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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Obama's new Immigration Plan; ISIS Leader's New Message; Nebraska Hospital Prepares for Ebola Patient; Russia Denies Sending Forces Into Ukraine

Aired November 14, 2014 - 04:00   ET

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

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning, President Obama set to announce a major, major overhaul of the American immigration system. Millions here illegally may soon be allowed to stay in the U.S. We're live with what the president may be proposed.

A chilling new message believed to be from the leader of ISIS where he now wants his terror group to attack. We're live breaking down the very latest on that.

And breaking overnight: Ebola is coming back to the U.S. A Nebraska hospital is preparing for a new infected patient. What we're learning this morning ahead on that story.

Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

It is Friday, November 14th, 4:00 a.m. in East. John Berman has this morning off.

The White House this morning gearing up for a showdown with Republicans over immigration. An administration official tells CNN that a range of options is being prepared for President Obama, options including possibly giving legal status to the parents of green cards and U.S. citizens. Congressional Republicans are furious, demanding that the White House slow down and negotiate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER-ELECT: We'd like for the president to recognize that reality that he has the government that he has, not the one that he wishes he had.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: We're going to fight the president tooth and nail if he continues down this path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: An executive order on immigration could be announced as soon as next week once the president returns from his eight-day trip to Asia.

With the president in Myanmar this morning is CNN's Jim Acosta.

Jim, good morning. Nice to see you.

The Republicans say, hey, hey, hey, you cannot go down this path without negotiating with the Republicans. What do we think is on the table here for the president and immigration?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, we heard from the president today here in Myanmar. He had a news conference with Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. And during that news conference, Christine, he made it very clear. He was asked about immigration and that expected executive action. He said it is going to come. It's going to come by the end of the year.

And sources tell CNN a couple of details about this plan that the president is going to take by executive action. That plan includes a deferment of deportations that now exist for children who are brought into the country illegally. That's going to be extended to the parents of those children and potentially also extended to the parents of children who are born in the U.S., but their parents are undocumented.

And so, you add all of that up. You have about 4 million, 5 million people potentially who could get relief under the president's plan. And the president said very clearly during this news conference here in Myanmar that because Republicans in Congress have not acted, he is going to act, and he is going to act soon.

Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I indicated to Speaker Boehner several months ago if, in fact, Congress failed to act, I would use the lawful authority that I possess to try to make the system work better. That's going to happen. That's going to happen before the end of the year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And one thing we should point out as the senior White House officials have told us that the president has not yet viewed the final recommendations coming from his administration for this plan. And so, no final decisions have been made and potentially, Christine, things could change before the president makes a decision and acts. But the president is obviously going to have a lot to chew on when he returns back to Washington. But he still has one more summit to attend, the G-20 summit in Australia later on this weekend -- Christine.

ROMANS: He's going to have a lot of opposition from Republicans who want to negotiate on this.

Let me ask you this, he is also under a lot of pressure for the promises he has made that got him elected twice. His responses that he's going to do something on immigration.

ACOSTA: That's right. I mean, I remember covering his campaign back in 2008. And the president way back then was promising to act on immigration reform. And the president said this is a debate going on for 10 years, and he wants to end that debate. And you mentioned Republican opposition up on Capitol Hill. House Speaker John Boehner said that Republicans are going to fight this tooth and nail.

What isn't clear at this point, Christine, is how they're going to do it. Will they hold -- will they decide to hold up legislation that would fund the government? That that kind of vote is coming up very shortly.

There are some Republicans talking, yes, impeachment. So, it is going to get very feisty when the president gets back to Washington. No question about it, Christine.

ROMANS: A lot of details to work out, with how long -- how long people have been here, who qualifies, who doesn't qualify -- that will all be very sticky stuff.

Thanks so much, Jim Acosta.

Four minutes past the hour.

Secret Service officials this morning trying to explain the series of blunders that allowed fence jumper Omar Gonzalez you -- see him there -- get all the way into the White House in September. A devastating report released Thursday describing confusion, training breakdowns and communications failures.

CNN's Joe Johns is in the White House with more this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: It's a disturbing new report for the Secret Service. The story of what happened here on September 19th when Omar Gonzalez comes over the fence and proceeds to go all the way into the East Room of the White House.

Among other things, the report says a canine technician was stationed inside a van with his dog parked on the White House driveway when Gonzalez jumped the north fence. The canine officer was on a call on his personal cell phone, on speaker, without his earpiece and he had left his second tactical radio in his locker.

But there were other problems when Gonzalez got to the north portico, he had to go through bushes. Authorities did not think anybody could go through the bushes, but Gonzalez did. He proceeded to go through the doors of the portico and on into the building, pushing back a female Secret Service officer who tried to tackle him, but he was too big.

Authorities say there were at least three encounters between Gonzalez and law enforcement officers this year -- July 19, July 21st and August 25th. He had guns and ammunition and at least four hatchets. This investigation is continuing. Authorities say no one has been disciplined and no one has been fired because that can't happen. And so, all of the investigations have been completed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Joe Johns for us this morning at the White House.

U.S. military leaders trying their best to convince skeptical lawmakers the president's strategy in the war against ISIS can work. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel telling the House Armed Services Committee Thursday that months of coalition air strikes have stalled, and in some places, reversed ISIS advances.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey refusing to rule out, asking President Obama to send ground troops to Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. MARTIN DEMPSEY, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: At this point, I recommend that those forces in Mosul and along the border would need to be accompanied by U.S. forces. But we're certainly considering it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The speaker on the audio message posted by ISIS claims he ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. This just days after Iraqi officials claim that al Baghdadi was injured in an air strike.

With the latest on the fight on ISIS, I want to be joined now by our senior international correspondent, Arwa Damon.

Arwa, bring us up to speed.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine.

Well, in that audio message that was released just under a week after there were widespread reports that al-Baghdadi had been injured, ISIS leader has a very clear message to his supporters. And that is to create volcanoes of jihad.

Now, there are some clues within the 17-minute message as to when it may have been recorded. He makes direct reference to the additional 1,500 troops President Obama has begun to send into Iraq. He also had this warning for the United States, that they would eventually be forced to shift from advise-and-assist position to one of actual active combat and that more U.S. soldiers would lose their lives. He also made direct reference to the pledges of allegiance being made by a number of groups, some of which are outside of the region, in North Africa, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, also new pledges of allegiance from groups that are in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

For some of those groups, he had a direct message in Saudi Arabia for example, calling on the organizations there to launch direct attacks against the Saudi royal family.

Now, we cannot verify the authenticity of this recording. It was released on the official web page of ISIS's media branch. And at this stage, it seems that the organization has one clear aim, and that is to send out a clear message that its leader is not only alive and well, but that the organization, at least in its own perspective, is very much at this stage thriving and according to al Baghdadi, defeating this U.S.-led coalition efforts, Christine.

ROMANS: All right. Arwa Damon for us this morning in Turkey -- thank you, Arwa.

U.S. war planes have just finished a third round of air strikes against the Khorasan al Qaeda cell in Syria. U.S. officials tell CNN the targets included at least one top Khorasan operative. A law enforcement official says the strikes have taken a toll on the terror group. U.S. officials are concerned about Khorasan's ability to make bombs that get past airport security.

Residents in the self-proclaimed ISIS capital of Raqqa may have no love for their radical Islamist group, but many say they're angry at the American air strikes that scattered ISIS fighters and disrupted its effort to govern in Raqqa. They tell "The New York Times" that harsh ISIS rule was better than no government. They say they now contend with power outages and soaring prices for food and fuel.

A multibillion price tag due to be announced this morning for emergency fixes to America's stock of nuclear weapons.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered two Pentagon studies in the wake of a cheating scandal among nuclear launch officers. The studies found the U.S. nuclear arsenal has decayed badly since the end of the Cold War.

No big surprises as top post on Capitol Hill are decided. Senate Republicans unanimously named Senator Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader. Senator Harry Reid was chosen to be minority leader. John Boehner will stay as speaker after a party voice vote. He'll be formally voted in as speaker on the floor in January.

House Democrats will hold leadership elections next week. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is seeking re-election unopposed. And Democrats have created a seat at the leadership table for Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts as part of their plan to renew the party's economic message.

Happening today: the Republican-led House of Representatives will vote to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline. This has been a six-year battle over the controversial proposal to funnel oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. The bill still faces hurdles to final passage. The White House has hinted the president might veto the bill if it is passed before a regulatory review of the pipeline is completed.

Time for an early start on your money this Friday morning.

U.S. stock futures are higher. Could be another record day if that holds. Yesterday, the Dow climbed 40 points, ended the day with record number 25 of the year, record close of the year.

Stocks jumped on solid earnings from Walmart. But energy stocks still getting hammered. Exxon, Chevron and others loss 1 percent yesterday on falling oil prices. Checking crude oil right now. About $73 a barrel, that is the lowest

price for crude oil in four years, down more than 30 percent from the peak over the summer. Gas prices are falling along with oil. But current average for a gallon of regular is $2.92. Prices are expected to keep falling in the next several weeks at the gas station.

Breaking overnight: another Ebola patient may soon be on his way to the United States. A Nebraska hospital opening up about the infected patient and treatment they are ready to offer him.

Plus, violence escalating in Ukraine. Russia sending thousands of troops into the country. Is Vladimir Putin ready to invade? We are live in Ukraine with what's happening right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Welcome back.

A new Ebola patient due to arrive here in the United States. The Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha preparing to receive a surgeon born in Sierra Leone who was treating Ebola patients there. This unidentified patient is also a permanent U.S. resident. He is expected to get here this week, but it depends on if he is healthy enough to make the trip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. MARK RUPP, NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER: They're evaluating this patient, trying to make sure that they are stable enough for transfer. And if that's the case, then they probably will be coming to us. We're hoping that this patient is stable enough, healthy enough where they can get them to us, and then, hopefully we can do what we have been doing with the last two patients and care for them appropriately.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: It's not known exactly how the doctor contracted the disease. The Omaha hospital is one of four in the U.S. designated to treat Ebola patients.

Lawyers with the family of Michael Brown appealing for peace in Ferguson once a grand jury decides the fate of Officer Darren Wilson. The family made it clear they do not condone any active rioting or looting or violence that marred the Missouri town since a white police officer shot and killed their son. Earlier this week, the governor said he'd have the National Guard on standby as a precaution.

Later this morning, the man suspected in the kidnapping and murder of the University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, he will be in court to hear the charges in a different crime. Jesse Matthew is charged in an unrelated sexual assault case from 2005. It is expected the judge will set a trial date in that case. Forensic evidence from the rape victim has linked Matthew to the Hannah Graham says and the disappearance and death of Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington in 2009. Two terrorism counts have been added now to the charges against

suspected cop killer Eric Frein. Attorneys in Pennsylvania say it's related to comments he made following his arrest about a revolution and wanting to change the government. Frein was captured after a 48- day manhunt in Northeast Pennsylvania. He is accused of ambushing two state troopers, killing one, wounding another. Prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty.

Millions of people across the country dealing with snow and frigid temperatures. Take a look at the scene in Buffalo, New York. It is the first snowfall of the season in the region. You can see people out there shoveling, shoveling away. Tons of plows were out in force.

Arkansas got a dusting on Thursday, among its earliest on record. The same storm system is expected to coat New York City with up an inch of snow.

Denver hit with a double whammy, record-setting cold and heavy snowfall. We're told at one point, the temperatures in the city dropped to minus 14 degrees, although the flakes came down hard, the area in the end got less than an inch. But some folks in nearby areas weren't lucky. They had to deal with up to 14 inches of snow.

So, what's next? Let's get a look at our weather this morning with Chad Myers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: A very good early morning to you.

In New York, it's pretty cool, 32. You know, some of the suburbs probably in the upper 20s. But other than that, this is about as cold as we get.

Here are the morning lows for the next four days. By Sunday, the morning low of 39. But that is a far cry ahead of where we are in Rapid City or Denver or Minneapolis for that matter, which will get down to almost zero in all of those spots, especially away from the interior of the city.

We get to 47 in New York City by Sunday. It warms up slightly in Atlanta to 57. But that cool air is going to be right over this area for the next 10 days.

And this area we're going to warm up a little bit, and cool back down. So, these phases of warm and cold and warm and cold for the next few days will come and go, and I can see this lasting for at least the next two weeks where the eastern half of the country remains well below normal, and then the West or the Southwest, at least is at normal or above.

There you go. A little bit of snow coming tomorrow in the Midwest, into the Great Lakes by the weekend. But light snow compared to where we were, it's not a big snow event here, and 45 for D.C. We get to 52 in Atlanta, and 39 in Memphis for tomorrow afternoon.

Enjoy the weekend. Back to you, guys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Chad Myers, thanks, Chad.

The Dodgers Clayton Kershaw is 2 for 2. The L.A. pitching ace was named National League's most valuable player on Thursday. It comes a day after he won the Cy Young Award as the league's top pitcher in 2014. The last time someone did that in Major League Baseball was 1968 when Hall of Famer Bob Gibson did it.

The Angels' Mike Trout was named American League MVP after being runner up the past two years.

Happening now: Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine, thousands of troops pouring in. Fighting wages between pro-Russian separatists and Ukraine's military. Is Russia ready to invade? We're live in Ukraine, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Russia loudly denying Thursday it is sending military forces into Ukraine. This comes on the heels of claims to the contrary this week by Ukrainian, NATO and American officials, they say Russian troops, tanks and artillery and air defense systems are, in fact, crossing the border into Ukraine to help pro-Russian rebels.

U.S. officials have stopped short of calling it an invasion, though.

International correspondent Phil Black is live for us now from Eastern Ukraine.

Good morning, Phil.

And here it is again -- I mean, the Russians denying they are moving into a sovereign country and sovereign territory. But American, NATO and Ukraine officials are saying otherwise. It's two versions of events. This has been happening for months.

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is been going on for almost a year, Christine. Two competing versions of the truth. So, on one hand, you got the fighting which is intense around the area of the airport outside of Donetsk. It's a key piece of infrastructure that has managed in the hands of government forces. But it is further proof the cease-fire declared between the Ukrainian government and separatists back in September doesn't mean much. It's never lived up to its name.

There has been hope that the end of the fighting could be achieved. It's pretty much being blown away now because of this escalation on the fighting, but also because of the assessments by the Ukrainian government, by NATO, by European observers on the ground, which all point to a sudden influx of troops and heavy and sophisticated weaponry within this separatists area.

Now, as you point out, Russia again denying totally that it has any military presence in Ukraine. Ukrainian government, well, it says that doesn't mean a lot to us. We heard this before and we know what happens next. The Ukrainian government believes in situations like this and it knows through experience, when a large number of professional heavily armed soldiers has turned up on its territory, it usually points to some sort of imminent military action.

Again, what we're talking about are the little green men, those men in unmarked uniforms, very professional, sophisticated, heavy weapons, even armored vehicles and tanks. That's what's being reported.

So, the Ukrainian government believes it has every reason to be concerned. What it doesn't know is the scale and intent of the operation that could follow from here, whether it will be limited aimed at seizing perhaps a few key pieces of infrastructure and strategic sites, or perhaps something larger, another full-scale operation designed to seize a wider area of Ukrainian territory.

So, for the moment, the Ukrainian government says it's preparing for the worst. It's getting ready to repel a full-sized offensive -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right. Phil Black for us this morning in Ukraine -- thank you, Phil, for that. Keep us posted.

President Obama soon to unveil big changes to the United States immigration system. Millions of people here illegally may soon be allowed to stay. We're breaking down the new details overnight, next.

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