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FEMA Administrator Visits Aftermath Of Texas Flooding; Texas Government Announces New Support Line For Flood Victims; Judge Orders DHS To Stop Arrests Without Probable Cause; President Threatens 30 Percent Tariffs On Mexico & European Union; Russia Escalates Attacks After Trump Slams Putin; Lawmakers Tour Controversial Detention Center in Everglades. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired July 13, 2025 - 05:00   ET

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

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[05:00:40]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

Storm ravaged Texas is facing another wave of dangerous weather. We'll have details plus a look at how recovery efforts are taking a toll on first responders. The White House responds after a judge orders ICE agents in California to stop detaining people without probable cause. Why the president says the ruling is out of bounds.

Plus, lawmakers get an inside look at alligator Alcatraz. What they saw inside the new detention facility in Florida.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: We begin in Texas where parts of the state are under flood threat just days after dangerous conditions destroyed the hill country. The risk has been upgraded amid growing concerns. Storms could bring even more rainfall than initially thought.

We'll have the full forecast coming up in a few minutes. But first, on Saturday, FEMA's acting administrator made his first visit to central Texas since the deadly flooding began. The trip comes with "New York Times" reports FEMA is struggling to answer nearly two-thirds of calls from flood survivors. The governor of Texas has praised the federal response following President Trump's tour of the flood sites Friday.

CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The acting head of FEMA, David Richardson, made his first visit to Kerrville on Saturday but dodged CNN's questions about "New York Times" reporting regarding how FEMA responded to its disaster lines and the dates after the flooding. "New York Times" has reporting that says that nearly two-thirds of those calls went unanswered. And it's interesting because they detail how on the first day of this disaster calls went answered and that lines up with the last day of contracts that the DHS had with call centers.

On the third day, once those contracts were no longer in place, that number goes down to 15%. This as CNN has reported that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has said that she has to personally OK any expenses that go above $100,000. And reporting from earlier this week says that FEMA's search and rescue teams weren't cleared to deploy until 72 hours after the disaster began. And that is due to those officials encountering bureaucratic obstacles according to four people inside the agency.

On Saturday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem told a crew of reporters that this will now be the new normal for this administration's disaster response.

KRISTI NOEM, U.S. SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: Some of what you saw for our response in Texas is going to be a lot of how President Trump envisions what FEMA would look like into the future. Emergencies are locally executed. They are state managed. The state then manages it. The federal government comes in and supports.

VARGAS JONES: Despite all that, Governor of Texas Greg Abbott praised FEMA's response, calling it swift and effective.

Now, we're also learning that FEMA removed dozens of Camp Mystic buildings from a designated flood area. This is coming from documents back to 2011, where this entire area of Camp Mystic was under what it was called a special flood hazard area.

But then two years later in 2013, that camp was granted an exemption for 15 of the buildings that are under this red area that you see in the map there. In the yellow part, that is a 1% annual chance of flood hazard. That encompasses some other parts of Camp Mystic.

Of course, this is a camp that had been here for 99 years. Some of those structures were quite old. But still in 2019, as Camp Mystic expanded, they also were granted another exemption for these buildings.

Now, it's worth mentioning that the owner of the camp had been working with local authorities for years to try and have those sirens installed, an emergency alert system in the area, and the local authorities have actually submitted a report to FEMA back in October, warning of exactly these kinds of conditions being a possibility for flooding here in Central Texas.

Julia Vargas Jones, CNN, Kerrville, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced a new support line for residents affected by the floods, as well as for first responders. Anyone involved in the search and rescue efforts can receive professional crisis counseling free of charge. This comes as those working in Central Texas have been speaking out about the emotional toll of this ongoing recovery effort.

[05:05:15]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONATHAN LAM, KERRVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT: We're going to continue to search and look to try and reunite families because that's where our focus is, on reuniting families with their missing loved ones and bringing them closure.

RYAN LOGUE, DEPUTY INCIDENT COMMANDER, UNITED CAJUN NAVY: My heart being broken is not even a grand enough statement.

MEGHAN ANSALDO, VOLUNTEER, KERR COUNTY MOUNTED SEARCH: It's something that you'll never unsee. It's going to forever be in our brain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Back in April, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston conducted a study among first responders and found that they have a higher suicide risk than other professions, especially when it comes to emergency medical services personnel. The study also says many first responders reported burnout and were leaving the field due to physical and mental health concerns.

All right, for more on this, we're going to go to Denver, Colorado with Dr. Ian Stanley. He's the Psychological Health Lead with the Center for COMBAT Research at the University of Colorado's Anschutz Medical Campus. Thank you so much for being here with us. I really appreciate it.

So, we sort of heard there from a few people about the toll it takes. I mean, how common is that in these circumstances? And what kinds of psychological impacts do you see from these sort of long search and rescue efforts like this?

DR. IAN STANLEY, CENTER FOR COMBAT RESEARCH, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: Thank you for having me. Most first responders, whether firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, law enforcement officers, they're resilient to these immense psychological challenges, but they're not immune. Challenges could include things like sleep disturbances, changes in emotional reactions, more anger, more sadness, more feelings of guilt and hopelessness. But that's not the story for everyone. And so we want to nonetheless be vigilant to those who need our support.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, what makes this situation in Texas even more tragic is the number of children who lost their lives and recovering children, even -- even coming across their belongings and so on. I mean, that must make it even harder from a psychological point of view for these rescuers.

STANLEY: Absolutely. First responders will often tell us that some of the memories that really stick with them are the recoveries of bodies of children. That's not what we expect with the natural order of things. And it really sticks with the first responders.

BRUNHUBER: And many of them are searching in their own communities, you know, where they live and work. I mean, does that make it harder?

STANLEY: In some ways, it might make it easier in the sense that they have a sense of support network that knows what they're going through. On the other hand, it also challenges the grief process. They're kind of head down, focused on their job, which they're trained to do and they do valiantly. And at the same time, they're trying to grieve with their family, with their friends, with their neighbor, with their clergy and churches and whatnot.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, and that support network you mentioned is so important. I want to get to that a bit later. But in terms of the actual responders themselves, I imagine that the effects are sort of multiplied. When many of these people who are doing this aren't necessarily trained first responders, they're volunteers who may not be used to this.

STANLEY: Yeah, you know, folks volunteer as firefighters, EMTs, paramedics all the time with a lot of training. And yet there's folks responding to the floods in Texas and who respond to floods and natural disasters and other tragedies nationwide all the time who might not have as much experience and might not have the same level of support systems or the same level of resiliency training. And they also deserve our attention and support here.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely. And for these people, I mean, the symptoms might not sort of manifest themselves right away and they could last for years, right? So, what -- what kind of help are they going to need?

STANLEY: In this acute phase, as folks are still engaging in these recovery efforts, you might not see symptoms. And again, most first responders are resilient and proceed psychologically healthy. But it could be weeks, months or even years later where symptoms begin to emerge.

And support can be at the level of peers, at the level of friends, at the level of family. For some people, though, that might need to escalate up to a psychologist, a primary care doctor, a social worker, other mental health professional.

BRUNHUBER: The thing that makes it even more complicated, I suppose, is that for many first responders, there's that sort of culture of toughness that kind of prevents them from asking for help, right?

STANLEY: I think in the last decade or so, there's been an increased awareness and willingness to talk about mental health in first responder communities. But there's a long way to go. There's that toughness culture that we're trained to do this, so therefore it might not affect us. But the reality is no one's immune. First responders, too, are human.

[05:10:20]

BRUNHUBER: All right. In the introduction, I mentioned that new support line that they're setting up. There'll be free counseling. Is that enough? STANLEY: For some people, it is. For some people, it is. For some people, calling a friend is enough. For some people, engaging in self- care activities is enough. There's no one-size-fits-all. For many people, that might be enough. For others, they might need more continuing care through a professional.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, and I imagine more training before these disasters actually happen might help, right?

STANLEY: Indeed. I think what we as a nation need to do a better job at is investing in first responder mental health across the arc of their career, starting in training, starting in the academy, starting in EMT school, starting in paramedic school. And that will equip our first responders with skills to bring them forward, not only in tragedies like what we're seeing in Texas, but also their day-to-day job, which is really tough as well.

BRUNHUBER: Well, listen, there'll be so many folks struggling in the wake of this. Really appreciate it, Dr. Ian Stanley. Hopefully, they'll get the help they need. Thank you so much for being here with us.

STANLEY: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: Well, flood risk in the Hill Country of Central Texas has been upgraded to three out of four, with more rainfall expected as the storm system spreads at least 19 million people in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma will remain under flood watches through the weekend. For more on the flooding in Texas and an update on the weather at West, CNN Meteorologist Chris Warren has all the details.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The moisture coming in from the Gulf sets the stage. It's the fuel for these storms to tap into. Now, not everyone's going to see storms. There could be some showers that go by, but where the storms do set up and where it does rain the heaviest and the longest, that's where flash flooding is possible. And there's going to be pockets here and here. This is a rough estimate of where the computers are showing.

Could have some of the higher rainfall totals in that four to six inch plus in the orange and red colors there. But a lot of the state will be dry. It's just, if you end up getting some of these thunderstorms, the future radar showing, again, hit and miss right through the day on Sunday.

Areas that need the rain, really not getting it, it's in the West. We were pushing 100 active wildfires here, and it is hot. It is dry, dangerously hot for some, if you're not careful, if you're not taking care of yourself, pushing a little bit too hard in the Columbia Basin.

Also in parts of Nevada and Northern California, major to even some extreme heat risk. Temperatures will be well above average again in Las Vegas. 105 is what you'd expect this time of year. And it's going to be a 111, 112 on Monday and 108 on Tuesday. Some relief is on the way in some areas, coastal areas with a little bit of green. That's the Pacific Ocean helping to be nature's air conditioner, if you will, and cool things off at the immediate coast or up in the mountains.

You can find some relief 98 in Sacramento on Monday to 87 on Tuesday. Another way to look at some of that relief, keep in mind it's the hottest time of the year here, the hardest summer, but the departure from average, that's still going to be warm. You see a little bit of blue show up or no color, that'll be about average. So, some relief is on the way, Pacific Northwest and across parts of California.

BRUNHUBER: A California farm worker who fell from a greenhouse roof during an ICE raid has died from his injuries. Jaime Alanis Garcia is the first person known to die during the Trump administration's crackdown on undocumented migrants. His family says Garcia worked at a farm producing cannabis, tomatoes and cucumbers for 10 years.

Hospital and government sources say Garcia may have been fleeing ICE agents when he fell about 30 feet from the greenhouse roof and broke his neck. The Department of Homeland Security says it arrested 200 people suspected of being in the country illegally and says it wasn't pursuing Garcia.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security secretary says the agency will crack down harder on undocumented migrants. Kristi Noem says Donald Trump's domestic policy bill provides tens of billions of dollars to imprison and deport more people. Noem is also slamming a judge who ruled against the Homeland Security Department on Friday. The judge found that DHS has been making stops and arrests in Los Angeles without probable cause.

That judge granting a temporary restraining order to stop detentions based on criteria including language or race. Well, Noem called the judge an idiot and says, quote, "none of our operations are going to change." CNN's Julia Benbrook has more.

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JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After weeks of chaotic immigration raids in public and at workplaces across Southern California, a federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order and a lawsuit requiring federal authorities to find reasonable suspicion to make immigration arrest in California's central district, which includes Los Angeles.

[05:15:18]

The federal judge found that the Department of Homeland Security had made some stops and arrests in that area without probable cause and is ordering the department to stop detaining individuals based solely on race, occupation, or spoken language.

In a recent interview on "Fox News," Tom Homan, the president's border czar, detailed how ICE agents and Border Patrol determine who to target. Take a listen.

TOM HOMAN, WHITE HOUSE BORDER CZAR: People need to understand ICE officers and border patrol, they don't need probable cause to walk up to somebody, briefly detain them, and question them. They just need the totality of the circumstances, right? They just got through the observation, you know, get articulable facts based on their location, their occupation, their physical appearance, their actions.

Like a uniformed Border Patrol walks up to them at, for instance, a Home Depot and they got all these articulable facts, plus the person walks away or runs away. Agents are trained. What they need to detain somebody temporarily and question them is not probable cause, it's reasonable suspicion. We're trained on that.

BENBROOK: During a press conference on Saturday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem continued to tout the Trump administration's large-scale immigration operations. She also criticized the judge's order. And in a statement from a White House spokesperson, they said, quote, "No federal judge has the authority to dictate immigration policy. That authority rests with Congress and the president. Enforcement operations require careful planning and execution, skills far beyond the purview or jurisdiction of any judge. We expect this gross overstep of judicial authority to be corrected on appeal."

So, making it clear there that they plan to take more legal action.

Julia Benbrook, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: President Trump is insulting and threatening Rosie O'Donnell. It's the latest in his decades-long vendetta against the comedian. Donald Trump posted on social media calling her a threat to humanity and saying he's giving serious consideration to taking away her citizenship.

Now, it's not clear what prompted the social media rant, but it comes days after O'Donnell posted a video slamming the Trump administration's response to the deadly Texas floods. CNN Supreme Court Analyst Steve Vladeck says Trump's threat is patently unconstitutional. O'Donnell moved to Ireland in 2024 after Trump was reelected, and she says it was the safest thing to do for herself and her non-binary child.

Well, President Trump fired a new round in his global trade war on Saturday. In letters released on social media, he threatened to impose 30% tariffs on products from the European Union and Mexico. They join a growing list of countries whose imports will face new and steeper tariffs beginning August 1st. Senior White House Reporter Betsy Klein has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER AND WRITER: Well, President Trump launched a global trade war back in April, reshaping the economic world order with his tariffs and rocking markets in the process. The president then issuing a 90-day pause to allow his team to negotiate bespoke trade deals. That, with two exceptions, has really proven elusive for the Trump team so far. But that 90-day pause ended this week. The president extending that deadline to August 1st for his team to allow a little bit more time to negotiate as the president sends a series of letters to world leaders with new and aggressive tariff rates before that August 1st deadline. On Saturday, he sent a pair of letters to the European Union and Mexico, two of the United States' biggest trading partners.

And by the numbers, U.S.-Mexico trade totaled $840 billion last year. U.S.-EU trade closer to $1 trillion. But the president now setting a tariff rate of 30% for both if a deal is not reached by August 1st.

Now, in his letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the president said that he believed, in his view, Mexico was not doing enough to secure the border and also urged Mexican companies to move their manufacturing to the United States. Following that letter, a top Mexican economic official said that they had conveyed that that 30% tariff marked, quote, "unfair treatment" and that they did not agree, but agreed to continue to talk to protect businesses and jobs on both sides of the border.

And on the European Union side, Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen said they are ready to continue working toward an agreement by August 1st.

We also heard from one of the president's top negotiators, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said in a post to social media on Saturday, quote, "The U.K. trade team smartly secured an early deal. Let this be a lesson to other countries -- earnest, good-faith negotiations can produce powerful results that benefit both sides of the table."

[05:20:15]

Of course, all of this contributing to mounting uncertainty for businesses, investors and consumers alike heading into that August 1st deadline.

Betsy Klein, CNN, traveling with the president in New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Kim Jong-un welcomed Russia's foreign minister to a beach resort in North Korea as Moscow keeps pounding Ukraine with nonstop attacks. We get a live report.

Plus, more Palestinians reportedly killed while trying to get food for their families as ceasefire talks stall. Those stories and more coming up. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Ukrainian officials say Russia has carried out its second largest aerial assault since the full-scale war began. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 26 cruise missiles and nearly 600 drones were used in Saturday's attack. Officials say over the last 24 hours, at least nine people have been killed and 23 injured. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his unconditional support for Russia's war while meeting with Moscow's top diplomat. The Russian Foreign Minister is wrapping up a three-day trip to North Korea and a sign of growing relations between the two countries.

[05:25:13]

We'll go now to CNN's Nada Bashir, who's joining us live from London. And Nada, I understand there's new video into CNN on those Russian strikes on Ukraine. Take us through it.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. We've been seeing, hearing these reports from Ukrainian officials and new video coming in of those attacks overnight. As you mentioned, at least nine people so far confirmed to have been killed and 24 others injured. And this follows a barrage of attacks that we have seen over recent days, including a round of attacks overnight Saturday, which marked the second largest barrage of overnight aerial attacks that Ukraine has endured since the beginning of Russia's invasion.

Of course, this all comes as we continue to learn more about the efforts being made by international allies to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities, including now the U.S. resuming deliveries of military assistance to Ukraine via the NATO alliance. Both Trump and a spokesperson for the NATO alliance confirming that NATO has now procured air defense systems and weapons from the United States.

President Trump very careful there to emphasize that these are weapons being supplied by the U.S. and paid for by the NATO alliance to support in Ukraine's defense efforts. We've been hearing from the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing the continued efforts to ramp up Ukraine's ability to defend itself against these ongoing attacks by Russia. Take a listen.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We're doing everything to ensure Ukraine receives as many means to shoot down drones and missiles. We are nearing a multilayered agreement on new Patriot systems and missiles for them. We are investing in our own production, especially of drones, including interceptor drones. We will continue active drone operations on Russian territory in response to their strikes.

BASHIR: Now, we are also seeing some shifts in the relations between the U.S. and Ukraine, as well as the U.S. and Russia. We are expecting to see President Trump's Russian Ukraine Envoy, Keith Kellogg, traveling to Ukraine this coming week to speak with Ukrainian officials, to continue dialogue around cooperation between the two countries. And of course, there has been some indication from the Ukrainian president that there may be more concrete steps taken by its international allies around possible sanctions on Russia. There are no clear details on that just yet.

What we do know, according to President Trump, is that we are expecting to hear a statement from the White House, from the president himself, potentially as early as Monday, with regards to the response and the focus on Russia. No, again, no details offered on that from the president himself.

But what we do know is that there have been ongoing discussions between White House and Russian officials. Earlier this week, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Russian counterpart, and he, according to the White House, reiterated President Trump's disappointment and frustration towards the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. And also, he described those conversations as frank, but noted that Russia had also offered a potential new pathway to peace.

So, questions mounting, swirling around what those discussions in the future could look like, whether we see any concrete steps around possible sanctions or repercussions focused on Russia by the United States. And of course, what this new agreement to continue deliveries of U.S. weapons to Ukraine will mean for the future of Ukraine-U.S. relations as well.

Kim?

BRUNHUBER: All right. Appreciate all that. Nada Bashir in London. Thanks so much.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet his far-right national security minister in the coming hours to discuss ceasefire talks with Hamas. That's from a source familiar with the matter.

The Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is opposed to any deal with Hamas. The move comes after the talks in Qatar hit a stumbling block, with both sides pointing a finger at each other. Hamas says the negotiations have stalled because Israel keeps adding new demands. The latest one, according to Hamas, is related to the future presence of Israeli troops in Gaza.

An Egyptian source confirmed that Israel is putting forward new demands, but an Israeli political source tells CNN that Hamas has rejected a ceasefire proposal that would also include the release of some hostages.

Meanwhile, Israel is denying that its troops have injured anyone near an aid distribution site in Gaza. Palestinian officials say 27 people were killed after the IDF opened fire in southern Gaza on Saturday. The statement says a number of others were injured. The site is run by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The group called the claim 100% false, but other aid organizations have criticized its distribution system as potentially unsafe, and some displaced Palestinians seem to agree. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDULRAHMAN ABU TAEMAN, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN: They fool us. They say safe areas with American security, but nothing is safe. It is death there, killing and blood of children. If the Arab nations fear God and have a conscience, they should stop these types of aid. They should bring it to us through organizations or something. The nations should move to stop this enemy from killing people, from committing massacres.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:30:17]

BRUNHUBER: Critics are sounding the alarm about President Trump's mega bill, saying Medicaid cuts could affect the care everyone receives in rural areas. We'll dig deeper on that after the break, stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Let's check some of today's top stories.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is defending the agency's practices and is promising to crack down harder on undocumented migrants. This comes after a federal judge ruled that ICE is making stops and arrests in Los Angeles without probable cause. The judge granted a temporary restraining order to stop detentions in part of Southern California based on criteria including race and language.

The acting FEMA administrator began touring flood sites in Central Texas for the first time on Saturday. Now, this as the hard-hit Hill Region faces a new increased flood risk. More than 19 million people across Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma will remain under flood watches through the weekend.

President Donald Trump is threatening to impose new tariffs on two key U.S. trading partners. He wants to impose 30% tariffs on all products from Mexico and the European Union. They join a growing list of countries whose imports will face new and steeper tariffs beginning August 1st.

[05:35:00]

Now, the effect might not be felt immediately, but rural hospitals around the country are preparing for the impact of President Trump's mega bill. Last week saw the passage of his landmark spending package, the first major legislative achievement of his second term. Provisions range from the end of most clean energy tax credits to the temporary elimination of some taxes on tips and overtime to a temporary tax break for seniors.

Now, there are also big changes coming to the social safety net, including nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts, and that could cause millions to lose health care coverage and hurt rural hospitals. Now, the bill does set up a $50 billion fund to support rural health care providers, but rural health providers, according to a PBS analysis, half will be given to states over five years, while half will be distributed at the discretion of Medicare and Medicaid Chief Mehmet Oz.

All right, for more on this, I want to bring in Laurie Stradley, who's the CEO of Impact Health, a nonprofit that provides social services to low-income families, and she joins us from Louisville, Kentucky.

Thank you so much for being here with us. So, how does this federal legislation, which could cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next decade, impact folks in your region?

LAURIE STRADLEY, CEO, IMPACT HEALTH: Well, it's going to be a really difficult couple of years. The work that we're doing out here is intended to really support people who are trying to get their feet back under them. Medicaid was always intended to support our most vulnerable, and those are the folks, of course, who will be hit hardest by this.

We're also in Asheville and Western North Carolina and really up and down Appalachia. We're still recovering from Hurricane Helene last year, which means our unemployment is higher than other parts of the state and nation, through no fault of the individuals themselves. And having access to regular health care to keep people healthy and get them back to work, back to school, is critical. It's a really dangerous time to remove access to health care for folks who are in recovery.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, you talk about these individuals, and you must deal with many of these low-income families. Can you share a sort of a specific example or story of how these Medicaid cuts might concretely affect people?

STRADLEY: Yeah, absolutely. Many of the families that we work with and individuals are young, working families. They're maybe in school trying to get ahead, trying to get to be back to a part of what they hope to do and live up to their potential.

And one of the ways that Medicare is used in North Carolina is part of an innovative approach that recognizes people are whole people. We know that health is related to almost every aspect of your life before you even walk in your doctor's door. So, we're able to use Medicaid funds in partnership with clinical practice to make sure that people have access to food, safe housing, transportation.

And then that helps them get going again. And so for one example, we have a family that is really just trying to get going. They don't have regular access to food, and it's made their housing less stable because they have to pick.

If you've ever lived without enough or if you know someone who has, you know that there's a lot of mental work that goes into just keeping your nose above water. And so one of the families reported back to us that because they know that their food is coming on Friday and that they know that they're going to be able to see a doctor at low or no cost. If someone gets unexpectedly sick, they feel safer paying their rent on time and without any fees or services associated with low payment.

So, just by using Medicaid to see that whole family, to see everything that they need all together, we're able to help them get their feet under them. And then they're back to work, back to school and soon off Medicaid.

BRUNHUBER: So, you speak about the interconnectedness of all of this. So, I want to ask you about that, because on top of the Medicaid cuts, the Trump administration is also changing the way the country funds food stamps. And your -- your state, among many, could be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars to cover these SNAP benefits that were previously provided by the federal government.

So, I imagine that must mean some tough choices for politicians in the state and families as well who may have to sort of choose between health and -- health care and food.

STRADLEY: Yeah, I don't envy our North Carolina lawmakers and policy leaders right now. This was never something that was expected. It wasn't something that this presidential administration campaigned on.

So, to take these hits simultaneously is going to be disruptive on a lot of levels. And when you look at rural communities in particular, and North Carolina is a predominantly rural state, it affects every layer. So, our economy is going to be hit hard by this with pulling out funds related to health care, pulling out funds related to food. That hits our farmers. It hits our teachers. It hits everybody that is contributing to the way that North Carolina operates.

[05:40:11]

And so having all of these funds pulled out of the local economy, and again, especially in western North Carolina, and really now the rest of the state that has been facing flooding for the last several weeks, we are going to struggle to do the things that we think about outside of healthcare. Another way that this -- this investment that we're talking about is going to hit our local healthcare systems as well.

We expect to see services and potentially even hospitals close their doors. And when that happens, it doesn't matter who your payer is or if it's private money or public. If there's no labor and delivery system, you're going to have to travel to have a baby.

If there's no emergency room, you're going to have to travel to deal with a heart attack or a stroke. And that affects everybody up and down the economy.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. All right, listen, we'll have to leave it there, but really appreciate getting your insights on all this, which will affect, as you say, so many people.

Laurie Stradley, thank you so much.

STRADLEY: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: All right, still to come, lawmakers finally get inside Florida's controversial detention center, "Alligator Alcatraz." We'll hear from one congresswoman on what she witnessed. That's coming up after the break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: A group of lawmakers in Florida toured the immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz" for the first time since it opened. Last week, several Democratic lawmakers were denied entry when they tried to visit. Immigration rights groups say the detainees are subjected to inhumane conditions. State officials say that's not true. CNN's Rafael Romo has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The state of Florida's Division of Emergency Management agreed to allow a group of lawmakers at the state and federal levels to tour the facility dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz." This happened after earlier this month, a group of state legislators was denied entry. After touring the detention center for migrants in the middle of the Everglades, Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat, called it, quote, "an internment camp" surrounded by other Democratic state and federal elected officials.

[05:45:16]

Schultz also said the temperature was 85 degrees in the medical intake area, that there's no privacy in the shower area, and the detainees are fed food portions that, in her opinion, are smaller than they should be. Another lawmaker called it a, quote, "cruel political stunt," while Wasserman Schultz added that there were bugs everywhere.

The Florida representative also said she's concerned about the amount of people being held in every holding unit. Let's take a listen.

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D-FL): The only thing inside those cages are their bunk beds, and there are three tiny toilets that are toilet units that have a sink attached to it, so they essentially drink, they get their drinking water, and they brush their teeth where they poop.

ROMO: On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said people need to remember that Alligator Alcatraz is not a hotel. DeSantis also said that all the standards are a lot higher than what was even required. A Republican Florida state senator who also toured the facility Saturday agrees with the governor.

BLAISE INGOGLIA, FLORIDA STATE SENATOR: The rhetoric does not match the reality from what you guys have been hearing from, I would say, Democrats, especially congressional Democrats. It's actually a very well-run facility. The idea that the detainees are in there and they're in squalid conditions is just not accurate.

ROMO (voice-over): Several days ago, I spoke with a Guatemalan woman whose husband is detained at "Alligator Alcatraz." Among other things, she told me her husband is enduring mosquitoes, unbearable heat and humidity, insufficient washing facilities, hard beds, and bad food. She also told me her husband was only able to take one shower in a six-day period and that he has not had access to an attorney so far.

In a statement published on X, the Department of Homeland Security said that ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens. All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family members.

Earlier this month, Florida officials said the migrant detention center has a capacity for 3,000 people. Rafael Romo, CNN Atlanta.

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BRUNHUBER: Two soccer giants will face off today to take the title of the world's top club. We'll have that story ahead. Stay with us.

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[05:51:32]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUPERMAN: My actions, I stopped a war.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe.

SUPERMAN: Not maybe, I did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, the latest Superman movie is soaring up, up, and away from opening weekend expectations. With an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the newest installment in the famed franchise is expected to gross nearly $130 million at the U.S. box office. Superman is the first film of the new Warner Brothers and D.C. Universe partnership headed by James Gunn, the film's director and co-CEO of DC Studios. Warner Brothers Discovery is the parent company of CNN.

Two soccer heavyweights go head-to-head today for the title of world's top club. Paris Saint-Germain faces London's Chelsea in the finals of FIFA's Club World Cup. As CNN's Patrick Snell reports, there's a clear favorite to take the trophy.

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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: It was 5-0 in the Champions League final against Inter Milan, then it was 4-0 in the Club World Cup semi- final against Mighty Rail Madrid. And this after having beaten Bayern Munich with just nine men. If there's a better club side anywhere in the world, then I want to know about it.

(Voice-over): Everywhere you look this season, it's PSG Silverware, most notably for the first time ever, the Champions League. Now, it's the Club World Cup in their sights. Ousmane Dembele's a leading contender for the coveted Ballon D'or. The Frenchman has netted 35 times in all competitions, including this one in the 4-0 thrashing of Real in the Club World Cup semi-final.

Desire Doue is another of their standout players. At age just 20, the youngster making global headlines after scoring twice in the Champions League final triumph over Inter.

DESIRE DOUE, PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN FORWARD: That's unbelievable, but I try to stay the same guy, the same children, you know? I'm living my dream actually, and I'm really happy to play in Paris Saint-Germain. Now, we have a final to play on Sunday, and we just want to win.

SNELL: The mastermind behind PSG's success is Spanish tactician Luis Enrique, a treble winner a decade ago as head coach with Barcelona, and now again with Paris.

LUIS ENRIQUE, PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN MANAGER: It means a lot, without any doubt, because it was our first goal when we arrived. Making history was the main goal for all of us.

SNELL (on camera): So if you're Chelsea, how do you solve a problem like Paris Saint-Germain? Well, that's the question the Blues manager got numerous times during his pre-final press conference right here on Friday.

ENZO MARESCA, CHELSEA MANAGER: I just said I'm agree with most of the people that they say that they are the best team in Europe, the best team in the world. I really enjoy watching them, but at the same time, we want to try -- we are here to try to do our best and to win the -- to win the final.

SNELL (voice-over): Enzo Maresca's men are looking to add to their 2021 success in the Club World Cup. They've also won 13 of their last 15 matches across all competitions. The extreme heat has at times been a factor during this tournament, though Maresca says his squad have had a month to adapt and he's hoping they're used to it by now.

This, though, the view of one of his players.

REECE JAMES, CHELSEA DEFENDER: The climate is so hot. You know, no one in Europe is used to this heat, you know, playing at 3 o'clock in, you know, the hottest time of the day. This is super difficult for us to adapt.

SNELL (on camera): And with high temperatures again projected for Sunday's final here, both teams will be looking to keep their cool out there on the pitch in their quest to be crowned Club World Cup champions.

[05:55:08]

Patrick Snell, CNN, East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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BRUNHUBER: Well, it was a historic win at Wimbledon. Holland's Iga Swiatek now adds the coveted Wimbledon trophy to her Grand Slam victory. She dominated American Amanda Anisimova in a stunning six love, six love win in just under an hour.

Swiatek is the first Polish Wimbledon singles champion in the open era. It's also the first time in recent history where a women's player won the title without conceding a single game.

And the grass court drama continues. When Jannik Sinner takes on Carlos Alcaraz on center court in the men's singles final today. All right, finally, check this out. The world's largest margarita.

This massive drink was created in Tijuana, Mexico on Friday. It's just over 34,000 liters or 9,000 gallons. And it is, as you can guess, the biggest one on record. A judge from the Guinness World Records was there to verify the achievement.

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SUSANA REYES, OFFICIAL ADJUDICATOR, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS (through translator): It is always inspiring for me to see and recognize how people, whether an individual or a massive attempts, resort to organization, foresight, unity, and often boost the spirits of locality where they do it. And of course, reinforce identity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Local vendors supply the materials and hundreds of volunteers work to create it. The massive margarita is part of Tijuana's 136th birthday celebration.

A little early for me for a margarita. That wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

For our viewers in North America, CNN THIS MORNING is next. And for the rest of the world, it is MARKETPLACE ASIA.

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