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Trump Now Accuses Canada Of Cheating U.S. Farmers With Dairy Tariffs; Elon Musk Stars In Democratic Political Advertisements; Ukraine Says At Least 23 People Killed In Russian Strikes; Pro- Ukrainian Demonstrators Gather In D.C.; Speaker Johnson Unveils Bill To Fund Government Through September; Hundreds Of Mayors Say They Want SNAP Cuts Off The Table In Budget; One Arrest, More South In Louisiana Student Hazing Death; Missouri Bill Offers Reward For Tips On Undocumented Immigrants. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired March 08, 2025 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: All right, hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
All right. President Donald Trump is now threatening even more tariffs on Canada, capping off a dizzying week at the White House that saw head spinning reversals on several fronts. Late last night, the president said Canada was cheating with its tariffs on U.S. dairy products. It comes hours after he vowed to impose a 250 percent tariff on Canadian dairy, and just days after delaying tariffs on Mexico and Canada for the second time since taking office.
CNN's Betsy Klein is in West Palm Beach, Florida, near the president's Mar-a-Lago home.
So, Betsy, what more are you learning about these new tariffs potentially hitting Canada next week?
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Yes, well, dizzying is absolutely right. President Trump has long used tariffs and particularly the threat of tariffs as a negotiating tool. And in this case he is urging America's neighbors Mexico and Canada to crack down on fentanyl. And we saw this play out in dramatic head spinning fashion this week, causing so much uncertainty for American markets as well as businesses and consumers starting on Tuesday, when the president imposed those 25 percent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods.
And he said just that evening that he -- there would be a little bit of a disturbance as markets reacted. And he also heard from the leaders of Ford, GM and Stellantis making an appeal to the president to lift those tariffs on autos warning that it could hurt American car manufacturers. So on Wednesday, the president paused auto tariffs for one month. And then a dramatic reversal on Thursday as the president lifted those tariffs on Mexico and Canada altogether for another month.
Friday, the president backtracked again, announcing 250 percent tariffs on Canadian dairy products. He says that this is about fairness.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Canada has been ripping us off for years on tariffs, for lumber and for dairy products. 250 percent. Nobody ever talks about that. 250 percent tariff, which is taking advantage of our farmers. So that's not going to happen anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KLEIN: And this, Fredricka, is setting up a major test for the leaders of Canada and Mexico, whose economies depend so much on U.S. markets.
WHITFIELD: And then, Betsy, we're also learning that a group of labor unions is now challenging Elon Musk's DOGE group and their access to Social Security data. What's going on?
KLEIN: Yes. At issue here, Fredricka, is privacy and the sensitive data of millions of Americans who draw a Social Security check being accessed by DOGE, the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. I want to read to you part of this affidavit in this motion to stop that access by DOGE from Tiffany Flake. She is a former senior official at the Social Security Administration.
She says a disregard for our careful privacy systems and processes now threatens the security the data SSA houses about millions of Americans. Now, DOGE says that they are looking for instances of fraud and abuse. We'll be watching this ruling quite closely. And it also comes as DOGE is looking to take aim at the Social Security Administration workforce, slashing positions there -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Betsy Klein, thanks so much.
All right. With growing pushback over the power DOGE has been wielding over federal agencies, Democrats have a new star for their political ads. Elon Musk. Democrats are seizing on the tech billionaire's role in slashing government jobs to motivate their voters and donors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our housing unaffordable, our benefits cut. Also billionaires can reap the benefits. And where's Delegate David Owen when we need him? Following the leader.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. With me now is CNN Politics national political writer Fredreka Schouten.
Great to see you, Fredreka. It's always so weird saying our name, but I love it, too. Hi. All right, so Democrats in Wisconsin and Virginia have utilized these advertisements to tie Elon Musk to Republican candidates in their states. Do you think their strategy will work, or will it backfire, potentially? FREDREKA SCHOUTEN, CNN POLITICS NATIONAL POLITICAL WRITER: Well, they
certainly hope that it will. I mean, keep in mind, in Virginia and Wisconsin, they're off year elections this year. And so they really need to drive Democratic turnout.
Let's talk about Wisconsin for a second. That's a state Supreme Court race that's going to happen next month. It's really important. There is an ideological tilt that could shift from liberals to conservatives on that court.
[15:05:06]
Elon Musk is already spending millions to help the conservative in that race. And so Democrats feel like they have to do something, say something to say that, look, he's buying -- he's trying to buy this seat and it's going to matter on hot button issues that you really care about in this state. The same thing in Virginia. Virginia, another election this year in the fall, off-year, to determine the state legislative seats and the governor's race.
And Democrats there really are trying to drive turnout, particularly in places that Kamala Harris won and those seats are held by Republicans. And so they're trying to tie it to Musk. Keep in mind, one thing about Virginia is that it has a lot of federal workers. So they really think, Fred, that this issue is going to really resonate with that workforce and Democrats and get them to show up.
WHITFIELD: Particularly at northern Virginia.
SCHOUTEN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: So, you know, do you think or does anyone think that Musk is going to be a real political liability for Republicans down the road?
SCHOUTEN: Well, you know, I think that that's too soon to tell at this point. I mean, we are seeing some signs of difficulty for Republicans. I mean, there have been a bunch of town halls that protesters have shown up at and sort of given grief to Republican lawmakers saying, what's going on? What are you doing with veterans? What are you doing with Social Security offices in my area?
And so much so actually that there has been talk of pulling back from in-person town halls and just doing tele-town halls so that they're not these scenes. And then we also saw Donald Trump sort of step in at a Cabinet meeting this week and sort of say, look, it's up to the Cabinet level folks to make the final decisions about staffing changes, not Elon Musk. So that's the first time that we've seen him sort of start to register that potential backlash and try to rein it in a bit.
WHITFIELD: OK, we have that moment to kind of take us in the room. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GABE GUTIERREZ, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Some details have come out about your Cabinet meeting with Elon Musk and some clashes potentially between Secretary Rubio and Secretary Duffy.
TRUMP: No clash. I was there. You're just a troublemaker. And you're not supposed to be asking that question because we're talking about the World Cup.
GUTIERREZ: But --
TRUMP: Elon gets along great with Marco and they're both doing a fantastic job. There is no clash.
GUTIERREZ: Who has more authority, Elon Musk or your Cabinet secretaries?
TRUMP: Any other questions?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Oh, my.
SCHOUTEN: Yes, quite the moment. I mean, "The New York Times" reported that there were clashes with two Cabinet secretaries who were pushing back on these cuts. And so, you know, clearly, people are starting to feel the pressure, whether it makes a difference in these elections this year is still to be determined -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Fredreka Schouten, thank you so much. Always great to see you.
SCHOUTEN: Good to see you.
WHITFIELD: And say our name together.
All right. Coming up, Russia unleashes a fresh round of deadly attacks on Ukraine. Will anything concrete come from talks next week between the U.S. and Ukrainian officials? Plus new worries that the National Food Assistance Program could be on the budget chopping block. Later this hour, well talk to one mayor who is speaking out against any possible cuts.
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WHITFIELD: At least 23 people have been killed in a wave of overnight Russian missile attacks. Dozens of others are reported injured and authorities say some people could still be trapped beneath the rubble of damaged buildings. Ukraine's forces no longer have any new U.S. Military aid, and this week, the U.S. also removed Ukraine's access to its intelligence on Russia. President Trump threatened Russia with new sanctions after attacks earlier in the week but just yesterday said Vladimir Putin was doing what anybody else would do on the battlefield.
CNN's senior international correspondent Melissa Bell is following the developments for us.
Melissa, is Russia seeing an opportunity with the U.S. cutting off access to intelligence?
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, for sure, Fredricka, if only in the sense that it really does have all of the cards in its hands as we head into this crucial week of negotiations. Continued pressure being brought on Ukraine's air defenses there over the course of the last couple of days. Specifically you mentioned that missile strike in the eastern and eastern Ukrainian city that left 11 dead. But there were also more missile and drone strikes across the country. Overall, 23 civilians killed.
But it is on all eyes, really, in Ukraine, very much on what's happening in the Kursk Region that was captured from Russia last August. We understand that Ukrainian forces are very much under a great deal of pressure there, and that is an additional blow to Ukrainian officials as they head to Saudi Arabia next week. They have lost the American aid, which is frozen, access to American intelligence, access also to American satellite imagery that had played such a crucial role.
You'll remember in the run-up to the war in seeing where the Russian troops were and helping Ukraine to prepare for what was to come.
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This leaves Ukraine in a very weakened position, and given that it is now in what we understand is its most tenuous position yet in the Kursk Region since its capture, that is a lot of difficulty. Even as they head to Saudi Arabia for those talks -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And let's talk more about those talks in Saudi Arabia. What can be expected?
BELL: We understand that President Zelenskyy himself will be heading to Saudi Arabia on Monday, but then the key meeting will come on Tuesday between Ukrainian and American officials. What we understand will be at the heart of these discussions will be this potential plan for a partial ceasefire initially floated by the French president, now backed by President Zelenskyy, that essentially calls for a pause in all air, sea, attacks also on critical infrastructure, leaving the fight to continue on the front lines but at least pausing those parts of the damage being done to Ukraine.
There would also be a prisoner swap. Part of this idea is, of course, the idea of building trust between the two sides as they head towards talks to look for a more lasting ceasefire. We understand that President Zelenskyy has been meeting with British officials today in Kyiv. Remember, Fredricka, that it is Europe now really trying to step up its support, not just in terms of the military aid that it is hoping will help compensate some of that paused American aid, but also by looking to that post-peace Ukraine once the settlement can be found, and what kind of peacekeeping force would look like.
Essentially it would it would include we understand for the time being, British, French and Turkish troops whose job would be to monitor any ceasefire that might be found -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Melissa Bell in Paris, thank you so much.
Ukrainian Americans already heartbroken over the war are now watching as the relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine deteriorates rapidly. Earlier today, a coalition of pro-Ukrainian activist groups gathered at the White House to show their support.
Eugene Luciw is the president of the Philadelphia branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.
You're part of one of the largest Ukrainian American communities in the country. Great to see you.
So, Eugene, you know how important to the community are gatherings like the one in D.C. today?
EUGENE LUCIW, PRESIDENT, UKRAINIAN CONGRESS COMMITTEE OF AMERICA PHILADELPHIA BRANCH: Those gatherings are of course extremely important because it is extremely important for us to, in a way, assist Ukraine in getting out the message to the United States and to American citizens about Ukraine, and about how Ukraine matters, and exactly what is going on and how it is that -- how frustrating it is that the administration has taken this strange position where it has embraced President Putin.
Ukraine matters because it is a plum. It is full of natural and human resources that are fantastic and are with Ukraine, Putin and Russia are an empire. They become that superpower that was once known as the Soviet Union and becomes a very deadly adversary to the entire West. Without Ukraine, frankly, it's just simply a big country with a large gasoline station. It doesn't have that extra might that owning Ukraine brings, owning that army that we see that Ukraine has, owning the abundant resources, the minerals, the gas, the oil and the abundant agricultural sector.
It also matters because the Ukrainian people have been defending liberty for so long, and it matters that we protect them. It matters that we be with them because they want to be with us. They're so American in their thinking.
WHITFIELD: So --
LUCIW: Ukraine is a -- yes.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Sorry about that. So, sorry to interrupt, but I'm wondering, so what was that moment like for you and so many Ukrainian Americans to witness what appeared to be the real crumbling of relations between President Trump and President Zelenskyy there in the Oval Office to see things dissipate as it did publicly?
LUCIW: That, of course, was a frightening moment, and it was a frustrating moment because obviously, and I think what followed was simply the consequences of that particular situation, as well as perhaps what was already in the cards if we could say that in that in the Oval Office. What is frustrating about this is that rather than embrace the Ukrainians and work with the Ukrainians, it appears that this administration is doing the polar opposite. And that's sort of symbolized by throwing President Zelenskyy out of the Oval Office and out of the White House.
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We are normalizing relations with a country that is genocidally attacking Ukraine, that is slaughtering men, women and children, that even as we see last night and over the course of the entire war, has been launching guided missiles, artillery, everything that it can to destroy men, women and children. They rape, they pillage, they arrest, they throw into concentration camps. It's a horrific sight.
Ordinarily America would embrace these people and save them and work with them to fight for liberty and democracy. But yet we embrace the Russians. We normalize relations with them. We begin to talk about making concessions without even negotiating that you're going to get part of Ukraine. They meet and talk about Ukraine as if they were two superpowers that were going to split the country amongst themselves in one way shape or form.
WHITFIELD: So then do you have any reason to be hopeful about planned talks next week in Saudi Arabia? Ukrainian president will be in country, but still unclear whether he'll be in the talks. What are your hopes about further negotiations or talks?
LUCIW: It's difficult to know exactly what the goal for Ukraine is. But I am not very hopeful that we're going to get a resolution very quickly to this situation. You know, I hope that Ukraine attains what it should attain, what it must attain, which is the level of security so that it can become a secure, economically productive nation and can find its place in the European sun and can become a part of our Western world as it wants to.
Hopefully some steps are taken in that direction, but I'm not very hopeful that that we're going to take many significant steps in that -- in the meetings in Saudi Arabia.
WHITFIELD: All right. Eugene Luciw, president of the Philadelphia branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, thank you so much for your time.
LUCIW: Thank you for the opportunity.
WHITFIELD: Coming up, hundreds of mayors from both sides of the aisle are speaking out against potential cuts to the National Food Assistance Program in the upcoming congressional budget. One of them, one of those mayors, joins me next.
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WHITFIELD: All right. With less than a week now before a deadline to avoid a U.S. government shutdown, House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a new bill today aimed at funding the government through September. While President Trump is urging Republicans to support the stopgap legislation, some Democratic spending leaders are already slamming the door on the GOP plan.
CNN's Julia Benbrook is joining us right now with more on this.
Julia, what more are you learning about this bill, what's in it and what obstacles lie ahead?
JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that deadline is fast approaching, Fredricka. Just March 14th to avoid a government shutdown. And this is House Speaker Mike Johnson's potential solution. He is laying out a stopgap measure known as a continuing resolution, that would fund the government through September 30th. And it does have President Trump's support.
In fact, he went to social media after Johnson revealed that text to say, quote, "The House and Senate have put together under the circumstances a very good funding bill. All Republicans should vote," in parentheses, please, in all caps, "yes next week." And Republicans are hoping that that's enough to get their party on board. But Johnson leads with a very slim majority in the House, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has already said that he doesn't think Democrats will be on board.
He's instead calling for a more long-term negotiated bill and warning Johnson that Republicans may need to do this on their own. Here's what Johnson said to reporters on the Hill last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): I believe we'll pass it along party lines, but I think every Democrat should vote for this CR. It is a fundamental responsibility we have to fund the government in a clean CR with a few minor anomalies is not something that they should vote against. So we'll see what they do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BENBROOK: Now let's take a look at a few of the details. GOP leadership aides have said that it would increase defense spending by about $6 billion, while domestic spending would drop by about $13 billion. And while they have stressed that the plan does not include partisan policy add-ons, it does include certain White House funding requests, including new money that would help cover additional deportations.
Johnson is expected to bring this bill to the floor for a vote likely on Tuesday. But in the next few days, for sure, and if it does make it to the Senate, that's going to put a lot of pressure right ahead of that government shutdown deadline.
WHITFIELD: All right. Julia Benbrook, thanks so much.
A bipartisan group of mayors is raising new concerns over potential cuts to SNAP, the National Food Assistance Program. Some House Republicans say that cuts to SNAP won't be in the final versions of the new bill but in a letter to congressional leaders, this group of mayors says that they want it to stay off limits, saying, quoting now, "We express our concern for the growing number of children in our country facing food insecurity and hunger if these cuts are enacted. Our cities are on the front line of responding to challenges in our communities. And as mayors, we need every option available to fight childhood hunger."
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The most recent government numbers showing more than 42 million people use these benefits each month. It helps low-income Americans buy groceries, including vegetables, meat and fish. The program also has basic work requirements for most of its participants that varies from state to state.
Michael Owens is the mayor of the newly formed Georgia city of Mableton, a suburb of Atlanta, and he's one of the more than 400 mayors who signed the letter. And he's here with me right now.
So, Mayor, good to see you.
MAYOR MICHAEL OWENS (D), MABLETON, GEORGIA: Thank you. Happy to be here.
WHITFIELD: All right. So your biggest concerns about whether SNAP would somehow be cut from this budget, proposed budget.
OWENS: Yes, it's a very likely prospect at this point in time that it could. And that's why the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger really stepped up to send this letter to let Congress know that there's real impacts to this if these cuts go forward.
WHITFIELD: Why do you think it would potentially be cut? Because these members of Congress mostly Republicans in concert with the White House are saying we're looking to cut waste. Is it the concern that SNAP would somehow be considered wasteful spending?
OWENS: Well, I think you've heard plenty of times in the past about discretionary spending and a lot of it being deemed as unnecessary, or people need to get jobs or whatever the case may be, but these programs really help a lot of people. You mentioned over 41 million people across the country right here in Georgia, 1.4 million people are actually recipients of that.
WHITFIELD: It's a big number.
OWENS: It's a huge number. And, you know, I want to make sure and myself and 112 mayors across the country, bipartisan, representing almost every state in this country, have spoken up to make sure that Congress knows and understands and more importantly that, you know, they step up to defend, protect and strengthen these national food programs.
WHITFIELD: How are you seeing, in Mableton or in other nearby cities in Georgia, how do you see SNAP benefiting people? How do you see it being put to use, changing the lives of people? OWENS: Every single day. You know, as I mentioned, mayors are on the
front line. You know, when federal policies are enacted, when they actually -- when the rubber hits the road, that is in our cities. And so as mayor, I've talked to many people that that are already struggling with food insecurities. You know, in Cobb County alone, over 40 percent of the children there are eligible for either free or reduced lunch.
That tells you the situation that's going on. And in a climate where we've had wage stagnation, where we already have rental increases and home value increases, it makes it really tough for a lot of families. You know, you can add along with that the cost of childcare alone. Now we're talking about food insecurity to ensure that children literally can be able to eat when they're hungry.
WHITFIELD: This letter was signed by you and 400 other mayors. It's been sent to U.S. Congress. We know today that House Speaker Johnson said they have a framework for a bill. Have you received any acknowledgment that the letter has been received, that the letter has been considered when crafting this framework?
OWENS: To my knowledge, no. There may be information I'm not privy to, and I do want to be careful. We have over 400 members that are in the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger. This letter was signed by 112 mayors, including myself and two others from the state of Georgia.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks for that correction. What kind of acknowledgment are you looking for? Or, you know, what's the timetable? Because there's been a lot of slashing, right, of government -- federal government jobs, of programs. What's the level of urgency that you see so that SNAP, either, you know, doesn't get caught up in it, imperiling a lot of lives?
OWENS: There's a huge potential impact of this. And that's the most important thing we want Congress to understand is that on top of the 41 million people, many being women and children, there is also seniors, there's disabled people, as well as over 45,000 veterans that are impacted by this. Just in the state of Georgia. So our hope and goal is not just an acknowledgment is to ensure that, again, that these cuts that are largely seen as indiscriminate, they do not cause more childhood hunger.
WHITFIELD: OK. All right. Mableton Georgia Mayor Michael Owens, thank you so much.
OWENS: Thank you. Happy to be here.
WHITFIELD: All the best. Nice to meet you, too.
OWENS: You too.
WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, a 20-year-old Louisiana college student is dead from an off-campus fraternity hazing ritual. The latest on suspects and what police are saying happened.
[15:35:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. New details now in the death of a Louisiana college student. One person has been arrested in connection to the death of 20-year-old Caleb Wilson. He died in late February after being dropped off at a hospital by his fraternity brothers. Baton Rouge Police say Wilson's death is the direct result of hazing. His father became emotional at a vigil for his son.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COREY WILSON, FATHER OF CALEB WILSON: I couldn't stay still. I just want to thank you all, the Human Jukebox. This is Caleb's life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[15:40:04]
WHITFIELD: CNN's Rafael Romo is with us now.
I mean, this is beyond heartbreaking.
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, as a father, I just feel for that family. How horrible it is to learn something like that. And officials say that initially at the very beginning, a group of men had claimed after dropping off the victim at the emergency room that he had collapsed while playing basketball at a park in Baton Rouge.
But Baton Rouge Police say that Caleb Wilson died as a direct result of a hazing incident where he was punched in the chest multiple times while pledging Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Wilson, who died in late February, was a 20-year-old mechanical engineering junior at Southern University and A&M College and a member of the school's famed marching band known as the Human Jukebox, which recently performed at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Baton Rouge Police Chief TJ Moore said, over the last several days, his detectives interviewed over a dozen people and executed multiple search warrants as part of the wide investigation into the case. As they were conducting this investigation, one of the suspects, identified as 23-year-old Caleb McCray, turned himself in with his attorney. Police Chief Moore says the suspect now faces serious charges related to the hazing incident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF TJ MOORE, BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT: McCray has been charged with criminal hazing and manslaughter. Again, this is still an active and ongoing investigation, with more arrests forthcoming. Right now, we have two additional suspects that we are drawing up warrants for and working with their attorneys to turn themselves in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMO: In a statement obtained by CNN affiliate WBRZ, Caleb McCray's attorney said the following, "At this time, I have not been presented with any evidence to support such serious accusations. I maintain my client's innocence and urge the public to withhold rushing to judgment until all evidence is heard."
Southern University students, faculty and friends of the victim came together during a vigil held Wednesday to honor the memory of Caleb Wilson. His father, Corey Wilson, was in attendance and remembered his son saying that he loved music and that when they got access to his apartment, his uniform was out and ready for Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras season and the upcoming sporting events at Southern University.
Southern University and A&M College have suspended the fraternity's campus chapter and all Greek life pledging for the rest of the school year. In a statement published on Facebook, Chancellor John K. Pierre said that every campus Greek organization is being informed that no additional membership intake can occur, for, at minimum, the remainder of this academic year.
But again, the tragedy for the family and just the what if, right, like they didn't call 911, he was dropped off at the hospital. It's just so terrible.
WHITFIELD: Yes, that's promising young man. All right. Thank you so much, Rafael Romo.
All right. Up next, a Missouri bill could allow people to collect $1,000 for reporting undocumented immigrants. Why? The bill's sponsor says it's not a bounty on people.
But first, a new episode of "HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU" with host Roy Wood Jr. and team captains Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black, airs this Saturday. That will be tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. Guests this week will be comedians and writers Alex Edelman and Laurie Kilmartin. Here's a preview of what you can expect.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROY WOOD JUNIOR, HOST: Here's Mike Johnson dropping the hammer.
JOHNSON: The House has resolved that Representative Al Green be censured.
WOOD: After the vote, Democrats sang a negro spiritual to support their colleague.
AMBER RUFFIN, HOST: Roy, I will flip this whole desk. I swear to Christ.
WOOD: Bonus question.
RUFFIN: Roy.
WOOD: Which negro spiritual did they sing?
ALEX EDELMAN, COMEDIAN: No way, no way.
WOOD: Michael, hit it, Michael. MICHAEL IAN BLACK, HOST: We shall overcome.
RUFFIN: No. No, no.
BLACK: We shall overcome. And then they went into base. How low can you go? Back row. What a brother know. Once again, back is the -- it was very surprising. But it was beautifully executed.
WOOD: What Civil Rights '90s CNC Music Factory crossover that you just did?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Be sure to tune in to a new episode of "HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU." It premieres tonight, 9:00 p.m., right here on CNN.
[15:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. FEMA has extended the deadline for North Carolina residents impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. At the request of Governor Josh Stein, residents will have more than 30 days to apply for funding. But the governor says more help is needed. The FEMA centers in the state are overwhelmed with walk-ins, and Stein continues to request additional federal funding for recovery efforts.
And as more states are backing President Trump's agenda to crack down on immigration, a bill before the Missouri State Senate wants to take it a step further. The proposed legislation would offer people $1,000 cash rewards for tips that lead to the arrests of undocumented immigrants. But as Omar Jimenez reports, it's sparking fresh fears within the state's immigrant community.
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(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ASHLEY CHAVARRIA, DAUGHTER OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS: You have to write a whole sentence.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Ashley Chavarria was born in the United States. She is an American citizen. Her parents are undocumented.
CHAVARRIA: I will probably never be able to repay them everything they have done for me.
JIMENEZ: She now lives near Jefferson City, Missouri, where she works with a Hispanic social service agency, often with the undocumented community in the area.
You've seen what's in this bill that they are trying to pass?
CHAVARRIA: Yes.
JIMENEZ: What was your reaction when you saw it?
CHAVARRIA: I feel like it's really hateful. It's actually, you know, going to put more fear into people and turn people against each other.
JIMENEZ (voice over): The bill in question is Missouri Senate Bill 72. Among what it would do, develop a statewide system, including a tip line to report undocumented immigrants, give $1,000 to anyone who makes a tip that leads to an arrest, and create a certified bounty hunter program, where licensed bond agents can apply for the purpose of finding and detaining undocumented immigrants in the state after obtaining warrants.
How does it feel knowing there are people that want your parents out?
CHAVARRIA: They need to touch their heart and see who they actually pushing out. They've been here for years, over 30 years. They have put so much work into the economy here. I've never seen my parents asking for a handout.
JIMENEZ (voice over): Minutes away from her home is the state capitol building, where we went to find the senator who introduced the bill and learn why.
STATE SEN. DAVID GREGORY (R-MO): You know, I'm hearing things like, oh, you know, this places a bounty on people. No, it doesn't. Just because we're dispatching bounty hunters after a warrant has been issued is not a bounty, it's actually a reward system through a hotline.
JIMENEZ: It could create a situation where someone is confronting another person because they believe that person is undocumented.
GREGORY: We have tip lines, thousands of tip lines across the entire country right now. Can they be abused? Yes. Do I think they'll be abused? Minimally, if at all. When I'm hearing other types of harassment, concerns or things like normal, everyday citizens walking up and saying, hey, you, show me your papers. OK, that's illegal.
JIMENEZ (voice over): Another aspect of the bill, calls for life imprisonment without eligibility for probation or parole when undocumented immigrants are arrested.
GREGORY: This is life unless you're, A, picked up through custody of ICE, or B, determined not to be dangerous.
JIMENEZ: Are you confident that it wouldn't lead to people staying in prison or jails longer than they need to?
GREGORY: There is some really good points brought up about, hey, life without the ability to parole, maybe we have the ability to parole, maybe we do a little bit less than life, and I'm open to that, because, again, at the end of the day, this is about catching dangerous, dangerous criminals, and holding them until our federal government does their job and deports them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is not right. JIMENEZ (voice over): The public comment on the bill went mostly like
this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It would incentivize discrimination.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These are people who came here simply to make a better life for their family.
JIMENEZ: When it was put forward in committee, there were a lot of people that spoke out against it. There is just one person, though, who spoke out for it.
RABBI ZE'VE SMASON, SUPPORTS LEGISLATION: I'm a rabbi. I'm not a policeman.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): This rabbi.
SMASON: I admire individuals who undergo the difficulties and the challenges of becoming naturalized citizens by coming in, as I said, before the front door. I don't have sympathy for individuals who skip the line. That's not to say that at other areas of their lives, they are not good people.
JIMENEZ: Legally, Javad Khazaeli is expecting mistakes if this passes.
JAVAD KHAZAELI, IMMIGRATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: I spent the first 10 years of my career as ICE prosecutor. If they pushed this forward, we're just going to sue them, and we're going to win on things like this. Because they are going to start arresting people that they have no right to arrest. They are going to start detaining people that they have no right to detain.
JIMENEZ: Even the prospect of this bill is making some in and even close to the undocumented community nervous for what could come next.
CHAVARRIA: It did cause a lot of fear in these families. They think that once they step foot outside, they are going to be targeted.
JIMENEZ (voice over): To her, the stakes with this bill are people like her parents.
CHAVARRIA: Wait 20 minutes.
JIMENEZ: And with her kids, she sometimes struggles to explain this moment in American politics.
CHAVARRIA: They tell me that there -- the kids in school are, you know, they will scream, Trump, Trump, Trump, and you know, I tell them like, well, that's OK. It doesn't mean anything bad, but I do try to let them know, just to always be proud of who they are.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: That was Omar Jimenez reporting.
Ashley's family tells us that her parents have work permits and are currently in the process of trying to legalize their status. And then on the bill itself, the question is, will this pass? The senator is definitely confident in its success. He told CNN that even if the final version is tweaked.
[15:55:01]
But it's worth noting CNN spoke to the statehouse speaker's camp. The speaker says he has not seen any enthusiasm for any bounty hunter bill as he describes it. Either way, this would need to pass the House as well. There was a similar bill put forward in Mississippi. That one was killed.
All right. Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. The CNN NEWSROOM with Jessica Dean starts right after this.
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