLOW: We do find out -- Andy Scholes. Thanks so much. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: -- shows that colleges -- a new and very troubling survey on campus sexual assault shows that colleges are not just failing to respond to attacks, but in some cases fostering an atmosphere that deters assaults from being even reported.

Senator Claire McCaskill, a former sex crimes prosecutor, released the findings of the report this week. It was taken from a survey of 440, four-year institutions.

I want to go through some of the most disturbing findings that came out of this report. First of all, more than 40 percent of schools surveyed have not conducted a single investigation into sexual assault on campus in the last five years. Also, more than 30 percent of the schools surveyed do not provide any sexual assault training for students. And more than 20 percent of those institutions provide no response training for faculty or staff.

Let's talk about this with Mary Haviland. She's the executive director of the New York City Alliance against Sexual Assault. She joins us now. Thank you for being here this morning.

MARY HAVILAND, NEW YORK CITY ALLIANCE AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT: Thank you. Thank you for having me.

HARLOW: I was stunned. I think a lot of us were when we read this report in terms of just looking at those facts, how many institutions don't train their staff and their students how to deal with this; and in terms of 40 percent of them not investigating a sexual assault in the last five years.

Let's start with the facts. How prevalent is sexual assault on college campuses?

HAVILAND: Well, the statistics indicate that about one in five girls or women on college campuses will experience a sexual assault while they're in college.

HARLOW: Wow.

HAVILAND: It's one in five. That's very high.

HARLOW: It's very high. It's a stunning number. And when you look at this -- let me read you part of what Senator Claire McCaskill who led this study, what she said. She said "Many institutions continually violate the law and fail to follow best practices in how they handle sexual violence." This report found some of those stunning numbers that we went through in terms of training staff, in terms of training students. Why do you think this is the case in this day and age?

HAVILAND: Well, I think there are several reasons. I think first of all, colleges are very concerned about their reputation and their reputation for safety and their reputation for the students who go to their schools.

The second thing is that I think people underestimate the harm and trauma of sexual assaults that are committed by people who are known to the victim. Many people have the conception that stranger -- somehow stranger victimization is much more serious and much more harmful. And since many of the assaults on college campuses probably 75 to 80 percent are between people who know each other, maybe acquaintances or maybe ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, I think there's an underestimation of the harm that it causes.

And the third thing is that, you know, change takes time. And this -- this issue has been around for the last 30 years and we have been working really hard to address it. But it takes time.

HARLOW: Yes. And you know, you say some of these colleges concerned about their reputations. I mean you'd think they want to get out in front of this and say we know this is a problem, let's not just not talk about it. Let's address it.

So you're an expert in this. What changes do you think can be made at these institutions that will actually be the most effective?

HAVILAND: Well, I think there's a few changes. One is I think that the colleges have to set up a system of confidential reporting. Flexible versions or formats for reporting, whether that's online, in person, access to people outside in the community who are experts in this. That's the first thing.

I understand that some universities will not be able to preserve that confidentiality. But it has to be clear when they can and when they can't, when they have to take the greater public good into account.

The other thing that I think people must be aware of is that there are people on the outside of colleges and universities who have been doing this work for a very long time. And they have -- whether that's prosecutors, whether that's rape crisis centers. They have suggestions about how to -- how to address this issue. I would urge the colleges and universities to reach out to them and talk to them and engage them in task forces or whatever.

But certainly internally the colleges have to be coordinating their efforts to address sexual assault. They have to have resources for survivors. They have to have an impartial grievance procedure. They have to have a coordinated plan that involves understanding Title IX, understanding the Cleary Act, understanding the new (inaudible) regulations that require prevention education on campus.

And lastly they really have to engage in some evidence informed prevention practices that are being used in the field.

HARLOW: Yes, there's no question about it -- stunning statistics coming out of this new report.

Mary Haviland, appreciate the expertise, coming on and talking about this with us today.

HAVILAND: Great. Thank you.

HARLOW: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: Tucked away in the New Jersey woods is a secret artist enclave that is only open to the public twice a year. In celebration of its 25th anniversary we're giving you a firsthand look at the world of Luna Park in today's "Travel Insider".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK SKIRMEN, "Weird U.S.": Hi, I'm Mark Skirmen.

MARK MORAN, "Weird U.S.": And I'm Mark Moran.

SKIRMEN: And we have a book series called "Weird U.S." where we travel around the country and we seek out weird and unusual places. Today, we're in Luna Park and we're going to show exactly what weirdness is all about.

MORAN: The mad genius behind it.

RICKY BOSCARINO, LUNA PARK: It was a dilapidated hunting cabin. It was kind of shabby, but it was on a beautiful piece of property. And as soon as I laid eyes on the house, I knew that this would be the place I would spend the rest of my life.

Twenty five years later, this is what happened. I have so much stuff, and so many raw materials, bread tabs, wooden yard sticks, license plates, bowling balls, and musical instruments, machinery from the 19th Century.

MORAN: And old skeletons.

BOSCARINO: And old skeletons.

This is the ballroom which serves as a dining hall. Here we have what looks like a bookshelf, but in reality this is my bed.

This is my luxurious bathroom. This was a five-year project and there are nearly one million broken shards in the walls.

SKIRMEN: You counted the shards?

BOSCARINO: I counted every single one.

This is actually where I spend most of my time in my work shop. All the objects that are on the house inside and out, all that is produced right here on the premises.

SKIRMEN: Farewell from Luna Park.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: Very cool. That is just what my apartment looks like -- not exactly.

Well now this -- a frantic rush to the hospital. A frightening realization that two very soon to be parents didn't make it in time. But in the end a very sweet reminder of the joy of life and all of it captured on dad's GoPro camera. Here is Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know how some people like to wear GoPro cameras while they ski or while they surf? How about while your wife gives birth?

KRISTIN DICKERSON, MOTHER: He's going out.

MOOS: When his wife went into labor, Troy Dickerson strapped his camera to his head.

K. DICKERSON: Please, please.

TROY DICKERSON, FATHER: Next exit. Next exit.

MOOS: Doing 95 at 1:30 in the morning, headed for Texas Children's Pavilion for Women. They made it as far as the curb.

K. DICKERSON: His head --

T. DICKERSON: Ok, you want to sit down?

MOOS: But Kristin Dickerson says she couldn't move.

T. DICKERSON: Sit down so I can catch him. Sit down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sit down.

K. DICKERSON: I really wanted to appease everyone and sit down, because everyone was telling me to sit down. But it just wasn't happening.

MOOS: Kristin actually teaches birth education.

T. DICKERSON: Kristin, don't push yet. Don't push.

K. DICKERSON: His head is out. I'm not kidding.

MOOS: So her husband, Troy, sort of knew what to do.

T. DICKERSON: She actually taught birth classes out of our house for a little while. I have seen too many birth videos for one man to see.

MOOS: You know who did go in the other direction. Did you see that security guard?

K. DICKERSON: Oh. His head is coming out.

You know, we realized later he was going to page the emergency response team.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get a doctor out here now.

T. DICKERSON: When I saw the head, that's when it really kicked in. Ok, he can't stay like that. His head halfway out for much longer. That's when I said, go ahead push.

Push, good. Good girl, good girl. Good girl. I got him. I got him. I got him.

MOOS: Troy used a little discretion, censoring some of the video. He recorded the births of his two other sons, and he's a huge fan of the GoPro.

K. DICKERSON: Never dreamed that the whole nation would be watching that.

MOOS: Medical staff arrived in time to mop up. T. DICKERSON: You did it. That's awesome.

K. DICKERSON: I love you. Oh, baby.

T. DICKERSON: You did it.

MOOS: Troy really did earn the retired obstetrician hat someone gave him. As for the parking valet who tried to get Kristin to sit -- what do you tip someone for watching your wife give birth?

T. DICKERSON: $20.

K. DICKERSON: Yes, $20. I don't think that really probably compensated him for what -- for the trauma he had to go through.

MOOS: Meet (inaudible) Dickerson, that kid should have to watch this video every Mother's Day to be reminded of what his mom went through for him.

K. DICKERSON: It's great natural birth control for a teenager. We'll show it to him when he's 16.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: That is incredible. Jeanne Moos, great story. I agree with you, by the way, that you know, the kid should have to watch that video to see what his mom went through. Congrats to the parents.

Thanks for being with me today. Happy Friday, everyone. I'm Poppy Harlow.

"@THIS HOUR WITH BERMAN AND MICHAELA" starts right now.