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President Zelenskyy Make His First Visit to Washington; U.S. Promise to Send More Aid to Ukraine; Millions Brazing for Bomb Cyclone; January 6 Committee Release Final Report. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired December 22, 2022 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from the United States and all around the world. You're watching CNN Newsroom. I'm Kristie Lu Stout.

Just ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Ukraine didn't fall. Ukraine is alive and kicking.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: A historic moment in Washington as the president of Ukraine expresses his gratitude to the U.S. and delivers an impassioned plea for more help for his war-torn nation.

Plus, a record-breaking arctic freeze is affecting tens of millions of Americans. We're live at the CNN weather center with the latest.

And with the Trump era immigration policy known as Title 42 in limbo, cities along the U.S. southern border are bracing for a potential migrant surge. We'll look at how officials in Texas and beyond are preparing.

Ukraine is alive and kicking and will never surrender. Those powerful words from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he delivered an inspiring and historic address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday evening. The Ukrainian leader was greeted by cheers and a standing ovation from lawmakers.

And in a remarkable moment just coming 300 days after Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of his country. Mr. Zelenskyy's visit to Washington lasted just hours when marked his first trip outside Ukraine since the war began. He went before Congress to express his gratitude for critical U.S. support, but also to ask for more assistance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY: Our two nations are allies in this battle. And next year will be a turning point. I know it. The point when Ukrainian courage and American resolve must guarantee the future of our common freedom, the freedom of people who stand for their values.

Your support is crucial. Not just to stand in such fight, but to get to the turning point to win on the battlefield. We have artillery. Yes. Thank you. We have it. Is it enough? Honestly, not really.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: hours ahead of that historic speech to Congress, Mr. Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House with the two leaders displayed a united front against Russia's war on Ukraine. The visit coming as the U.S. announces a new nearly $2 billion military aid package for Ukraine, that includes a Patriot missile defense system, considered the most advanced air defense system in the U.S. arsenal.

Now inside the Oval Office, Mr. Zelenskyy presented Mr. Biden with a military cross medal that belonged to Ukrainian soldier serving on the front lines and called his visit to Washington a great honor. A similar sentiment echoed by Mr. Biden who emphasized the importance of meeting his Ukrainian counterpart in person.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It's all about looking someone in the eye, and I mean it sincerely. I don't think there's any, any, any substitute for sitting down face to face with a friend or a foe and looking him in the eye.

Now, this guy has -- in his to his very soul is who he says he is. It's clear who he is. He's willing to give his life for his country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: CNN has correspondents across the globe covering developments. We got Clare Sebastian live for us in London. Jessica Dean is at the Capitol where President Zelenskyy spoke to Congress. Oren Liebermann is at the Pentagon with a look at the Patriot missile system. But we begin with Phil Mattingly at the White House.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For a leader that has become a beacon of, to some degree, freedom, hope, democracy for the western world over the course of the last 300 plus days, there was no more dramatic and potentially consequential seven to eight hours.

Then the seven to eight hours President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spent going from the White House meeting with President Biden up to Capitol Hill, speaking to a joint session of Congress all through the lens of a conflict that shows no signs of ending any time soon.

And that was one of the primary takeaways from his sprint through Washington, D.C., his first trip out of Ukraine since Russia invaded at the end of February.

[03:05:04]

The reality that, as long as Vladimir Putin, as long as Russia continues to mount the invasion that they've had ongoing now for nearly 10 months. There are no compromises to make in the words of Zelenskyy. There is no change. There's no shift.

And this is not just a battle between two countries, an invader, and the Ukrainian people. This is a battle really, to some degree, at least in the framing of Zelenskyy, for democracy, for many of the western values that President Biden has made clear are essential in this moment in time.

And that is why this visit when you talked to White House officials, was so critically important given the scale of the U.S. assistance over the course of the last nine or 10 months. Given the fact that while Zelenskyy was here, Biden announced another $1.8 billion in security assistance, including the most substantial addition of weapons capability in the Patriot missile defense system that has ever been put on the table. Something that Zelenskyy made clear he wants more of.

They need lawmakers to continue to support that. They need the American public to continue to support that. And Zelenskyy made clear that was in part why he was here and had a very, very clear message. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY: Your money is not charity. It's an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.

(APPLAUSE)

ZELENSKYY: Russia -- Russia could stop its aggression really, if it wanted to, but you can speed up our victory. I know it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Now officials familiar with Biden's closed-door meeting with Zelenskyy lasted a little more than two hours, both a one-on-one meeting and a bilateral meeting between their two national security teams. So, there were no clear moves towards some type of peace pathway. That is simply not on the table so long as Vladimir Putin and the Russian military continue the pathway they've pursued.

But they all seem to agree that next year, starting in just a couple of days, is a turning point, a critical year, and a moment where the Ukrainian forces plan to make some type of breakthrough. How they're going to do that though, remains somewhat unclear.

You talk to U.S. officials they see this now more as a stalemate when it comes to the battle space than any type of progression forward on one side or the other. And that underscores another critical component, Zelenskyy making clear they would be asking for more assistance pretty much daily from here on out. Underscoring that while the U.S. has by far. given the most money, weapons, economic support up to this point, much more will be needed in the months, and perhaps longer ahead.

Phil Mattingly, CNN, the White House.

LU STOUT: Now the Patriot missile defense system will be the most advanced military equipment the U.S. has sent to Ukraine. A senior U.S. defense official tells CNN it will take several months to properly train Ukrainian forces on the Patriot system.

Our Pentagon correspondent Oren Liebermann has more.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The Patriot missile is the U.S. military's most advanced missile defense system. Capable of shooting down a variety of targets from ballistic missiles to aircraft. The system will bolster Ukraine's air defenses, which have had to contend with repeated Russian barrages of drones, missiles, and more.

The Patriot batteries will fit like an extended dome over Ukraine's current systems. Patriots can have a range of 40 miles or more, and the radar can detect threats even farther away. A long-range air defense capability, which Ukraine has requested for months.

Below that are systems like the U.S. provided NASAMS with a range of 25 miles, a medium range system that's proven very effective. And then there are the short-range options like Stingers that Ukraine has used as well.

MARK CANCIAN, SENIOR ADVISER, CSIS INTERNATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAM: Patriots are significant politically and useful militarily, but they're not a game changer.

LIEBERMANN: This is a high-end system. Missile experts say a Patriot battery with missiles costs about a billion dollars, so Ukraine shouldn't use these to take out relatively inexpensive Iranian drones. The system itself has six major parts according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a control station, a radar set, a generator on antenna, and of course, the launcher and missiles. It takes about a hundred personnel to operate a full system.

Nearly 20 countries have Patriot missile batteries. Israel has used them to intercept drones and even Syrian aircraft. Saudi Arabia has effectively used Patriots to intercept ballistic missiles and more from Yemen.

CANCIAN: I think the system will work against a wide variety of Russian threats. This is by far the most complicated system that we have given to the Ukrainians.

LIEBERMANN: But complete training on patriot batteries takes weeks, if not more. Time is one luxury Ukraine does not have.

[03:09:55] Pentagon officials say it will take several months to train up the Ukrainians on how to operate the Patriots. They'll try to compress that timeline as much as they can, but it is a complex system and I think we're about to find out if it's even possible to compress it beyond several months.

I also wouldn't overlook the other capabilities in this $1.8 billion Ukraine assistance package, more of the HIMARS ammunition that they've used so effectively, more vehicles, precision guided bomb kits. JDAM in military terminology that it will allow the Ukrainians to carry out bomb emissions from fighter jets.

They'll have some technical know-how that they'll have to implement to make that work on their Soviet era fighters. But they've done that before and I think there's no doubt they'll do it again.

One final note on this package. There's a lot of non-NATO standard artillery ammunition in here. Why is that significant? The U.S. doesn't produce that, so that's being sourced from elsewhere. That will go to the tubes and the artillery, the ammunition, the weapons that Ukraine already has. That'll help them in the systems with which they are already familiar for what is still a punishing ground battle.

Oren Liebermann, CNN in the Pentagon.

LU STOUT: Now earlier, I spoke with former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Steven Pifer. I asked him how the Patriot system will boost Ukraine's defenses against Russian attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVEN PIFER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: The Patriot has a very good capability against enemy aircraft, but also against ballistic missiles. And that may be sort of the unique contributions the Patriot will allow Ukraine to defend against Russian ballistic missiles, such as the Iskander.

And again, the provision of this, so there's also a symbolic message here, which is a commitment of long-term American support, because it'll take a while to train the Ukrainians on the Patriot. But that's showing that, you know, several months down the line, America is still going to be there.

LU STOUT: And the issue of more aid, you know, in his speech, Zelenskyy said this, quote, "we have artillery. Yes, thank you. Is it enough? Not really." And that was a moment that actually got a laugh in the chamber, but it is a very, very significant point. Ukraine will be seeking more aid, but will a divided Congress approve it?

PIFER: Yes. Again, I think part of the message that Zelenskyy directed at the Congress was to bolster support for Ukraine.

LU STOUT: Yes.

PIFER: And bear in mind that if you go back to the early 1990s, there's a long tradition of bipartisan support for Ukraine. It was really only in the last eight or nine months where you've seen this fisher emerge within the Republican Party, where most Republicans, I believe, understand the importance of Ukraine and that the Americans have an interest in Ukraine's defense.

You have though this minority group, the people who you know, MAGA people, perhaps the incoming speaker of the House who though seemed to question that. And I think this speech probably bolstered support not only in within Congress, but also among the American public for Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: That was Steven Pifer speaking to me earlier.

Now it is meant to be the most wonderful time of the year, but a bomb cyclone is threatened to take away all the cheer of the holiday season in the U.S. The National Weather Service says that the once in a generation winter storm will cripple travel and some of the busiest travel days of the year.

More than a thousand flights have already been canceled for today and more than 100 million Americans are now under winter weather and wind chill alerts from coast to coast. In the states of Georgia and Kentucky both declared a state of emergency.

Now let's go straight to our meteorologist, Britley Ritz. She joins us live from the CNN weather center in Atlanta. And Britley, that's just going to be a brutal forecast ahead.

BRITLEY RITZ, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. The next three days across the plains moving into the southeast, up through the Ohio Valley and into the northeast, the system itself already taken hold of the Pacific Northwest into the northern plains and dipping down into Texas.

Now, this is your 24-hour temperature change, A 67-degree difference in Casper. It's colder this morning, that's for sure as that arctic air takes hold. Record, temperature drop in Cheyenne, by the way, from 43 degrees to 10 degrees, just within 10 minutes time. So, it's awfully chilly out there for many of us, and this is just going to be an ongoing situation over the past 24 hours.

When you factor in the wind, you may think it's cold with the actual temperature, but when you factor in a wind, it feels much colder. You get what's called the windchill, and we've already had 70 below windchill values. That arctic air sinks down into Texas over the Ohio Valley, and then pushing into the northeast here within the next two days' time hours below freezing.

This is important here. Jackson, Mississippi were expected to have over 80 hours below freezing. This is when your pipe starts to freeze. So, keep that in mind. You want to keep your temperature at your house roughly around 65 degrees, and make sure you have your pipes, your faucets turned on so that they're dripping. Keep that water moving.

[03:14:57] Also, want to keep in mind, frostbite can take place. This is when it gets really dangerous. Five to 10 minutes exposure time with windchills of 35 to 45 below, not good. Stay indoors if you can.

Chicago, you'll have windchill values of 33 below. By Friday, Minneapolis 32, and if windchills are even worse when you get winds of 74 miles per hour. And we're already dealing with that across the northern plains.

By the way, folks, that's a category one hurricane strength wind. Windchill warnings from the Pacific Northwest down through Texas into the southeast and windchill watches through the Ohio Valley. Hard freeze warnings all across the deep south. Now pushing into the southeast where temperatures are expected to get down to around 28 degrees, and stay there for several hours. Plus blizzard warnings still across the plains and back now across into the Great Lakes.

LU STOUT: Wow. These are tough conditions for people to prepare for.

RITZ: Yes.

LU STOUT: Britley Ritz, thank you so much for that information. So valuable, and take care.

Now, as reported earlier, more than a thousand flights have already been canceled across the U.S. according to the flight tracking site FlightAware, and the number is growing sometimes by the minute.

Many airlines are issuing weather waivers and asking travelers to check their flight status before departing for the airport. One family traveling from Chicago to Florida moved their plans up by two days so they don't get stuck due to the blizzard.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYHAN AKTHAR, MOVED TRAVEL DAYS DUE TO STORM: I think my dad just saw in the news that there's going to be a huge blizzard Thursday and my brother only has a few days off while he is in, while we visited him. So, we didn't want our flight to get delayed and miss out on some of that time, so we thought we'd just move it up two days just to avoid it altogether.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now experts are also warning travelers to arrive early at the airport in order to beat the crowd. And in addition to those presents you're taking, also pack plenty of patience.

You're watching CNN Newsroom. Still ahead, the U.S. House committee investigating the January 6th insurrection releases the first of hundreds of witness testimony transcripts.

Plus, we're hearing the Senate is making good progress on a $1.7 trillion government funding bill. When we can expect a vote.

[03:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now the U.S. House committee investigating the January 6th insurrection is expected to publish its final report today. On Wednesday, it released transcripts of interviews with more than two dozen witnesses, including some major players in Donald Trump's orbit.

Sara Murray has details.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: The January 6th committee failing to meet the deadline they set for themselves to release their full report on Wednesday. Instead, saying that full report is going to be available to the public on Thursday. We're expecting that to be eight chapters, hundreds of pages. Everyone is still waiting.

In the meantime, though, on Wednesday evening, the committee did release 34 transcripts. These are largely transcripts of people who didn't answer investigators questions. In most cases, they invoked their fifth amendment right against self-incrimination, but they included big names.

They include Trump's former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, the former Trump lawyer, John Eastman, who we know is under DOJ scrutiny, and one of Donald Trump's longtime allies, Roger Stone. And they give you a look into how these folks kind of steiny (Ph) congressional investigators. You know, in a two-part interview, Jeffrey Clark, that former DOJ official, was sort of combative.

I mean, at one point his attorneys presented a 12-page list of objections to why they didn't think he should be there. In his second deposition, he invoked his fifth amendment right against self- incrimination more than 120 times.

The other thing that sticks out though, is in the questioning, the investigators make clear in their questions for a number of these folks, they've still been able to obtain e-mails or text messages that even these witnesses who did not want to provide anything with the committee are listed on.

So, it gives you some insight into just how much congressional investigators were able to obtain that. They got e-mails, they got text messages even from witnesses who did not believe that they wanted to hand anything over to the committee because of their fifth amendment rights.

We are of course, waiting for the big report still to come.

Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.

LU STOUT: Now we are learning new details about Donald Trump's taxes. Thanks to a pair of reports from Congress. One shows the former president paid no federal income tax in 2020, his last year in the White House. It also shows he had a pattern of losing money, carrying forward tens of millions of dollars in losses that helped reduce his tax bill. The House Ways and Means committee is expected to make public six years of Trump's tax returns within the next few days.

Now the U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer as members are making good progress on a $1.7 trillion bill to fund the U.S. government. A vote could come Friday or Saturday. The measure includes more than $44 billion for aid to Ukraine, an overhaul of the Electoral Account Act of 1887, the Secure Act 2.0, which builds on retirement savings options for American workers, and a ban on TikTok on government issued device.

Now two former top lieutenants of the crypto exchange FTX are now charged with defrauding investors. And the former CEO of the now bankrupt company has been extradited from The Bahamas. These images show Sam Bankman-Fried being taken to the U.S. to face charges. He's expected to appear before George -- Judge in New York later today.

Now Bankman-Fried was arrested last week on eight counts of fraud and conspiracy. And prosecutors accuse him of stealing money from FTX customers to support other investments and donate money to political campaigns.

Now straight ahead, we got more on our top story. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's historic visit to Washington. His meeting with President Biden and the rousing an inspiring speech he delivered to Congress.

Plus, New York is asking for federal aid amid a growing influx of migrants. The city official weighs in on the issue.

Plus, Benjamin Netanyahu cuts a deal with coalition partners to form Israel's next government. Why even some of his allies are uneasy with his cabinet picks.

[03:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back. We got more on our top story this hour.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's historic visit to Washington rallying U.S. support for Ukraine's fight against Russia. He was first welcome to the White House where President Zelenskyy gave U.S. President Joe Biden a medal that belonged to Ukrainian captain serving on the front lines.

President Biden said it was particularly meaningful to speak to Mr. Zelenskyy in person. Later, Mr. Biden praised the Ukrainian leader for his, quote, "strong stand against aggression." Now President Zelenskyy expressed a gratitude for the Patriot missile defense system the U.S. is sending to Ukraine, part of a nearly $2 billion new aid package.

And then came President Zelenskyy's landmark speech to a joint meeting of Congress. He told lawmakers American support is crucial for Ukraine to win on the battlefield on what he called the frontline of tyranny.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY: The world is too interconnected and interdependent to allow someone to stay aside, and at the same time to feel safe when such a battle continues. Our two nations are allies in this battle. And next year will be a turning point. I know it, the point when Ukrainian courage and American resolve must guarantee the future of our common freedom, the freedom of people who stand for their values.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:30:00]

LU STOUT: Mr. Zelenskyy's historic visit was meant to highlight the continued commitment of U.S. support for Ukraine. And it comes at a pivotal time as President Biden's ability to maintain that support is being tested.

Now CNN's congressional correspondent Jessica Dean has more.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presenting a historic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night, thanking the American people for all that they've done to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and thanking Congress as well for the billions of dollars that it is authorized to be sent over to Ukraine.

Ironically, as we speak, the Senate is voting on an omnibus bill overnight and into the -- likely into the morning as well, that will authorize $45 billion in additional funding. All eyes though, on a small contingent of House GOP members who have been very vocal that they do not support Ukrainian funding in the same way that we have seen coming out of Congress in the past year or so.

We did speak with House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy who says that he does support Ukraine, but he does not support what he calls a blank check. There were other members of his caucus, including Matt Gaetz who said he attended out of respect, but not agreement.

Why this is important is because of course, Republicans will be taking over the House in January for the new Congress. And any sort of additional funding that Ukraine may hope to get is going to have to clear both chambers of Congress. The question is, what will House Republicans do about this? What type of level of support will that be?

We did speak with Senator Lindsey Graham who is very much a supporter of Ukraine and -- Ukraine aid, a Republican from South Carolina. He called the anti-Ukraine contingent of the party very small, a minority. He believes that the party will continue to support Ukraine.

Jessica Dean, CNN, Capitol Hill.

LU STOUT: As President Zelenskyy speaks about the current war, Russian President Vladimir Putin is talking about possible future ones. On Wednesday, he announced Moscow will step up investment in its military to prepare for what he called inevitable clashes with its adversaries, he made it clear the main adversary is NATO, which President Putin claims wants to weaken and split Russia. And to defend itself he said Russia must rely on its nuclear deterrence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We need to continue to support and to improve the readiness of our mutual nuclear units. This is the main guarantee of our sovereignty and territorial integrity, a strategic priority is the overall balance of power in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: OK. For more, let's go straight to CNN's Clare Sebastian. She joins us live from London. And Clare, Zelenskyy is are turning now to Ukraine with more U.S. aid and defense weaponry in hand. You have Vladimir Putin saying that there would be no limits in terms of financing the war in Ukraine. What could come next?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think that is the big question, Kristie. We don't know exactly what this means for the battlefield in Ukraine. But clearly, Russia is very firmly on a war footing. There were two key elements to the speech. One is that, as you say, Russia very firmly believes that it is sort of under siege at war, not only with Ukraine, but with what it sees is an expansionist NATO.

This was, of course, one of the original justifications that Putin put forward for launching the invasion in Ukraine. And the second theme, of course, is the expansion of the military. Take a listen to on the subject of NATO his opening remarks in this speech that he gave on Wednesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PUTIN (through translator): It's well known that today the military potential and opportunities of virtually all the main countries of NATO are being used against Russia. Nevertheless, our soldiers, officers and sergeants are fighting for Russia courageously and staunchly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: Well, he announced along with his defense minister that he wanted to increase the size of the Russian army from a million to one and a half million people, a 30 percent increase. He talked about accelerating a hypersonic missile program, as you heard in an earlier clip, increasing the readiness of his nuclear forces, modernizing them.

This was a very strident speech in a week where we've seen many strident speeches from Putin. And the idea that Russia is in conflict, not just with Ukraine, but with the west as well. Reinforced in comments in reaction to Zelenskyy's visit that we got from the Russian ambassador to the U.S.

He said The Hollywood style trip to Washington by the head of the Kyiv regime has confirmed that the administration's conciliatory statements about the lack of intention to start a confrontation with Russia are just empty words.

Putting forward, again, as I said, that idea that the U.S. is somehow being drawn into the conflict through this provision of weapons. President Biden would not be drawn on the idea that the Patriot missiles that are now going to be provided to Ukraine would be seen by Russia as an escalation. But I think we can conclude that that is exactly how Russia sees it.

LU STOUT: Clare Sebastian reporting on Russia's response. Thank you.

[03:35:03]

Dozens of well-known venues all around the world went dark on Wednesday to show solidarity with Ukraine. The Ukrainian government says the goal was to raise funds through President Zelenskyy's united 24 initiative to buy generators for Ukrainian hospitals.

Venues in Europe joined the campaign, including the E.U. Commission building in Brussels. In Sydney, the city's famous opera house temporarily shut off its lights, while elsewhere in the city, the Ukrainian Bell Carol.

Sydney's town hall also went dark with the sounds of Christmas carols playing outside. Now Ukraine is struggling with widespread power outages due to relentless Russian strikes on its power grid.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: The lines of migrants are growing longer by the day at the U.S.-Mexico border with the Trump era immigration policy known as Title 42, still in limbo. Now that policy which allows border officials to quickly expel migrants to slow the spread of COVID was due to expire Wednesday before the Supreme Court's chief justice stepped in to put its termination on hold.

Border cities, as well as the Biden administration are still preparing as if Title 42 will end sooner than later. But until it does, the certainty looms over the thousands of migrants trying to seek asylum.

Rosa Flores has more from Brownsville, Texas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The anticipation building on the Mexican side of the border on the day Title 42 was set to be lifted.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

FLORES: These videos shot by a migrant and provided to CNN show migrants in Matamoros using rafts to cross the Rio Grande.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

[03:40:06] FLORES: Some in the crowd provide commentary, saying they're tired of the long wait, and that U.S. immigration authorities are watching it all happen.

I'm in Brownsville, Texas. The river is right behind me. Our drone cameras capturing a similar scene, a large group of migrants on the Mexican side, a large law enforcement presence on the U.S. side, and our cameras were rolling as a group of migrants, including a child crossed into the United States and turned themselves into authorities.

All this contributing to what one law enforcement source says is up to 1,200 migrants turning themselves into border authorities every day in this part of south Texas.

Border Patrol is dropping off hundreds of them in respite centers say advocates. Most of them travel out the same day, but local shelters are starting to see an uptick of migrants who can't afford to.

So, migrants from all over the world.

UNKNOWN: Yes, they're coming in from all over the world.

FLORES: Like this family from Venezuela who say they sold everything they owned and borrowed money to migrate to the U.S. as a situation in their country became unbearable. They say that about four months ago. Spread in Venezuela that the U.S. border was open.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

FLORES: That's why you decided to come here.

Omar and Gleny (Ph) want to go by their first names only because of fear it could impact their case. For 29 days they braved the elements with their eight-year-old daughter Camila (Ph) in an encampment in Matamoros.

Once you got to the border, you realized that the border was closed. They turned themselves into immigration at the port of entry this week.

What would you tell migrants? He says that it's not worth selling everything you own to come to the United States because the border is closed. As evidenced by these videos showing migrants risking their lives.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

FLORES: And the lives of their children to end their weight in Mexico and start life in the U.S. The Venezuelan couple in our story says that their first appointment with an immigration judge is set for November, 2024. That's nearly two years from now. But that speaks to the backlog in U.S. Immigration court.

According to analysis of federal data by a group at Syracuse University, for the first time in history the number of cases in U.S. immigration court now exceeds two million. Rosa Flores, CNN, Brownsville, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now, meanwhile, New York's mayors says he spoke to two lawmakers about federal aid to address the migrant crisis in the city. Eric Adams claims the influx of migrants into New York is a national issue because it has strained the city's resources. And he says the federal spending bill currently being negotiated has the money the city needs.

A source tells CNN the city is expected to get the federal aid into providing relief for areas overwhelmed by asylum seekers.

Mark Levine is the Manhattan Borough president and joins us now from New York.

Sir, thank you very much indeed for joining us here in CNN.

Now, there are reports that New York City could get a big chunk of $800 million in federal aid. How will that assistance help you and your work with migrants?

MARK LEVINE, MANHATTAN BOROUGH PRESIDENT: Well, I am really proud the way that New York City has been welcoming these asylum seekers with open arms. But make no mistake, we need federal assistance to do this. We need financial assistance, and we're encouraged by the possibility that that help will be coming in this budget.

But we also need logistical support. We need a national plan to apportion the migrants to the cities and states that have capacity, and we need work permits for these migrants as well, granted by the federal government. We need assistance on many fronts. If there's another way of coming, the time is now for the federal government to step up.

LU STOUT: Yes. New York City, as you pointed out, has stepped up to welcome migrants with open arms and the numbers of new arrivals are rising. They're going to rise further. At this moment where can you house them and how much capacity do you have left?

LEVINE: Well, you know, we've received over 30,000 migrants in New York in the previous wave, still 20,000 of them are in our shelter system. So, space is extremely tight. It's going to take emergency measures to perhaps contract with additional empty hotels, or in the worst-case scenario, they have to set up tents. No one wants it to come to that.

We do have a capacity problem here, and it's why we do need a national plan so that migrants are distributed based on where there is capacity, where there are existing family networks. And right now, we're leaving those decisions up to governors like Greg Abbott in Texas, whose only motive is cynical politics. He's not thinking of the welfare of the migrants themselves. That's no way to run a national policy. We need really a plan here to make sure that New York isn't bearing this burden alone. [03:45:02]

LU STOUT: Yes. You know, the federal aid that we talked about earlier will help provide, you know, housing services for some arriving migrants, but you're calling for a national plan, a plan to redistribute migrants seeking asylums so that the load is shared across the United States, not just New York City.

Are you talking to other states as well as the federal government about this plan to get their buy-in?

LEVINE: Well, city hall in New York is talking to city leaders across the country for sure, and many of them are saying that they have capacity to receive migrants themselves, but we're leaving it up to governors like Greg Abbott to decide what cities to send their buses to. That really doesn't lead to a rational plan.

We can do this in a more logical way, a more ordered way, and we've got to get that plan ready now because we could be days away from as many as a thousand migrants arriving regularly, every day, seven days a week in New York. That will be an enormous strain on all our systems here.

We're going to find a way to meet the need we always have. I'm so proud of that. But we do need more help.

LU STOUT: Yes. Right now, you're managing an acute migrant crisis. An enormous strain on resources there, it's only going to get worse in the coming days and weeks. And as you've written and pointed out, you said New York has always been home to those who seek better opportunities.

Do you feel that this moment is a reminder of what New York stands for, what your city stands for, but you can't do it alone?

LEVINE: Absolutely. We are the home of the Statue of Liberty for a reason. Every wave of immigrants who's come here has enriched our city, and that's true for this wave as well of mostly immigrants from Venezuela and other Latin American countries. They've come here to work.

When I talk to them the first question, they ask me is, how can I get a job? They're going to contribute to our workforce, to our economy. They're going to pay taxes, but in the short term, they have enormous needs for housing, for food, for clothing, for healthcare. New York City is providing but we need federal assistance to do it. That's our pleas.

LU STOUT: And just to bring it down to just a human level, it's winter, it is cold in New York City. Thousands of people have fled poverty, war, persecution. They're there entering the United States, or in New York City. Many are homeless. So, in addition to providing shelter, food, and water, you know, there's also the human support, the social services support that's needed.

LEVINE: Well, these migrants are fleeing horrible conditions in their home country. Their travels here often on foot for thousands of miles have just been harrowing, especially for young people. The trauma they've experienced is almost unspeakable. They need intensive social support.

We've now, I'm sorry to say, had a second death by suicide in our shelter system among migrants. Just a painful reminder that these are human beings. They should not be treated like political pawns. They have suffered, and we must do right by them. We can, but it does require a true investment of social supports. And of course, all the other services that you mentioned, clothing, food, shelter, healthcare, and more.

LU STOUT: Yes, this is a critical, critical time for tens of thousands of people. Mark Levine, thank you so much for joining us.

LEVINE: It's a pleasure. Thank you.

LU STOUT: Now Israel is one step closer to having its most right-wing government in history. On Wednesday, Prime Minister designate Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he formed a new governing coalition, but the incoming cabinet is set to include politicians who were once considered to be on the extreme fringes of Israeli politics.

Now for more Hadas Gold joins us live from Jerusalem. And Hadas, what comes next for Netanyahu and his new government?

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Kristie, after Netanyahu and his coalition partners had a better-than-expected result in that November 1st election. He said that he was going to form a government within a week, maybe two weeks, but then it took weeks of wheeling and dealing with his new coalition partners. And then last night, minutes before that midnight deadline, Benjamin Netanyahu let the Israeli president know that he was going to form a government, that he had managed to do so.

Now there's actually still some coalition agreements that he needs to sign. And there we still don't know exactly who will be which ministers. And actually, they also need to pass a few laws in order to let these ministers, even be able to perform their duties.

But there's a lot of concern. Excuse me. There's a lot of concern amongst Israel's allies, including the United States about who these new ministers are. Excuse me, Kristie, I just need -- sorry. Kristie, there's a lot of concern amongst Israel's allies about these new ministers.

[03:49:53]

I want to read to you a little bit because the ministers, some of these were once considered the far-right fringe of Israeli politics, and there's a lot of concern that now these ministers are going to have control of policies in the West Bank in Jerusalem's holiest sites.

Itamar Ben-Gvir once -- was once considered a far-right activist settler lawyer. He was once convicted in 2007 of anti-Arab racism and supporting a Jewish terrorist group. And now he's going to be national security minister. There's Bezalel Smotrich. He wants to annex the West Bank. He wants to abolish the Palestinian authority. Now he's going to be minister of finance and also have a hand in authority that helps manage the border crossings for Palestinians and their permits.

And then there's also a man who has declared, he is a proud homophobe. That has been, his name is Avi Maoz. He has been appointed to likely to be a position in the education ministry. That is causing a lot of uproar.

Now, Benjamin Netanyahu has said that ultimately the buck will stop with him and it will be his government. He will be the one that will be deciding the policy. But there's a lot of concern that he's creating something that he will not ultimately be able to control because these ministers will be in positions of potentially great power.

Now, for the United States' part, they are saying that they will be decide -- they will be judging this new government based on its policies and not on its people. Kristie?

LU STOUT: God, it was tough negotiations that brought together this controversial new government. Hadas Gold reporting. We thank you. Take a sip of water, my friend. Do take care.

You're watching CNN Newsroom. We'll be right back.

[03:55:00]

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LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now, the New York Yankees have named superstar outfielder Aaron Judge as their newest team captain. Judge is now just the 16th captain in the team's history following the footsteps of other baseball greats like Lou Gehrig and Derek Jeter.

Now the 30-year-old just signed a nine-year deal with the Yankees with a reported $360 million following a record-breaking season. The reigning American league MVP is the first captain for the Yankees since the Hall of Famer Jeter retired in 2014. Judge says it is an incredible honor.

And before we go, NASA has announced the end of a groundbreaking mission that studied the interior of Mars. After more than four years on the Red Planet, the insight landers stopped responding to messages from mission control.

On Monday, the program posted a message on Twitter writing from the Landers point of. My power is really low, so this may be the last image I can send. Don't worry about me though, my time here has been both productive and serene. If I can keep talking to my mission team, I will, but I'll be signing off here soon. Thanks for staying with me.

Bittersweet but somehow vibes there. A little bit creepy.

Thank you for your company. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. Thank you so much for joining us. Have yourselves a wonderful day. CNN Newsroom continues with Max Foster, next.

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