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Crisis At U.S. Southern Border; Mayor: 12,500-Plus Migrants Living Under Texas Bridge; TX Governor Orders National Guard, State Police To Help With Migrant Surge; Future For LGBTQ Afghans Left Behind Is Death; Police: Gabby Petito's Fiance And Those Around Him Have Information. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired September 17, 2021 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:33:32]
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Texas Governor Greg Abbott is directing his state's Department of Public Safety and National Guard to maintain a presence at the U.S.-Mexico border to deter more migrants from crossing.
He's reversing, also, his order yesterday to shut down six ports of entry at the border.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: The Department of Homeland Security says the shutdown would violate federal law. And, quote, "It is not seeking assistance from Texas to shut down ports of entry."
Now, in Del Rio, Texas, more than 12,500 migrants are now living under a bridge waiting to be processed.
CNN's Rosa Flores is in Del Rio and has this report for us.
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, Alisyn, local officials say that they are still waiting for the federal government to send more resources.
What they're concerned about? The humanitarian crisis that's just beyond these gates.
If you look closely, you'll see that there's some law enforcement activity. Well, beyond that is a bridge where thousands of migrants are waiting to be processed by U.S. immigration authorities.
According to officials here, they say that most of them are Haitians.
I've talked to at least one African woman and a family from Venezuela.
But these individuals say that some of them have been traveling for months.
If you look closely, we were able to get an aerial view yesterday, thanks to the Texas Department of Public Safety. And you're able to see that some of these people are beginning to live in this area. [14:34:57]
A camp is beginning to be set up. You see tents that are popping up made out of plastic and blankets. And they're also drying their clothes on fences.
Now, officials here are very concerned about the potential public health issue just because there are so many people in one small area.
They also say that processing these individuals could take more than two weeks.
That's why they're asking the federal government to send more resources to this area so that they can expedite the processing of these people.
Because the images that you're looking at, that really is what the waiting area at immigration is looking like right now in Del Rio, Texas.
Now, all this as Governor Greg Abbott announced yesterday that he was planning to close six points of entry here along the border. And blaming the Biden administration, saying that agents are overwhelmed.
And then saying that it was actually Customs and Border Protection with DHS that had asked the state of Texas for resources to assist in the closure of these points of entry.
DHS firing back yesterday, saying that that was not true.
Now, there might be a squabble here, between the federal government and the state government, but local officials here say, look, there doesn't have to be anything other than solutions if everyone can just come together so that this humanitarian crisis can come to an end -- Alisyn, Victor?
BLACKWELL: Rosa Flores for us there. Rosa, thank you so much.
There are new warnings about what is being dubbed a looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan since the Taliban's takeover. We'll have details on that.
CAMEROTA: But first, all next week, on CNN, our special, "CHAMPIONS FOR CHANGE" series. These are stories that spotlight everyday people who are inspiring others.
So here's a quick preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Join your favorite CNN anchors for a special week.
ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Immigrants enrich our country, and they're proving it.
ANNOUNCER: Sharing stories of change makers. DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This is one of the
most devastating and yet preventable issues of our day.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: He helps the defenseless learn to defend themselves.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: Theater teaches courage, confidence, trust.
BLACKWELL: She saw a need, and every day she sets out to fulfill that need.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He is using scuba diving for better environment.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: She is a trail-blazing black woman.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: Preserving the ocean for children.
UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: Empowering women for financial independence.
UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: No one should drown because they don't know how to swim.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There you go.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: Small steps can lead to a big impact.
CAMEROTA: We Are Hope can help kids in school and beyond.
He's a champion.
CABERA: She's a champion.
BLACKWELL: For change.
BOLDUAN: Change.
GUPTA: Change.
ANNOUNCER: "CHAMPIONS FOR CHANGE," all next week on CNN.
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[14:42:21]
BLACKWELL: USAID says it cannot advise Congress of how many of its people are still trying to get out of Afghanistan.
Sources tell CNN that USAID told members of the Senate and House Foreign Relations Committee that it does not have a comprehensive list.
Now, earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told frustrated lawmakers he cannot give a precise number of Americans in Afghanistan who want to get out.
Lawmakers also pressed Blinken about LGBTQ Afghans left behind.
Kimahli Powell is executive director of Rainbow Railroad, a global nonprofit that aims to help LGBTQ people facing persecution and is working to help Afghans escape.
Thank you for being here. It has been a long journey to try to get you on this show. I thank you for being patient.
Kimahli, we've talked a lot about women and girls and their future under the Taliban. But we have not focused enough on LGBTQ people there in Afghanistan. And the future for them is death.
A Taliban judge was quoted in a German paper saying, "for homosexuals, there can only be two punishments, either stoning or he must stand behind a wall that will fall down on him."
Let's start with the reality of life for LGBTQ people in Afghanistan.
KIMAHLI POWELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RAINBOW RAILROAD: Yes, thank you so much for having me.
You know, the reality for LGBTQI people were very dangerous before the Taliban took over.
Afghanistan's a country that criminalizes same-sex intimacy, which means that LGBTQI people could be persecuted even before the Taliban took control.
And our fear is that the situation will be dire for individuals.
We're already hearing reports of lists being circulated, LGBTQI people being victims of attacks and death threats already happening to people who are currently displaced in Afghanistan.
What have you been doing to try to get people out of the country. And give us some idea of the numbers of requests and calls that you're getting?
POWELL: So, Rainbow Railroad is working with Afghan nationals in the United States and other countries, civil society organizations, and as many partners as possible to help people get out.
Up until the immediate withdrawal on August 31st, we were already triaging over 200 people, names that we submitted to the U.S. State Department as well as the United Nations.
Since August 31st, that number has jumped to an additional 500 people. And so we're doing a couple of things.
First and foremost, we're still looking at any immediate opportunities to help people evacuate.
[14:45:04]
And we're calling on the U.S. State Department. Secretary Blinken said he heard about our 10-point plan.
We need to follow up with the State Department to look at immediate evacuation opportunities.
And then we have to shelter in place and protect people who are currently -- gave everything they had to try to evacuate and make sure they could be safe.
And then other countries as well as the United States have to do everything they can to help resettle individuals so they can be safe.
BLACKWELL: Kimahli, the idea of trying to extricate someone based on a specific trait, that could get them killed if other people know what that trait is.
I would imagine that it's unbelievably difficult to identify people and not tell everyone around them why I'm pulling this person out.
POWELL: It's a really sensitive and dangerous time for LGBTQI people at risk.
They're sometimes holed up with their family or other friends, where even declaring themselves members of the community could get them killed. It's really dangerous and sensitive information.
Rainbow Railroad fields requests from multiple countries so we have expertise in this area and we're doing everything we can with our partners to make sure people are safe.
BLACKWELL: And, Kimahli, you're speaking with us from Toronto. Canada has identified LGBTQI people specifically that they want to prioritize to bring to Canada.
There are members of Congress who say that the U.S. should do the same, by identifying them specifically.
The importance of that classification to highlight this population that needs to be pulled out. Talk about that.
POWELL: There are 70 countries that criminalize same-sex intimacy. And what that does is it places them in their country and we're seeing that play out right now in Afghanistan.
In the midst of the turmoil, LGBTQI people are in imminent danger. And that's why there needs to be specialized programs to process them immediately into the United States.
And Rainbow Railroad has the capacity to be an effective referring partner to the U.S. government.
BLACKWELL: Kimahli Powell, with Rainbow Railroad, thank you so much for the work that you are doing for LGBTQ Afghans and for people around the world.
Thanks for your time.
POWELL: Thank you so much for having me.
CAMEROTA: OK, now to this story that has gripped the country. The search is intensifying for Gabby Petito, who went missing during that cross-country trip with her fiance.
And now her fiance's family is speaking out, but why is he refusing to speak to police?
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[14:52:17]
CAMEROTA: The FBI joining the investigation into the disappearance of 22-year-old Gabby Petito. Her family reported her missing when her fiance, Bryan Laundrie, returned home from their road trip without her.
He still has not spoken to police. Investigators think Laundry and people close to him have critical information about Gabby's disappearance.
Now his sister is speaking to the media.
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CASSIE LAUNDRIE, SISTER OF BRYAN LAUNDRIE: Me and my family want Gabby to be found safe. She's like a sister and my children love her. All I want is for her to come home safe and sound, and for this to be just a big misunderstanding.
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BLACKWELL: His sister hold ABC News she hasn't been able to talk to her brother since he returned from the trip alone.
CNN's Athena Jones joins us now.
Athena, HON spoke with Gabby's father. How is he reacting to comments from Bryan Laundrie's sister?
ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think it's fair to say with anger and frustration. He says, if you loved her as a sister, why aren't you doing more to help?
Here is more of what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH PETITO, FATHER OF GABBY PETITO: She's a mother. She's got kids. I'm hoping that the pleas and the begging and the community and entire planet knock some sense into her. She's like I got to speak. I can't live with this on my conscience.
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JONES: We're hearing a lot from Gabby's father and stepfather, who has gone to Wyoming to help with the search.
They whole family are frustrated that the Laundrie family hasn't been more forthcoming. They call Bryan Laundrie's silence reprehensible.
In a letter that the lawyer representing Gabby's parents, he said, "She lived in your house for more than a year. She was engaged to be married to your son. Put yourself in our shoes. If you have any decency left, tell us where we can find Gabby."
They believe that Bryan Laundrie has information about where he last saw her, where he left her.
They have a lot of questions and they are very, very frustrated.
Obviously, Bryan Laundrie has a Fifth Amendment rights not to incriminate himself, a constitutional right. They can't force him to speak.
But there's clearly a growing frustration that he hasn't spoken out to give information.
CAMEROTA: It's inexplicable. Her wouldn't come home and tell the family what happened?
JONES: He drove the van thousands of miles across the country. There's a lot of questions and concerns.
[14:54:04]
Of course, multiple agencies are investigating along with several FBI officers.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
Athena Jones, thanks so much.
The FDA vaccine Advisory Committee is meeting right now to decide if Americans need booster shots. We could have an answer at any minute.
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