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World Leaders In Hiroshima Focus On Countering China And Russia; U.S. Debt Ceiling Crisis Looms Large Over Summit; Zelenskyy Arrives In Hiroshima To Try And Keep Crucial Support; CIA Tries To Recruit Russian Spies With Dramatic New Video. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired May 20, 2023 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: It is always good to start the day with you. Thanks for joining us. This is CNN THIS MORNING. I'm Victor Blackwell.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Amara Walker. Look, we're doing something different. We're going to talk about things that people don't know a lot about us.

BLACKWELL: Oh my gosh.

WALKER: What? You said that you're OK telling the public this secret -- it would be a secret for me. But go ahead, so one thing some people don't -- wouldn't guess about you that I don't know about.

BLACKWELL: And I'm not ashamed to say this. When I go to a hotel --

WALKER: Brace yourself.

BLACKWELL: And there's a roll of wrapped toilet tissue, I put that right in my bag.

WALKER: He takes it from the hotel room.

BLACKWELL: See on my face? No shame.

WALKER: No shame.

BLACKWELL: No shame.

WALKER: Clearly not. And when was the, when was the last time you purchased toilet paper from the grocery store?

BLACKWELL: Oh, it's been a while. I've been using that Angel Soft from the Marriott Corporation for a very long time. I don't know, when was the last time I paid for it.

WALKER: Thank you, Marriott. Thank you, Marriott, for providing --

BLACKWELL: I appreciate it.

WALKER: -- all of Victor Blackwell's toilet paper for the rest of his life.

BLACKWELL: And you don't do that?

WALKER: No. Listen, I'll take Q-tips and cotton balls and face wipes.

BLACKWELL: OK. Get on that toilet tissue game.

WALKER: I'm not taking toilet paper.

BLACKWELL: OK.

WALKER: It takes up way too much space. It's just not practical.

BLACKWELL: All right.

WALKER: But hey, something I didn't know about you. All right, to, to the news now. All eyes are on the G7 Summit in Japan as world leaders meet today for another day of high stakes talks. Top of the agenda: aggression by Russia and China.

This morning, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in person to shore up support all this happening. As the debt ceiling fight in Washington looms in the background and over President Biden's trip.

BLACKWELL: And it sounds like something out of a movie. The CIA is recruiting Russian spies with a new video campaign. Why officials say Russia's war in Ukraine has opened up a unique opportunity for the agency?

WALKER: Plus, a luxury company, the world's richest man and an uncanny resemblance to the hit show succession. Speculation swirls around who could one day take over a fashion empire.

Well, this morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Hiroshima, Japan, meeting with world leaders assembled for the G7 Summit. Zelenskyy is making an appeal for support and efforts to beat back attacks from Russia -- many of them aerial attacks lately ahead of unexpected spring counter offensive.

He met with Prime Ministers of Italy and the U.K. today and he is set to have a one-on-one with President Biden. The Ukrainian leader is also expected to address the entire group tomorrow.

BLACKWELL: Providing military and economic aid to Ukraine is just one item on the agenda for G7 members. Leaders of Japan, Germany, France, Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom, and of course, the U.S., are also coordinating a response to increasingly assertive military and economic action from China.

Ongoing negotiations over the debt ceiling, though, have also been a subject of interest at the gathering. During a meeting with Australia's Prime -- President, rather, Biden was asked about the talks, and he said the negotiations are progressing as he expects. We have team coverage. CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is live in Ukraine. We're going to start with CNN International Correspondent Marc Stewart

in Hiroshima. Marc, first the President is expected to meet with Vladimir Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine this weekend. Talk more about that meeting and what else is on the agenda?

MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Victor and Amara. Good morning, once again. Yes, we have several big headlines to digest from Hiroshima. Let's first talk about this anticipated meeting between President Biden and President Zelenskyy expected to happen sometime in the hours ahead -- don't have an exact timeline as to when that would likely occur.

But that conversation will be critical because once that takes place, the United States is expected to formally announced an aid package and additional aid package to Ukraine, a price tag of about $375 million. A lot of it very focused on military. President Zelenskyy is coming here really for the power of a face-to-face meeting.

As you mentioned, he already met with the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and of Italy, again hoping to speak with President Biden. He did send out a tweet a short time ago kind of talking about his expectations. A pretty simple message but simply saying Japan, G7, important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine, security, and enhance cooperation for our victory. Peace will become clearer today.

And some specifics about this plan for peace may come in the hours ahead. We also may hear more from President Zelenskyy about his interest his need for more military aircraft F 60s appears that he is making progress on that. It's also a chance for him to meet with some leaders' other than the G7, such as from India, from Indonesia, and from Brazil, not necessarily in the circles he has been with recently, but he's hoping to expand his conversations. OK.

[07:05:10]

Now, another issue that's been discussed here is the debt ceiling, it's become almost an accidental agenda item for President Biden. Because if there is a default of the debt ceiling in the United States, it really could impact global security, namely, perhaps prompting a global recession. And that's why there is so much discussion here among G7 leaders. We did get an update from the President just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It goes in stages, and what happens is the first meetings weren't all that progressive, the second ones were, third one was, and then what happens is the carriers go back to the principles and say, this is what we're thinking about. And then, people put down new claims. I still believe we'll be able to avoid a default, and we'll get something decent done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: The President was making those remarks sitting next to the Australian Prime Minister, the two men were supposed to actually meet for a separate meeting in Australia. But of course, that has now been cancelled because of this debt ceiling default threat. Back to you, Amara and Victor.

WALKER: Marc Stewart good to see you. Thank you for that. Let's go now to Nic Robertson, who is live in Ukraine. And Nic, I mean, talk about the significance of this moment, President Zelenskyy, once again, traveling out of the country, this time to attend this G7 Summit in Hiroshima, which was the site of the world's first nuclear attack. And obviously, that also underscores the risks, the dangers of, you know, a nuclear war, right?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, absolutely. And that won't be lost on President Zelenskyy, and the threat that's posed by Russia. This is, in fact, his furthest trip from the capital, Kyiv, since the war began. He's extending the reach of his diplomacy; we saw it yesterday, speaking to Arab league leaders, telling them not to believe Russia is propaganda, not to turn a blind eye to it that Russia is the aggressor, not as Russia would have.

Its Arab friends believe that Russia is the victim. So, an important meeting for Zelenskyy. Today, when he sits down with the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, because Modi has yet to come out and say what all the other G7 leaders have said, that Russia is undertaking a war of aggression, that it's invaded a peaceful neighbor, that also run, India rather, is importing Russian oil -- none of the other G7 members, of course, are doing that.

So, you know, the landscape will have a chance here face to face with Modi to say, Look, you need not to support Russia in this way. By buying their oil, you were helping keep the war going. So, I think this is Zelenskyy's opportunity to broaden through some of the other invitees at the G7. His message of Support Ukraine, if not support us directly, don't enable Russia. That's going to be a message.

And I think when he speaks to Narendra Modi, as well, who's going to be hosting in Delhi in September, the G20 meeting, obviously, is the Lansky is looking into these big forums, international forums where he can be invited to speak to put his views across, frankly, but it's the G7 where he's going to get the real support and no surprise, it was meeting with a British Prime Minister today who's been at the forefront of efforts to get Ukrainian fighter pilots trained on F-16.

That goes back to February this year. Just a couple of days ago, the U.K. Prime Minister along with his Dutch counterpart as well, initiating an effort to get a an international training program and purchase program for F-16 is going. So, Zelenskyy lining up friends and allies and partners to aid his voice around the table at the G7 for these critical military things, F-16s that he needs.

BLACKWELL: Nic Robertson, for us there in Eastern Ukraine. Thanks so much. Let's discuss now with CNN Political and National Security Analyst David Sanger, he's also a New York Times White House and National Security Correspondent, traveling with President Biden there in Japan. So, we just heard the outlay of what the job is for President Zelenskyy. What's on the other side of that? Is he meeting resistance? Is he meeting a lack of urgency? Is the case harder to make than it was maybe six months ago?

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, Victor it's interesting from a few viewpoints here. So, with the core members of the G7. The, the, the western democracies and Japan. It's a fairly easy argument and they've been fairly well unified.

There have been some differences on shipping weapons, but in this case, it was the Europeans in the lead pressing President Biden to send the F16s and he had to be the one this to sort of come around. The harder issue is with the countries that have been invited here as guests: India, Brazil, places that have not only not sided necessarily with Ukraine, but in some cases had been part of the sanction's evasion elements, or at least have allowed sanctions evasion to happen in their territory.

[07:10:26]

And a big focus of this summit is to try to crack down on that, you know, we've documented pretty carefully how the Russians have moved goods through the United Arab Emirates through China to get around those sanctions. The other really remarkable thing here, though, Victor, is it wasn't that long ago, really only 20 years ago, that Russia began to be invited into the G7, first as a guest, then as a full member of what became the G8, to integrate it into the world economy. They left that after the, the invasion or annexation of Crimea -- they were suspended as a member. And now, Zelenskyy is playing the role that Russian leader is used to, showing up at these summits.

BLACKWELL: Let's talk now about the debt ceiling crisis. And how much world leaders are looking over the President's shoulder at the negotiations back in Washington. The first year of the Biden administration, the President were to tell this story that he would say America is back, and world leaders, according to the President would say for how long? I wonder, is this too close for not just comfort for some leaders, but confidence that we're coming so close to potentially defaulting? What, what has been the response or the reaction to these negotiations?

SANGER: So, Victor, they still say for how long, but they say that for some different reasons. First, they see the political dysfunction in the U.S. And usually, the U.S. is the force of stability, now they fear it could be a potential force of instability. The President's been trying, including today to say, don't worry, we've got this, we're going to work it out, we're not going to default.

At the end of the day, if it just turns into a hard negotiation, but it all works out, then I think it'll be pretty well forgotten around here. What won't be forgotten is that he was the president was supposed to go down and be the first American President to visit the Pacific Islands, and to try to gather those countries together in a coalition that would help the U.S. keep access to the South China Sea, an area where the Chinese have been extremely competitive and have been putting their military forces in as well.

So, that's a big lost opportunity, it's going to be hard to sort of convince them that he's serious about this if he needs to go back and, and deal with the debt crisis. But I think he recognized the optics of being away, while this is being negotiated are pretty bad.

BLACKWELL: Give me more on that, David, the Papua New Guinea was supposed to be a stop, of course, Australia as well, but he's meeting with the Australian Prime Minister today. China, as you said, is extending its economic and military reach there after the, I guess, it wasn't even dissolved, the non-starter, the TPP in 2017. China came in with its own multilateral organization. What is lost by not being there, face to face?

SANGER: You know, Victor, the world doesn't organize itself terribly well. And when the United States isn't present, it creates a vacuum. And the Chinese have been extraordinarily skilled at filling those vacuums. They went down and put together a security agreement with the Solomon Islands. The U.S. is trying to come back with one of its own with New Guinea.

BLACKWELL: All right, David Sanger, there in Hiroshima, watching it for us, thanks so much.

[07:14:12]

WALKER: Coming up, a D.C. Metro Police officer has been arrested accused of tipping off a Proud Boys leader about his impending arrest. Plus, the CIA is recruiting Russian spies in a new video campaign hoping they will share their secrets and step forward. A former CIA officer joins us to discuss.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: A D.C. Metro Police Lieutenant in charge of intelligence has been arrested and charged with lying to federal investigators about his communications with Proud Boys Leader, Enrique Tarrio, who has now been convicted of sedition.

BLACKWELL: So, the indictment lays out a series of encrypted text messages between Lieutenant Shane Lemond and Tarrio, sharing sensitive information about the January 6th capital insurrection investigation. CNN's Jessica Schneider has details.

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor and Amara, the Washington, D.C. police officer arrested and charged was actually a supervisor in the intelligence branch of the department's Homeland Security Bureau. It's alleged that he was communicating with the Proud Boys' leader, Enrique Tarrio, even tipping Tarrio off that he was about to be arrested.

So, this is Lieutenant Shane Lamond, he was arrested Friday. He now faces one count of obstruction, three counts of making false statements. Prosecutors say that as early as July 2020, Lieutenant Lamond began using Telegram to provide Tarrio information about the law enforcement investigations that were related to the Proud Boys activity all around Washington, D.C.

But then, when Lieutenant Lemond was being interviewed by authorities about his interactions with Tarrio, it's alleged that Lieutenant Lamond then gave false and misleading statements about his communications with Tarrio and that's what these charges stem from. So, Lieutenant Lemond's lawyer is now responding saying this: "Lieutenant Lemond is a decorated officer whose position required contact with extremist groups who sought to undermine our democracy on January 6th, yet he does not, nor has he ever supported their views."

[07:20:15]

Now Lieutenant Lemond was placed on administrative leave by the police department last year. The department now saying, that they are cooperating with federal investigators in the probe. Meanwhile, Enrique Tarrio and several other members of the Proud Boys have all been convicted of seditious conspiracy, obstructing the Electoral College and tampering with evidence for their role in the January 6th capital attack in 2021. Victor and Amara.

BLACKWELL: Jessica, thank you. The Georgia prosecutor leading the investigation into former President Trump and his allies is now signaling a new timetable for potential charges. In a letter obtained by CNN, Fulton County District Attorney, Fani Willis, announced remote workdays for most of her staff during the first three weeks of August.

WALKER: She also asked judges to refrain from in person hearings for parts of that month. The move suggests that Willis expects the grand jury to unseal indictments during that period. CNN's Sara Murray with more.

SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor and Amara, a Georgia prosecutor that's been investigating efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the election in that state in 2020, is now dropping some hints about when she may announce whether anyone could potentially face charges in this case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MURRAY (voice-over): In a new letter, the Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis writes to county officials that much of her staff, minus her leadership team, and minus any armed investigators will be taking a number of remote workdays during the first three weeks of August.

She also asked the judges in the county to refrain from holding any in person hearings or trials during that first three weeks -- an indication that she may make her charging announcement then. What this does effectively is it reduces the number of people who are going to be in that judicial complex in Fulton County, Georgia. When she makes this potential announcement.

She has long been concerned about security surrounding this case and has talked openly in interviews about the racist threats she has faced investigating the former president. So, this security issue has been a big one in driving when she's able to actually make this announcement publicly.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MURRAY (on camera): Of course, we don't know who, if anyone, is going to face charges in this case. But we do know the prosecutor has been looking at potential racketeering and conspiracy charges, which would allow her to bring charges against multiple defendants at once. Back to you guys.

WALKER: All right. Sara Murray, thank you. Coming up, the U.S. is hoping Russian spies will come forward and share their secrets. We'll discuss the CIA's new social media campaign with the former CIA officer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[07:26:45]

BLACKWELL: Let's take a look now at other top stories were following. We got Nebraska Bill, banning most abortions after 12 weeks is set to become law after the state's legislature voted for passage on Friday. The ban would restrict most abortions with exceptions for a sexual assault, incest and medical emergencies. And the bill also places restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender, Nebraskans under 19. Republican Governor Jim Pillen says that he will sign the bill into law.

Brittney Griner made her long-awaited return to the WNBA regular season on Friday night. She received a standing ovation from the crowd before the game, five months after being released from Russia and penal colony. But her team, Phoenix Mercury, they fell to the Los Angeles Sparks, 94-71. Griner said, it was nice to be back on the court in a real game and the love from the fans was amazing.

WALKER: The CIA is trying to convince Russian spies to spill their secrets, launching a new social media campaign this week aimed at targeting Russians, disaffected by the war in Ukraine, and basically life in Russia. The video which you see right here was first posted on Telegram, a popular unfiltered site source, I should say, of news in Russia -- and it includes instructions on how to get in touch with the CIA anonymously and securely. It also promises to protect any Russian spies who come forward.

Joining us now is former CIA officer Ronald Marks. Ronald, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

RONALD MARKS, FORMER CIA OFFICER: You're welcome.

WALKER: Look, you know, I saw clips of this video. It's quite melancholic, it's emotional. It's two minutes long. There's no mention of Ukraine or Putin. And there are cultural references, right? Because some lines from Leo Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are quoted there. What do you think -- who do you think the CIA is trying to appeal to when it comes to recruitment? And who are they trying to motivate to actually reach out to them?

MARKS: Well, it's a really in your face move. I mean, no, no doubt. I mean, we've had virtual walk ins for years where people have, you know, sent an e-mail and said, look, I want to volunteer. This is advertising and is an indication that we really think that they're, that they're pretty weak now -- that there's some real problems here.

You've got a younger population at this point, but it's disaffected by what's going on if pick that up loud and clear. You know, it's also way if you're in the spy game, it's what we call a cold pitch. I mean, what you've done is you've gone right in there. You're saying to somebody, hey, we'd like to have you.

And if you're the opposition at this point, you're sitting there going, well, wait a minute, we've got ourselves a problem here. So, you know, it accomplishes two things in the spy game number one is the potential to get people who are disaffected in who love their country, but are not happy with what they see going on right now.

So, to some extent, smoothing out the idea that I'm betraying my country. This is quite opposite. This is I'm trying to help my country, but then also fully, again, fully with the opposition at this point, letting them know well, you know, you guys are vulnerable. And that means that they've got to spend some more resources, keeping an eye on things.

[07:30:00]

WALKER: How effective do you think this will be? I mean, you say, this is an in-your-face move, and there seems to be a lot of disaffected Russians, especially, you know, with this Ukraine war.

But this is going to take a lot of guts for someone to actually cross that line, right? Especially a regular citizen, or someone who might be low, low level in the government, you know, because the consequences could be quite severe.

MARKS: Yes, I mean, you're dealing with an interesting sort of conundrum here. Nine out of 10 people in Russia are connected to the Internet. There is a big organization with inside the Russian government that is monitoring Internet.

But I'm going to tell you my experiences, you can't monitor everything. So, you know, again, the idea of appealing to someone, it is taking a chance.

WALKER: Yes.

MARKS: And I would only say on this one, it only takes one, it only takes two or three, you see the kind of damage that came out of our Army National Guard guy up in -- up in Cape Cod. Well, imagine that now from the Russian standpoint. Anybody who has access to military -- anybody who has access to the political and can get inside of people's strategic or tactical plans, or get inside the head of the leadership there, you know, again, it doesn't take many.

You've got a couple of three out of 10s of 1000s. And I'm sure, by the way, they'll have all kinds of dangles out there, there will be all kinds of effort on the Russian Intel part to, you know, to enter into the process and enter into the game. And entangled people out there and pretend they have information.

We'll have to watch that. We've got good people and doing a counterintelligence.

WALKER: Yes.

MARKS: But, you know, again, it's -- it is broadcasting in the sense of, you know, you're sending it out to a million people are 1/100 of one percent angry enough, maybe. And if they're in the right positions, they can do an enormous amount of damage.

WALKER: Would you say this is the ripe and the right moment for the CIA to reach out in this very bold way?

MARKS: Yes, I would say so. I mean, I like the idea right now. You've had now, you know, a year plus, of what's, you know, probably the worst engagement from the military, since Afghanistan, for the Russians back in the late 80s, early 90s. People are unhappy. We know that. That has gotten out loud and clear.

You even see, you know, some conflict internally to Russia. I mean, a grant you what you see on television, to some extent, is already sort of, you know, pre-baked. But at the same time, people are unhappy, young people are unhappy. The otherwise, they're getting called up in this. And this is turning slowly but surely, in the Putin's folly.

So, I think this may be a great moment, in fact, to get in there and take advantage of people who sort of had enough and would like to see -- like to see this thing over with.

WALKER: Yes. Would be interesting to see how successful this is. But obviously, we won't know the extent of that.

Ronald Marks, really appreciate you joining us this morning. Thank you for your insights.

MARKS: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Still ahead, a new immigration law in Florida is causing some concern and confusion in the agriculture and construction industries.

We'll talk about the law and the potential consequences next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:37:31]

BLACKWELL: There is fear in some parts of the migrant community in Florida this morning. A new law threatens to upend the lives of some migrant workers and the businesses that employ them.

Starting July 1st, any business with more than 25 workers will be required to check the immigration status of their employees.

WALKER: And also, become a felony to transport anyone who is in the country illegally.

CNN's Carlos Suarez spoke to some migrant workers who are worried that this law will force them to leave their jobs and homes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Francisco Maldonado finds himself struggling to ease the fears of workers on his farm in Homestead, Florida. Many are undocumented and all are facing and important decisions in the wake of Florida's new immigration law.

FRANCISCO MALDONADO, FARM OWNER, HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA: We're going to try to see if we can make them stay as long as we can. You know, I don't know what's going to happen, after July 1st.

From now on, I just rumors and just people thinking that they had to leave.

SUAREZ: One of his workers, Faustino, says he knows of workers leaving Florida over the uncertainty. Faustino said he came to the U.S. from Guatemala at the age of 14. But after nearly 20 years of planting, and picking fruits and vegetables in South Florida, he's not going anywhere.

FAUSTINO, FARMER: That's not --

SUAREZ: It's sad that some people are moving or they're scared to go to work. If we don't do these jobs, who is going to do them? We're the ones who have to do this work.

The new law, which goes into effect in July, requires a business with at least 25 workers to use E-Verify, a federal program that checks the immigration status of workers with penalties for employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers.

Most farm owners, including my Maldonado say they keep the number of employees under 20.

MALDONADO: We had a lot more workers, but we cut back a little bit. So, I think we still on the right number, and I don't think it's going to affect as much. But we still don't know yet.

SUAREZ: The impact of the new law goes beyond jobs. Certain hospitals will have to ask patients about their immigration status, and the law makes it a felony to transport someone in the country illegally into Florida.

For Governor Ron DeSantis, the expansion of e verify is making good on a promise he made in 2018, during his first run for governor.

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): One business to hire citizens and legal immigrants, but we want them to follow the law and not do illegal immigrants. And that's not that difficult to do.

[07:40:00]

SUAREZ: In response to the law, the national Hispanic rights group, LULAC, urged immigrants, no matter their status, not to travel to Florida. Locally, immigration advocacy groups like, WeCount are meeting with workers in agriculture, hospitality, and construction, to answer questions about the changes.

ESTEBAN WOOD, POLICY DIRECTOR, WECOUNT: These immigrant workers really are the drivers of Florida's economy. And what Florida is doing by the government, by imposing and implementing this law is really punching down on the communities that make this economy run.

SUAREZ: For some workers, the fear of losing their job is overwhelming. A 21-year-old nursery worker cried out of frustration, saying she and her 3-year-old child have nowhere else to go, and no one to turn to.

I worry for myself, and I worry for others. We're all in this together, and the situation is tough.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SUAREZ (on camera): There's been talk of a work stoppage to protest the new immigration law, with folks taking to social media to post videos of anti-job sites and farming fields.

However, that is something that immigration groups tell us they're not seeing just yet. In fact, every single worker that we talked to this week told us they can't afford it not to be in the fields. They can't afford it not to be making money and sending that money back to their families.

Carlos Suarez, CNN, Homestead, Florida.

BLACKWELL: Denise Negron is with us now. She is the executive director of Farmworker Coordinator Council, Palm Beach County.

Good to have you with us. So, the Migrant Policy Institute estimates there are about 772,000 unauthorized immigrants in Florida.

Tell me about some of the calls that your organization is receiving. What are people saying?

DENISE NEGRON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FARMWORKER COORDINATING COUNCIL, PALM BEACH COUNTY: Well, is being devastating news for the community. This community really needed our help. And we, as an agency that provides social services to fund worker and other people in need in the community. They are calling us all the time, they are with a lot of fear, very scared of the situation.

So, this law is provoking fear and anxiety within the community and employers. I mean, it's terrifying.

BLACKWELL: There's one additional detail that was not in Carlos' story, in which the law prohibits cities and local governments and non-government organizations from giving undocumented workers identification cards, and also invalidates the cards from the I.D.s from other states. There are more than a dozen states that allow undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses. What does that mean? I mean, I can't imagine if you have no I.D. at all, then, how that impacts your ability to live and operate?

NEGRON: That's correct. They really face a lot of challenges in trying to get an I.D. And not being able to have them now, it's more difficult.

So, we even have families that are not able to bring their kids to the school, because they are afraid, and things like that, they really need I.D. because that's the only thing they can have for now until everything is documented, and it is very challenging.

BLACKWELL: The detail about hospitals being required -- or somehow hospitals being required to report they are asked at least about the immigration status of their patients. That is according to the law to report the costs.

But I imagine that would also make some people reluctant to go to hospitals when they need to go to hospitals.

Also, what about the children? I understand from our producer that some people are keeping their children home from school.

NEGRON: That's correct, we actually have an education program and we, some less children's coming and other partner agencies that offer education are having the same issues.

Parents themselves are telling us that they are afraid to bring the -- their children to the school, because there is a lot of misinformation as well. So, we try to provide them with the correct information.

The community as a whole is easting fear at this point, because this is something new. So, we all are learning about it, I will try to see what is going to happen.

We try to keep them calm, but as you said, is challenging in many ways. I mean, many farm workers and immigrants are leaving the state in fear.

And is very difficult to see that. And I, as we serve farm workers, I can talk on behalf of the farm workers, these people come to this country looking for a better quality of life, for themselves and for their families. Right?

So, it's very difficult just as soon as they come in, they face challenges like not able to get any access to services, for example, due to -- due to the language barriers, cultural barriers, et cetera.

[07:45:06]

Now, with this law, it's more difficult because they really work hard. This is one of their most dangerous jobs. And they are exposed to extreme weather, pesticides, heavy lifting, and miles of walking. This is the kind of job that nobody else wants to do. If they don't bring food to our table who's going to do it?

(CROSSTALK)

BLACKWELL: Yes, that's what the question here --

(CROSSTALK)

NEGRON: And that is why, we all --

BLACKWELL: Yes. My apology for jumping in, is that who backfills?

If -- and we understand the immigration argument from the governor, but who is going to fill these jobs to pick the fruit to carry, as you say, for 50 cents a bucket, the oranges to do this work, if these people are not allowed to work.

It will be something that Florida will have to figure out if these companies who have 25 or more, again, this is -- this applies to a specific numbers of employee count if they cannot fill these jobs.

Denise Negron, therefore, the Farmworker Coordinator Council of Palm Beach County, thank you so much for your time.

We'll be right back.

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[07:50:26]

WALKER: It's a storyline right out of the series, succession, which I just started watching a few days ago.

(CROSSTALK)

BLACKWELL: Love it. Love it.

WALKER: Well, the world's richest man, Bernard Arnault is yet to name a successor to lead his multibillion-dollar luxury conglomerate.

BLACKWELL: Yes. But unlike the character in the HBO series, Arnault has prepared all of his children to take the helm of LVMH.

CNN's Melissa Bell takes a look at who may one day lead the luxury group.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His on the floor, Tom.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Explain to me what he's doing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's moseying, terrifyingly moseying. It's like if Santa Claus was a hitman.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A magnate and patriot. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love you. But you want --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- flexibility in holding the meeting here, again, in Japan. The -- you know, while our setting today is different than -- our mission remains the same.

And that is to advance our vision of a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo Pacific. And to -- and to demonstrate the capacity of democracies to deliver -- to deliver on the shared -- in a shared region.

I think people are going to look back at this -- the Quad in, God willing 10, 20, 30 years now and say it change in dynamic, not only as a region but the world.

And while setting today is different, you know, in our last two years, we made enormous progress, in my view. We're now launching a new initiatives to keep that progress going, from projects to build secure telecommunications in the Pacific region, to strengthen our cooperation in submarine cables, new joint efforts between our private sectors to invest in infrastructure and clean energy projects in the region.

I'm also proud that -- of the work we've done with our partners of the -- of the ASEAN and Pacific Islands. Matter of fact, I was with one of our counterparts today at the larger meeting, and -- he's part of the ASEAN countries -- and he said, I think the Quad is a very good idea. Remember, at the beginning, it was -- how it was going to be greeted.

But -- and so, it's -- I feel good. I think a great deal of the future of our world is going to be written here in the Indo-Pacific. And together, I think we're going to continue to ensure that the future provides more opportunity, prosperity, and stability than anything else.

So, I want to thank you again for your strong partnership and friendship. And I apologize again for the change in plans. But thank you for accommodating this, and I look forward to our conversations tonight.

Thank you.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Thank you, Mr. President. We will now move to a closed meeting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: China --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, are you concerned about China's (INAUDIBLE) economic (INAUDIBLE).

Mr. President, are you concern about China's use of arbitrary -- economic coercion against a country that does not rise?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: All right, you were just listening to President Biden give remarks as this meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit at Hiroshima as getting underway with the Quad. This is a coalition of four countries in the Asian Pacific region. And that would be the United States, Japan, Australia, and India.

And you heard there, President Biden apologizing for having to cancel the meeting, the Quad meeting that was supposed to take place in Australia later next week, because he now has to go back to the United States do with this debt ceilings stalemate.

BLACKWELL: Jasmine Wright is with us -- who is, of course, covering the president. Jasmine, and we've talked about this truncated trip. This is, of course, an important meeting on the sidelines of the G7. These are just the few comments from each leader at the top of the meeting.

What did you hear and talk about the work that has to be done, especially in that region as they focus on China?

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. I mean, I think that China is what looms over all of these discussions that President Biden participates at the G7 in Japan. Of course, we know that a stated goal of this trip for him is to talk about economic coercion, specifically with a hand in a wink to China and what they've been doing in that region.

That has been a major part of President Biden's agenda. Both domestically here in the U.S. when we talk about semiconductors, when we talk about infrastructure, but also foreign policy.

Remember, President Biden has sent Vice President Harris, along with other of his representatives to Africa. Other countries are really trying to compete with China as they try to expand their world power.

So, one of the stated goals of this trip is basically to figure out ways that these groups, including the Quad, which President Biden have spent a lot of time with both in-person and virtually way so they can continue to counter China, a big, big goal of the president.

So, we expect to see him talk more about that but, of course we heard those apologies as he won't be able to go to Australia and he won't be able to go to Papa New Guinea, because he has to come back here and deal with the debt ceiling. Amara, Victor?

WALKER: China, the big elephant in the room. Jasmine Wright, thank you. We'll be back after this.

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