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Haitian Immigrants Flee Springfield, Ohio; Notre Dame Rises from the Ashes; Australia Bans Social Media for Users Under 16; Notre Dame Reopens Next Week. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired November 29, 2024 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): -- and inclusion programs, also known as DEI. The company says it's ending racial equity training programs for employees, reevaluating programs that assist minority-owned suppliers and is winding down its center for racial equity. A nonprofit Walmart had set up to address racism in society.

ERIC DEZENHALL, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST: This is a big deal because corporations seem to be going in this direction.

TODD (voice-over): In addition to Walmart, major American companies like Lowe's, Ford, Harley Davidson, and John Deere are scaling back their DEI programs and their support for pride marches and LGBTQ events. Many companies had embraced DEI following the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

ALLAN SCHWEYER, PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER, THE CONFERENCE BOARD: I think the pendulum might have spun a fair bit towards DEI after the George Floyd situation. And I think it started to swing back.

TODD (voice-over): One possible reason for that, President-Elect Donald Trump repeatedly blasting DEI on the campaign trail.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: We're not going to be woke.

TODD (voice-over): And Trump nominating cabinet members like Defense Secretary Nominee Pete Hegseth, who has said woke culture needs to be removed from the U.S. military.

ANNA PALMER, FOUNDER AND CEO, PUNCHBOWL NEWS: I think they're going to be having a lot of scrutiny when it comes to DEI in the federal government, but also with companies that do work and do contracting with the government as well.

TODD (voice-over): And some of the pushback to DEI programs is the work of Robby Starbuck, a former Hollywood music video director who's now a conservative activist.

ROBBY STARBUCK, CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST: We have to fight back. TODD (voice-over): Starbuck has engaged in a popular online campaign against company's diversity programs. On X, Starbuck posted that the Walmart DEI rollback is, quote, "the biggest win yet for our movement."

SCHWEYER: There's no denying that Robby Starbuck has a following that he's able to apply pressure on organizations through social media and otherwise.

DEZENHALL: You are seeing something that we haven't seen before, which is the capacity of conservatives to pull off a boycott because they now have a media base.

TODD (voice-over): One conservative boycott that really took off didn't have anything to do with DEI programs, but did affect a major American corporation last year after Bud Light featured a transgender actress and influencer in a promotion, conservatives called for a boycott of the brand. And musician Kid Rock posted a video of himself shooting at a stack of Bud Light cases.

DEZENHALL: I thought that the Bud Light effort was really very problematic because it was seen as a deep insult to their base, even though it was not intended that way.

TODD: By most accounts, the activist Robby Starbuck is nowhere near finished with his campaign against DEI initiatives. According to USA Today, Starbuck says he's preparing a new list of companies to target for the holiday season, declaring that his side is now winning the battle of public opinion on this issue.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: In the meantime, a number of Haitian immigrants living in Springfield, Ohio, are reportedly fleeing the city, afraid they'll be deported once President-Elect Donald Trump takes office in January. Trump's lies about Haitians in Springfield eating pets went viral during the campaign, generating threats that forced lockdowns and chaos in the small city. Trump went as far as saying he would remove the temporary protective status that allows these immigrants to work and live there legally. And Viles Dorsainvil is the executive director of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center in Springfield, Ohio. He joins us now.

Vilas, I guess, first of all, thank you so much for being with us during this holiday season. We appreciate it. How are folks doing in Springfield? What are you hearing in terms of whether people are moving out of town?

VILES DORSAINVIL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HAITIAN COMMUNITY CENTER: Yes, thank you for having me, Jim. So, I think that there is not a mass exodus, but actually some folks left out of fear and anxiety. Matter of fact that they do not know what might be happening with the upcoming administration. As I said, it's not a mass exodus, but you know that people are not dealing with fear and anxiety the same way, especially when they know that they are here legally and there is that rhetoric that they're going to be removed. So, they try to relocate themselves in a safer place or any other place they believe that they will be safe.

ACOSTA: And so, there are some folks leaving. How are -- for the folks who are staying, how are they feeling? I have to think there must be some anxiety as to whether or not Donald Trump is going to take away their status and they may be forced to go back to Haiti. What can you tell us?

DORSAINVIL: Yes, I think that the folks here they have that kind of confidence because they believe that they are true and peaceful citizen working for the wellbeing of the community. They hear what the president-elect said, but they believe that that will have an economic impact on the city if they remove them. They believe that any government with common sense will rather work with them instead of removing them because they participate in boosting the economy of the community. And there will be a huge economic impact on the community if they remove them.

[10:35:00]

So, they stay here, and they believe that the government -- the upcoming government will think twice before taking that decision because of the role they play in the community by boosting the economy.

ACOSTA: And it's not just the fear of deportation. We understand, Viles, that the Dayton Daily News newspaper has reported that neo- Nazis, the KKK, other hate groups are now routinely visiting Springfield, including something, quote, "the blood tribe," something called the blood tribe, a violent neo-Nazi hate group. Are you picking up on any of this? Are you seeing any of this? What's the atmosphere like in Springfield right now?

DORSAINVIL: I think -- it's a little bit calmer than before. I -- for the past three weeks I don't see them coming. Because I think that the community leaders and the local authorities, they rejected every kind of hate in the city. They do not encourage them. But they used to come in the city just to create some kind of panic in the community. But for now, I don't know if they hear the voices of people and especially there was like a peaceful march last month telling folks around that we are not a community where we want hate in any kind of a thing that could hurt people.

So, I think that they hear that, and for the last three weeks, I don't see them coming in town. So, I don't know. But for now, the condition of the city is a little bit calmer and folks are living to together for the for the Thanksgiving season.

ACOSTA: And, Viles, we spoke with so many people in your community around the time Donald Trump was making these comments about people there eating their cats and dogs and so on, and of course, that was all false. I guess, what is the reaction there to the fact that he won and that he's going to be the president again? What are you picking up on? What are you hearing? What's your reaction?

DORSAINVIL: I think that -- yes. So, people are still here trying to figure out what will happen. And because of the rhetoric that they made, they believe that those rhetoric was forced by the fact that now he's the president-elect. I think that he will be the leader of the country and folks in the community believe that his responsibility will be to join hands with folks here and to make the community better by the fact that it was his campaign promise to make America great again.

And if he wants to do that, I think that he would look for people who do not have a criminal records and people who are here just to make sure that they work for the wellbeing of the community. And they believe as well that they will -- the administration will think of the decision. They would believe as well by the fact that the rhetoric was false. Now, the administration -- the upcoming administration won't make any move to hurt the community anymore.

So, I think this is something that people here believe will happen, and we are just being observant of how it's going to be so, because he is in the position as a leader now to pull everybody together and to look for a better solution for Springfield.

ACOSTA: And do you -- it sounds like you're trying to be optimistic there. Do you think Trump is capable of pulling people together? I mean, after all he did say during the campaign some just terrible nasty things about Haitian immigrants in your community? I mean, I just have to wonder is that maybe some wishful thinking on your part?

DORSAINVIL: He --

ACOSTA: He has talked about mass deportations.

DORSAINVIL: Yes, yes, that's what he says. And it might be some wishful thinking. But at the end of the day, I try to be optimistic about him rethink of his decision, because the thing is Haiti is not in a good shape now for people to go back there. And we believe that his administration will think twice before taking that decision. And especially, I will make a -- I will normally emphasize on that by saying that the Haitian immigrants in Springfield first study here legally and second, they do not have criminal records.

[10:40:00]

ACOSTA: Right.

DORSAINVIL: And third, they -- towards boosting the economy of the country. So, it might be some wishful thinking, but at the end of the day, every administration who would want a better country would normally appreciate those kind of immigrants. So, this is my wish. I don't know, but I just put it out there.

ACOSTA: I appreciate what you're saying, Viles, and it's always good to be optimistic, but what would life be like for some of the people in your community if they are deported back to Haiti? I have to think that they would be worried about that. DORSAINVIL: Yes, they are worried about that because don't forget that they left Haiti because of the insecurity actually.

ACOSTA: Right.

DORSAINVIL: All those political upheaval in the country is not in a good shape. And this is where the anxiety lies and the fear lies by the fact that they know that if they are removed from the USA, they're going to be back in the same situation that pushed them to leave. So, they just look for a safe place to work and send their kids to school and to stay, but they are not looking for trouble.

So, this is why I'm appealing to the upcoming administration to rethink the decision because we are here as immigrants just to make the country going forward as peaceful citizens and so many professionals in town that can be useful for the community.

ACOSTA: Well, and I see you're wearing a red tie there, Viles. Maybe you're trying to send a visual message as well to the incoming administration. But we appreciate your time very much. Viles Dorsainvil, thank you very much for your time. We appreciate it this morning.

DORSAINVIL: Thank you for everything.

ACOSTA: Best of luck to you. Thank you. Coming up. Rising from the ashes. A new chapter about to begin for the historic Notre Dame Cathedral. CNN's Melissa Bell is in Paris. Melissa, it is hard to believe that this famous cathedral is rising from the ashes, but it is.

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. It was just over five years ago, the world's most famous cathedral engulfed by flames. I just had the great good fortune of going inside to get a sneak peek alongside the French president. Let me tell you all about that in a second.

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[10:45:00]

ACOSTA: All right. There are a lot of parents out there who are going to want to hear this. Australia is putting tech companies on notice with the world's first ban on social media for users under 16 years old. The new law requires platforms to take reasonable steps to keep underage users off their sites. It is the world's toughest measure yet to protect children online. Australia's prime minister has this message for parents.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We're making sure that moms and dads can have that different conversation today and in future days. We've got your back is our message to Australian parents.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ACOSTA: Last hour, we heard from one social psychologist on the significance of the law.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONATHAN HAIDT, AUTHOR, "THE ANXIOUS GENERATION": We have to do this. Countries have to do this. In the real world, if the law said, hey, the drinking age is 18, but you know, it's up to you parents to keep your kids out of bars. The companies that are making money off your kids, they have no responsibility to enforce the age limit. That's what we have on the internet. And as a result, eight, nine, 10-year- old children are all over the internet. They're seeing porn. They're seeing horrible things.

So, yes, it has to be done and it can be done. Scott Galloway, here at NYU, he says that the industry could easily do it, but they really don't want to. He says, when you pay an industry not to understand something, it will never figure it out. And there are already more than a dozen methods of age verification. So, the technology is there. It will get better. It's going to get done.

It's no coincidence that academic achievement around the country and around the world had began to decline after 2012. It wasn't because of COVID, it began in -- as soon as the kids got smart devices in school, guess what? They stopped paying attention to the teacher and each other. They've started to feel more lonely at school since 2012. Every school that goes phone free says the same thing, we hear laughter in the hallways again. Every school that bans phones loves it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: All right. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, Snapchat, and X all expected to be affected and could face millions of dollars in fines if they do not comply.

In the meantime, the world is getting its first glimpse inside the Notre Dame Cathedral since it was engulfed by flames more than five years ago. The historic Parisian icon has gone through a painstaking renovation costing more than $730 million.

This morning, French President Emmanuel Macron toured the restoration that involved more than 1,300 craft workers. CNN Senior International Correspondent Melissa Bell joins me live from Paris. Melissa, this is just such great news. Take us inside. How does it look? And how are folks feeling there? They must just feel totally elated that this is happening.

BELL: Well, I think there's a sense of astonishment. When the French president announced that night, you'll remember, Jim, we'd covered it as the flames engulfed Notre Dame, there were questions about whether that tower would collapse entirely. That very night, the French president said, look, we're going to rebuild it and we're going to rebuild it within five years.

Astonishingly, they've managed to stick to that schedule. It's been just over five years. And this was not the official opening today, that will be next week. There'll be the first mass on Sunday, the 8th of December. But this was the last visit of the construction site by the French president, his seventh. And this time, the cameras went in. We got to go in. He came to thank some of the 2,000 men and women who have so carefully restored the detail, the grandeur, the scale of Notre Dame in sight.

[10:50:00]

And so, we got our first glimpse. And honestly, Jim, it looks nothing like it used to. They have brought it back to its original shape. Everything is as it was. But having been cleaned and restored, the gold renewed, the paintings reworked. You have a sense of light and color and cleanliness, frankly, that you didn't before the fire.

So, it is Notre Dame as it was but entirely renewed as well. And you really get a sense of its splendor. It is an extraordinary job that they've done. And he was there to thank the many people who've been involved for their very careful and very hard work.

You spoke there about the cost of the renovation, more than $730 million. But I think one of the interesting things about this cathedral, the fact that it speaks to the rest of the world, it is, in the end, $800 million, more than $800 million that was raised. So, more than they needed for the restoration that were raised from 340,000 individual donors in 150 countries. And I think that tells you how loudly Notre Dame speaks to the world, even beyond the borders of France, Jim.

ACOSTA: And this is my favorite story of the day, Melissa, because I've been to Paris so many times and I just absolutely adore Paris, as everybody else does. I mean, who doesn't. But I mean, the fact that this cathedral was able to rise from that moment because there were so many people around the world who just thought, that's it. It's over. And this is just -- I mean, it seems like a miracle. I mean, I hope I'm not overstating it. It is just spectacular to look at these images.

BELL: There is something miraculous about it. And there was a sense of miracle in the night itself. If you cast your mind back just over five years, as those flames engulfed the roof, and remember that it is timber up there, right? So, it was a tinderbox that caught fire. It went remarkably quickly. We watched and we wondered whether it would hold at all. Not only has it held, but it's now been restored to a splendor that isn't just that of more than five years ago, but several centuries back, frankly, Jim.

ACOSTA: Amazing, amazing. All right. Melissa Bell, thank you so much, really. We could use some good news and we just got some. Thank you so much. We'll be right back.

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[10:55:00]

ACOSTA: With his quote, "Sympathetic eyes and muscular -- muscly stature." That's how that's what's described as. Vito the Pug was crowned top dog at the 92nd Annual National Dog Show Thursday. He is the first pug to win best in show over at least two decades, beating about 2,000 other canines.

While Vito's win is a big deal for the small breed, it is now one of 25 best in show titles over his short career. Way to go, Vito. He doesn't look that muscular though, I have to say. But muscly, is that different? Muscly is different than muscular. All right. There's hope for all of us.

Coming up. To sing or not to sing along? That's the question facing many fans of "Wicked" as they head to theaters this weekend. Now, one of the movie stars is weighing in. Stay tuned for that.

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