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Immigration Crackdown Ramps Up in Cities Across U.S.; Surprise Chinese A.I. Advancement Shocks NASDAQ, Down 500-Plus Points; Trump Expected to Sign Order Banning Transgender Service Members. Aired 10- 10:30a ET

Aired January 27, 2025 - 10:00   ET

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


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[10:00:00]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. You're live in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.

We begin with President Trump's escalating immigration crackdown this morning. We are learning of more planned ICE operations. And cities are on edge after raids in at least a dozen places on Sunday. ICE says nearly a thousand people were arrested. The Trump administration is now imposing dramatically higher arrest quotas, and federal agents are being told to dress for the cameras.

Fear and heartbreak are now spreading through communities. One woman told our affiliate WLS in Chicago that her father has been in the U.S. for 30 years. He was arrested early Sunday morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YELITZA MARQUINA, FATHER ARRESTED BY ICE: For them to just take like that.

I'm already heartbroken myself and I can already imagine little kids whose families are breaking apart because of this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: In the urgency to ramp up arrest, some Native Americans are getting caught up. That's right. We said Native Americans are getting caught up in the operations being questioned, detained or asked to show proof of citizenship.

We begin the hour with CNN's Priscilla Alvarez. Priscilla, are these raids still happening this morning? It sounds like this is ramping up as the days go on.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm told by sources that this is going to be a multiday operation that is going to happen across the United States. They're calling this enhanced enforcement operations. What does that mean? Well, this is going to be multiple agencies, not only ICE, but also Justice Department agencies who were given immigration authority last week. That includes, for example, DEA, ATF, the U.S. Marshals, they are all coming together to what the Trump officials are calling force multipliers.

I spoke to White House Border Czar Tom Homan last night, and he told me that this was a, quote, game changer and that the focus in Chicago, and, again, it wasn't just enforcement action in Chicago, but that's where he was on the ground, was a, quote, criminal operation.

So, again, what we're seeing that is different in this scenario is that there are so many agencies that are coming together for this operation of arresting undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Now, the numbers that immigration and customs enforcement put out last night was nearly 1,000. So, if we look at that as a day, well, in the last year, rest hovered around 300 a day. So, that would be higher. And they're expecting to ramp that up over time.

Now, as far as where else we may see this, well, it could be in multiple cities across the United States, according to the sources I've been talking to. And while they are saying that this is to target public safety and national security threats, it could very well also affect many other undocumented immigrants in the United States, if they are in the path of these operations. It has not been off the table that they may be taken into custody as well, as well as the fear within the immigrant community as this continues on over the course of the weekend, weeks to come, according to Trump officials.

ACOSTA: Yes, a lot of fear right now. And Brazil apparently is calling out the Trump administration for its, quote, degrading treatment of migrants. What can you tell us about that?

ALVAREZ: Well, this was a pushback from Brazil over a repatriation flight. They said that they had concerns about the treatment of the passengers and the degrading treatment, citing U.S. agreements that say that migrants should be handled humanely and with respect.

Here is a sound bite of a Brazilian man who is on this flight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFERSON MAIA, BRAZILIAN DEPORTED FROM U.S.: They attacked the kids. I sat there until I reached my limit. I couldn't take it anymore. People fainted. I asked to leave and he choked me. He pulled my handcuffs. I couldn't stay because I was handcuffed on my feet and stomach. There was nothing I could do.

The security guard's arm started bleeding because he was pulling my chain, squeezing me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now we're still collecting more details about the circumstances of this flight. Typically, immigrants would not be handcuffed during the flight, but it does happen in scenarios where there may be a specific threat or criminal history.

So, again, we're still collecting details, but just some context there in terms of what he was referring to when it comes to handcuffs. ACOSTA: All right. Priscilla Alvarez, thank you.

In the meantime, migrant rights groups in Chicago are now suing the Trump administration and ICE saying planned deportation operations are retaliatory and violate the First and Fourth Amendments. The lawsuit claims that the raids specifically target Chicago for its sanctuary city status.

Let's bring in Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

[10:05:01]

Mr. Attorney General, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

I guess, first of all, this lawsuit says that the Trump administration has, quote, declared Chicago ground zero for immigration enforcement. What do you make of that?

KWAME RAOUL (D), ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, I haven't seen the lawsuit that you're referring to, but certainly we've heard prior to President Trump taking office that Chicago would be targeted. We were expecting it. You know, I think immigration enforcement should take place. However, it should not be targeted for political reasons.

ACOSTA: And, sir, I wonder if you can help us out with something. NBC is citing Trump administration officials reporting that more ICE operations are expected today in Illinois. Are you hearing that as well? Are you getting notification from ICE officials, from the administration, that this is going on or this is ramping up?

RAOUL: Quite frankly, the notification I'm getting is from you and the rest of the media, unfortunately. Historically, we've had a good working relationship with our law enforcement, our federal law enforcement partners, and we want to continue that. I started that halfway through first Trump administration and we plan on continuing that focus on criminal operations. However, it's been a collaboration with communication and about things through the media.

ACOSTA: And, Mr. Attorney General, what is the reaction that you're hearing from the community right now? Are you hearing about heavy handed tactics, U.S. citizens being picked up accidentally? Can you tell us anecdotally what you're hearing? What's coming across your desk as these operations are unfolding?

RAOUL: Well, unfortunately, this shock and awe approach, which involves trying to have cameras and having, you know, celebrities, like Dr. Phil, embedded within, it is meant to upset a community, a community that we rely on to partake in solving public safety problems. This undermines the ability for communities to come forth and collaborate with law enforcement to solve crimes when it's being said that this operation is to focus on people who have committed crimes.

I think it's going to have an opposite effect in the long run. It's a wide net seemingly being casted and, inevitably, you'll have effects of racial profiling and upsetting a community that would otherwise collaborate with law enforcement.

ACOSTA: Well, you mentioned Dr. Phil, the daytime talk show host. I did want to ask you about that because he is now apparently joining in on Trump's immigration crackdown or getting access to it. He filmed at the ICE command center in Chicago, even questioned a detainee with Tom Homan, the head of ICE. Do you know why Dr. Phil, a T.V. personality, is getting involved in all of this, getting all this access? What's going on?

RAOUL: I think it's ridiculous. It's making a mockery of what is supposed to be a focused -- if it's law enforcement, if it's focusing on criminals, you don't invite folks like that who have no law enforcement background to be embedded within. I think it's inappropriate. I think it's done for the show, and I think it's done to upset community and to score political points with those who want to divide.

ACOSTA: And it sounds like he's getting access, whereas we're not seeing the rest of the media getting access. What does that tell you? Isn't that a little strange?

RAOUL: Yes, you have somebody that's favorable to the message that you want to send. That's -- you know, it's adverse to our First Amendment, for sure. But it's also adverse to appropriate law enforcement practices.

ACOSTA: And, Mr. Attorney General, this immigration crackdown is sparking fear across the country. I'm sure you're hearing this. Migrants are refusing to leave their homes. They don't want to go to school. They don't want to go to work. We learned of two young sisters in a Chicago suburb who haven't gone to school since Trump took office. And let's listen to a woman who says her father was taken by ICE yesterday after living in the U.S. for 30 years. Let's listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUINA: For them to just take like that.

I'm already heartbroken myself, and I can already imagine little kids whose families are breaking apart because of this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Mr. Attorney General, what do you say to the migrants in your state right now who are terrified? And I guess, what's the message to the White House border czar, Tom Homan?

[10:10:00]

RAOUL: You know, the reality is, you know, I'm a son of Haitian immigrants and who made tremendous contributions to this country during their decades here. Likewise, we have millions of immigrants who are doing the same, upon whom our economy really leans on.

And I think this is going to have an upsetting effect on our economy, on the stability of our communities. These are people who make contributions, pay taxes, and are just part of the fabric of our community here in Chicago and throughout the nation.

ACOSTA: And, Mr. Attorney General, I mean, one thing that we heard from Tom Homan and from this administration is that they are warning public officials like yourself not to get in the way of these ICE operations. What's your response to that? And are you making any, I guess, efforts on your part to say, hang on a second, you can't go in there and do some of the things that you're trying to do? Or are you concerned that if you do that, the administration will come after you?

RAOUL: Well, you know, I don't react to such intimidation tactics. No, I have no intent on interfering with illegal immigration enforcement processes. What is clear here in the state of Illinois is that we have a trust act that says that local and state law enforcement resources cannot be used for such unless there's a federal criminal warrant or other federal law.

And so it's my duty to uphold the law of the state of Illinois. We have a Tenth Amendment that has -- that grows out of it, the anti- commandeering doctrine, that says that the federal government cannot commandeer local and state officials to do the work of the federal government. And I'm going to stand by our Constitution. I'm going to stand by our state law.

ACOSTA: All right. Mr. Attorney General Kwame Raoul of Illinois, thank you very much for your time. We appreciate it.

RAOUL: Thank you.

ACOSTA: All right. Turning to the markets now. If you have not heard of a company called DeepSeek, stop what you're doing and listen because it just sent the U.S. stock market into turmoil, especially the tech sector. There you see the tech heavy NASDAQ right now. It's down more than 500 points right now. The A.I. chipmaker giant, NVidia, which has drawn a lot of attention over the last year, it's also plummeting. It's down a whopping 12 percent it looks like right now.

CNN's Matt Egan joins us now. Matt, there were a lot of concerns in the markets that this tech bubble was only going to last so long and what might knock some of these giants off their pedestal a little bit. What's happening right now? It sounds like this startup company in China is sending some shockwaves through the markets.

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Jim, absolutely, definitely shockwaves. We are seeing tech stocks take a big hit and it is being driven by these stunning developments in the A.I. space.

So, as you mentioned, the Dow is down only about a hundred points right now, but the real action is over in the NASDAQ down almost 3 percent on track for one of its worst days in the past two years.

Now, this is all being caused by a little known Chinese company that has stunned investors. Because they say that they are basically competitive with the more established A.I. player. So, we're talking about DeepSeek. This is a startup company, and it has its own A.I. model.

The most significant thing here is not that there's another A.I model that's out there that's impressive. It's how cheap it claims to be. DeepSeek says that it only cost $5.6 million to train one of its models. That is pocket change compared to the $100 million to $1 billion that other leading A.I. models cost.

And this really does raise a lot of questions here. It sort of questions some of the fundamental conventional wisdom here around the idea that it takes gobs of money to develop these A.I. models and that you need access to those highest and most expensive computer chips from the likes of NVidia, because there are these export restrictions imposed by the Biden administration on China that should prevent those chips from getting to DeepSeek and other Chinese startups.

So, there's a lot of major developments in the market and right now investors are trying to make sense of it all. Jim?

ACOSTA: Yes, a lot of people checking in their portfolios right now. No question about it.

All right, Matt Egan, thank you very much.

In the meantime, we have new reporting just into CNN. President Trump expected to sign new executive orders that will impact military service members. We're live at the Pentagon, next.

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[10:15:00]

ACOSTA: Today, President Trump is expected to sign three executive orders that will reshape the military, including a ban on transgender service members. This comes as Pete Hegseth arrived at the Pentagon for his first day as defense secretary.

CNN National Security Correspondent Natasha Bertrand joins us. Natasha, let's start on these executive orders. What do they cover?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are three orders that we're expecting President Trump to sign today, and that Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, did seem to confirm when he arrived at the Pentagon earlier today, and those include a ban on transgender troops, gutting DEI programs all across the military, and reinstating those service members who were discharged back in 2021 over their refusal to get the COVID 19 vaccine.

Now, among these, one of the most significant arguably is that ban on transgender service members. And it does remain to be seen how the department is actually going to implement this policy because it's ultimately going to be up to DOD to determine how actually to carry it out.

[10:20:06]

Trump did implement a ban on transgender service members during his first administration that was then overturned by President Biden. But this time, this executive order does expect to go a little bit further, according to White House officials who spoke to my colleagues over at the White House. According to these officials, this new ban on transgender service members, it's going to outline new military standards regarding gender pronouns and state that mental and physical readiness requires that transgender service members be banned from the military.

So, again, remains to be seen how this is actually going to be carried out here, but it is extremely significant because it could result in transgender service members currently serving being ejected from the military. And then, of course, those other two main priorities, DEI, removing, gutting DEI programs, and reinstating those service members.

We should note there was a repeal of that COVID vaccine mandate back in 2023. But this time around, it seems like those service members who are reinstated into the military, they will get their former rank and back pay as well. So, it remains to be seen how this all plays out, Jim.

ACOSTA: Yes, Natasha. And Pete Hegseth, he is now Secretary Hegseth, by the way. He arrived at the Pentagon this morning for his first day leading the Defense Department. What are we learning?

BERTRAND: Well, he spoke a little bit about one of the department's top priorities at this moment, which, of course, is immigration. And he did indicate that there is a broad shift underway towards devoting more department resources towards that immigration -- conducting immigration kind of enforcement at the border.

Take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Whatever is needed at the border will be provided, whether that is through state active duty, Title 32 or Title 10, because we have re we are reorienting. This is a shift. This is not the way business has been done in the past. This is the Defense Department will support the defense of the territorial integrity of the United States of America at the southern border, to include reservist, National Guard, and active duty in compliance with the Constitution, for the laws of our land and the directives of the commander-in-chief.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERTRAND: So, look, it's certainly true that the amount of emphasis the department is putting on the southern border is indeed a shift from previous administrations, even though active duty troops have actually been there in the past. This time around, we're seeing military flights carry migrants back to their home countries. That is something that we have not seen before either. Jim?

ACOSTA: All right. Natasha Bertrand, thank you very much.

Coming up, the White House taking a victory lap this morning, claiming America is, quote, respected again after Colombia backed off a potential trade war over deportation flights. That's next.

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ACOSTA: New this hour, we're watching for the resumption of U.S. military flights carrying migrants deported to Colombia. The South American nation is agreeing to all of President Trump's terms for accepting those migrants after initially saying it would not take anyone returned on military planes. Trump reacted with threats to impose immediate, steep tariffs on Colombia.

CNN's Alayna Treene is at the White House for us. Alayna, Colombia is considered an ally of the U.S., but this escalated dramatically over the weekend. What can you tell us?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: It did. This fight got very messy, Jim, very quickly, and almost as swiftly, the two countries came to a resolution. But, look, I mean, this threatened a trade war. Really, Colombia, we saw back off from the brink of this trade war that threatened to raise coffee prices for Americans as well as impact hundreds of thousands of Colombian workers.

But to break it all down for you just how this all started was when Columbia rejected two military aircraft carrying Colombian nationals to the United States rejected them from landing. That's despite CNN reviewing documents that it showed the Colombian officials had initially approved of those flights coming to Colombia to bring those migrants to the country where they were from.

Now, what happened was we really saw Colombia's president, Gustavo Petro, come out very harshly arguing that the way that these migrants were being transported, particularly having them handcuffed and being on these military planes was like the U.S. treating them like criminals. Then we saw the Trump administration, Donald Trump himself, react very swiftly, imposing steep tariffs on all Colombian imports. He put a travel ban for Colombian citizens. He revoked the visas for Colombian officials in the United States and suspended visa processing for both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas.

Now, those visa restrictions were actually the most extraordinary. Just noting that that type of restriction is what we see with adversaries. As you mentioned, Jim, Colombia is a very strong ally to the United States and really the strongest partner that the United States has in all of Latin America, all to say, I think to take a step back here because they did come to an agreement, the White House and Colombia, is this was really a signal that Donald Trump wanted to send. He was using Colombia as an example about how, you know, those steep prices that these countries would have to pay if they did not move forward with accepting these deportation flights and also a signal to the rest of Latin America.

And so we did hear the White House weigh in on this in a statement late last night once an agreement was reached. I want to read for you what it said. They wrote, quote, the government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump's terms. They went on to say, based on this agreement, the fully drafted IEEPA tariffs and sanctions will be held in reserve and not signed unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement.

[10:30:02]

The statement went on to say, today's events make clear to the world that America is respected again.