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CNN Live Today

Immigrants Boycott Jobs, Schools, Businesses; Critics Denounce Guest Worker Program as Amnesty; U.S. Border Patrol Using Music Campaign To Stop Illegal Immigration; Undocumented Student Participates In Robot Contest

Aired May 01, 2006 - 10:59   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The crown jewel of New York City's skyline celebrates a big birthday. The Empire State Building is 75 years old today. For four decades it was the world's tallest building, and it's still head and shoulders above all other skyscrapers in the Big Apple. And what a sight it is when the sun goes down.
When the building opened in 1931, President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in Washington to turn on the lights.

We're moving on to our next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Talking immigration. They have walked off their jobs today and plan to march into the streets. Live pictures now as we look at millions of immigrants who are expected to boycott work, school and even shopping today. These people are in New Orleans. Rallies are being held across the country to protest proposed crackdowns on illegal immigration.

We have our reporters standing by both in the U.S. and in Mexico. Throughout the day we'll have live reports from nine cities from Los Angeles, to New York City, to Mexico City.

Just last hour, a sign of the divisions within this volatile issue. A group of Hispanic professionals voiced their support, not for illegal immigrants but for stronger borders. Their coalition is called You Don't Speak for Me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. ALBERTO F. RODRIGUEZ, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPPONENT: This group represents the other side of the story, the side of the American-Hispanic community that is standing up against illegal immigration, standing up for secure borders, and standing up for all Americans who are shocked and angry about the mass demonstrations of illegals who are demanding, not asking, demanding rights that they do not even have the right to demand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Well, let's check in on some of the demonstrations, beginning in the U.S. heartland. CNN's Keith Oppenheim is in Chicago. The city is gearing up for a big day of demonstrations. Keith, good morning.

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

I'm in Union Park, near the west loop in Chicago. And as you can see, things are starting to get quite interesting here.

And Bruce, I'm going to ask you to back up a little bit because I would like to introduce a couple of gentlemen that I've met out here. On my right here is Luis Ramirez (ph). Luis is a schoolteacher. And a retired schoolteacher, to his right, is Jose Garcia (ph).

And let me ask you, Luis, because you took the day off, why did you do that, and why did you feel you needed to show up for this march?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, first of all, I think it's a moral issue. I think if we're going to live up to the ideals of the Constitution, people are created equal. It states that (INAUDIBLE).

OPPENHEIM: I'll go to you, Jose. You're not working. I should point out the both of you are U.S. citizens. You came here from Cuba quite a few years ago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.

OPPENHEIM: Why do you feel like you should care so much about undocumented workers who are not U.S. citizens?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, in 1962, this country (INAUDIBLE). They're here. They were allowed here, (INAUDIBLE). They just want to work and live the American dream.

OPPENHEIM: All right. Sorry to interrupt you for second. Turn around for one second. You've got a backpack here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

OPPENHEIM: That backpack, what's in there?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Food. Food and water.

OPPENHEIM: That's the way you survive during this march?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right. Yes. Yes.

OPPENHEIM: Gentlemen, thank you both very much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks a lot.

OPPENHEIM: You're welcome.

And, you know, before we go, Daryn, I should point out what's very fluid here is just how many people will be coming here.

Bruce, if I can turn around just to show that at these marches, (INAUDIBLE), you can see more and more people who are kind of coming around and gathering. What we really don't know is how many folks will show up here. The numbers range from 300,000 to 500,00, and it might be a lot less.

Back to you.

KAGAN: Keith Oppenheim, live in Chicago.

Lots of challenges of the day, trying to hear voice over drums and other voices today.

We are talking immigration, as we move on to California. Get this, a quarter of all residents were born outside of the U.S. Many of them are illegal. A massive crowd is expected for today's march and rally in L.A.

Let's check in with CNN's Jen Rogers for that.

Jen, good morning.

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

We are expecting very huge crowds here in Los Angeles. Of course that is a fluid situation as well. We don't have exact numbers on how big the crowds are going to be.

As you can see behind me, though, right now, we are at city hall. It is very quiet here right now. But a march is planned starting about nine blocks away here at noon local time. And marching up here to city hall.

And then later today, along the Wilshire Corridor, which is just a little ways away from here, an even bigger march is being planned for 4:00 p.m. Again, though, right now it is quiet as preparations are starting to get under way -- Daryn?

KAGAN: All right. We'll have you monitor that. We'll check in, in Los Angeles, a little bit later. Thank you.

Meanwhile, let's talk this guest worker program for illegal immigrants. President Bush likes the idea, but it's causing a ruckus on Capitol Hill. So where do things stand right now?

Let's find out from CNN's Ed Henry at the White House.

Hi, Ed.

ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. How are you?

KAGAN: I'm doing good.

HENRY: You know, this morning, in fact, White House spokesman Scott McClellan was asked about that very subject. You know that President Bush is already on record. He said so on Friday in the Rose Garden, that he is not in favor of a boycott. And McClellan was asked, basically, does the president fear there may be a backlash because of this boycott? And McClellan insisted, no, that the president still believes there's a glimmer of hope, that, in fact, Congress can work out its differences and that there could be a comprehensive immigration reform package.

The key word there is "comprehensive." We heard that from the White House over and over. And what they mean by that is they want to both secure the borders, as the House Republican version of this legislation does, but that they also want the Senate Republicans to move ahead on a second piece, which is that guest worker program to deal with the nearly 11, 12, 15 million illegal immigrants, depending on whose statistics you believe -- Daryn.

KAGAN: You know, we saw a lot of talk about this on Capitol Hill before the Easter and Passover break, and nothing really gets done. What are the chances that something is going to get done, Ed?

HENRY: There really -- it has seemed for a while like the chances have been dwindling, mostly because this is an election year and it's such a volatile issue. It's hard to really sort out what's in it for lawmaker in both parties in terms of coming up with a deal, actually pushing forward on a deal.

The president does haven't to face the voters in November. Democratic and Republican incumbents on Capitol Hill do. And when you talk to lawmakers and staffers privately, what they say is that it's really hard for them to figure out where the public really stands on this.

You can read several different polls and get several different answers basically on where the public is on this guest worker program, in particular, Daryn. And that's why in an election year a lot of people are looking at which way the wind is blowing and they're not really sure which way the wind is blowing, frankly -- Daryn.

KAGAN: A lot of wind blowing there at the White House today. Things looking kind of calm.

Ed Henry at the White House.

Ed, thank you.

Some supporters are comparing the protests by immigrants to the civil rights movement of the 1960s. But it's a matter of debate among African-Americans whether there's any similarity at all.

With us this morning, Gregory Kane, a columnist with "The Baltimore Sun," and in Washington, syndicated columnist Deborah Mathis.

Good morning. And thanks for being here with us.

DEBORAH MATHIS, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Thank you.

GREGORY KANE, COLUMNIST, "THE BALTIMORE SUN": Yes, good morning. KAGAN: I had a chance to read both of your columns. I'm going to go ladies first and, Deborah, start with you.

You see this as a moral issue, saying that African-Americans should be on the front lines with the protesters.

MATHIS: Well, not only is it a moral issue. I think strategically it's important that black Americans join this effort.

This is -- this is a matter of civil rights. Things aren't the same civil rights that we as black American fought for in the 1940s, '50s and '60s, and continue to fight for today. But they are civil rights.

And I think that to be genuine, to be authentic, to be fair, we need to be part of it. But from a strategic basis, there are concerns here about wages, about working wages, and about acceptability and inclusion that should speak to us as well. Furthermore, I think that if we're ever going to talk about parity with some black immigrants, like the Haitians who are routinely sent back as soon as they put a toe on American soil, this is the time to do that. This window is not going to open -- be open forever.

KAGAN: OK. Let me jump in there, because you packed in about three big points right there.

MATHIS: Sorry.

KAGAN: And I was opening to break it up a little bit.

So, Greg, let me get you in here. You're taking a little bit more of a pragmatic approach, and you're saying, hold on, before we go and join our Hispanic brothers and sisters on the front lines, let's stop and ask a question: What have you done for African-Americans lately?

KANE: Yes, I did pose that question in a number of columns. I haven't yet heard one Latino speak out. In fact, I haven't heard an African-American leader speak out about the situation in the Los Angeles County Jail a few months ago, when you had Latino inmates attacking black inmates. And this went on for a period of weeks. Not one black leader, not one Latino leader have risen to condemn that, except for Earl Ofari Hutchinson, who is a syndicated columnist and author out in Los Angeles.

I think that that's the kind of situation that begs to be addressed. Now, I don't know what exactly the illegal immigrant population of Los Angeles County jails is, but I went to one Web site that said that there were -- about at least 30 percent of the population of California prisons are illegal immigrants. We have to address that issue.

We have to take into account the history which shows that whenever large groups of immigrants have come to America, it has had an adverse effect on the economic plight of black folks. So, we have to ask the Spanish, what are you doing for us? KAGAN: OK, going to history, I want to go one year back in history, Mexican President Vicente Fox, with a sound bit that caught a lot of people's attention in talking about why illegal immigrants need to come to America.

Let's listen in to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT VICENTE FOX, MEXICO (through translator): There's no doubt that Mexicans filled with dignity, willingness and ability to work are doing jobs that not even blacks want to do there in the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Well, that certainly got a lot of attention, did it not, Deborah, especially the word "even", "even blacks"?

MATHIS: Yes, it did. And I wrote a column, as Greg may remember, about that very thing. Vicente Fox is someone I wish would come over here and we could throw him in the clink. There's the problem.

KAGAN: Something you might agree on there, the two of you there.

MATHIS: That's where the real problem starts, is with the government of Mexico, which is completely reckless and irresponsible, I think, not to mention racist probably in its DNA. But I don't know.

But the people who have come over here -- although I'm opposed to illegal immigration, I'm not opposed to the illegal immigrants. I believe they are human beings, so it can't be solved as simply as throwing them -- shoving them back over the border.

KAGAN: But let's talk about the human beings that might be getting shoved aside for this. And Greg, back to you here and to your point about history not speaking well.

You have huge waves of immigration. You go back to even the time when the Irish came. You say that that hurt -- that hurt African- Americans, and you fear the same thing happening again, that they're getting pushed aside.

KANE: Well, I've seen -- in spite of what Vicente Fox says, I've seen Hispanics working in jobs that I saw black folks working only recently. I'm talking about housekeepers in hotels, I'm talking janitorial work. Black folks do and still continue to work those jobs.

I mean, there's going to be some -- we've got to face the fact there's going to be some economic competition between immigrants, legal or illegal, and African-Americans. As Deborah says, I'm opposed to the illegal immigration, not the illegal immigrants. I propose, if they're here illegally, let's just have a process to make them legal and let them work. (CROSSTALK)

KAGAN: Deborah, I want you to explain one of your points, because I think it would be an interesting debate point. You think that African-Americans join with the illegal immigrants, with Hispanics, that together they could raise the wages and it would be beneficial for everybody. I think that's an economic argument that people might not see the logic in. So, if you could explain that.

MATHIS: Absolutely. If -- if you take away the incentive for companies to pay people below the radar, people who are below the radar, pay them below-the-radar wages, I mean, you know, $2 a day or something like that, as opposed to $7 an hour, I mean, if you -- if you make it where that can't happen anymore, you raise the wages.

The competition is there. The jobs, the working -- working wages, livable wages would be available for more people.

I mean -- and what's really pitiful about this, here we are -- Greg just talked about there being custodial jobs and janitorial jobs, et cetera. What we call, maybe -- maybe sadly so, menial labor, unskilled labor, here we are fighting over the crumbs of American society. What does that tell you?

The black people and the Latino people are fighting over the crumbs. We aren't talking about, oh, they're taking our CEO jobs. So here we are fighting over crumbs.

Aren't we in the same boat? Don't -- wouldn't -- wouldn't it behoove us to try to paddle together in one direction instead of in opposing directions so we can actually get somewhere? That's my question.

KAGAN: Greg, let's hear what you have to say about that.

KANE: Wages are precisely the reason that people should be here legally. When you enter the country illegally and somebody underpays you, you have no incentive to report him, and that employer has no incentive to pay you a fair wage. It works both ways.

MATHIS: Let's get the employers.

KAGAN: Final comment, Greg? Go after the employers?

KANE: Yes. I agree with Deborah there, my colleague from blackamericaweb.com. Yes, go -- definitely go after the employers.

KAGAN: There you go. Interesting discussion. Some things we agree on, some things we don't.

Greg Kane, Deborah Mathis, thank you for your time today.

KANE: Thank you.

KAGAN: Much more on this Day Without Immigrants when CNN LIVE TODAY returns. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: They are gambling on a better life. Some illegal immigrants cross the border to roll the dice in Las Vegas.

CNN's Bob Franken is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When we think of Las Vegas, we think of lavish hotels, gourmet food. In a word, excess. But none of it would be possible without the armies of workers behind the scene, most of them immigrants. Some of them are here illegally.

Others, like Maria Cortez, legally. She works here in the Mirage Hotel restaurant kitchen, and is passionate about the immigration issue.

MARIA CORTEZ, MGM/MIRAGE COOK: We are humans like everybody. And like humans, we have to have respect, because we have respect for this country.

FRANKEN: Cortez is still trying to decide whether to skip work in support of the immigration protests here, or listen to hotel superiors and union leaders, is ask that she remain on the job until a special demonstration tonight.

D. TAYLOR, CULINARY UNION: They're vital. I think this city would have a hard time functioning without the immigrant work force.

FRANKEN: Cortez especially takes issue with legislation that would take illegals felons.

CORTEZ: The law that they want to pass is the criminal. Not us. We are not criminals, because we work.

FRANKEN: Republican John Porter of Las Vegas disagrees.

REP. JOHN PORTER (R), NEVADA: So we're spending billions trying to secure our country, but we still have about a thousand some people a day that are just really walking across the border.

FRANKEN: Many of the Vegas hotels and casinos are offering the workers who do show up a petition to send to Congress.

JOVITA THOMAS-WILLIAMS, LABOR RELATIONS, MGM MIRAGE: So while here working, they will be able to have their voices heard.

FRANKEN: But Cortez says it comes down to one simple fact.

CORTEZ: We are humans. We are persons. All the immigrants, we are, even we are legally or not legally in this country.

FRANKEN (on camera): To quote the saying, what goes in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas. But what goes in Las Vegas today will be determined in large part by the number of immigrants who stay on the job.

Bob Franken, CNN, Las Vegas, Nevada.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: A lot of our attention is focused on illegal immigrants, but every year tens of thousands wait in line to get into the United States legally. Many eventually become citizens.

Deycy Avitia became a naturalized citizen last month, and she joins me from New York.

Deycy, good morning.

DEYCY AVITIA, NATURALIZED CITIZEN: Good morning.

KAGAN: You have a fascinating story. When you came to this country, I understand it, you were illegal.

AVITIA: Exactly.

KAGAN: And can you briefly -- and I know these stories have many twists and turns, but how did you go from the process from becoming illegal to legal?

AVITIA: Yes. So basically, I came here when I was about 12 years old. My parents were already in this country working here.

When I graduated from high school, even though I was at the top of my class, I couldn't continue my education. So I decided to get married to my high school sweetheart. And basically, through him, later on, I found out that he could sponsor me. He was able to sponsor me.

I had to wait about three years in the process to be able to get my residency. And four years later, I finally was able to obtain my citizenship last month.

KAGAN: And graduate from college?

AVITIA: Yes. So I was able to continue my education. I graduated from UCLA with my Bachelor's degree, and last June I graduated from Harvard's Graduate School of Education with my Master's degree.

KAGAN: I think they call that living the American dream, don't they?

AVITIA: Yes. And I think it only goes to show that when given the opportunity, something as a simple piece of paper could really open up the doors for immigrant to show their full potential, because we can make this country stronger and better if given the opportunity.

KAGAN: But now you find your family living in two worlds. So, you're legal and you're educated, living the American dream. But many members of your family that are here are still considered illegal. AVITIA: Exactly. So, now that I'm a citizen, I'm able to sponsor, to apply for sponsorship for my parents and my brothers and sisters. But one of the things that I'm finding out now is that for my siblings it could take up to 10 years for them to be able to legalize their status. Now my sister is...

KAGAN: Go ahead.

AVITIA: Now my sister is getting ready to graduate from high school, and if she has to wait 10 years, she'll be about 28 by the time she's able to go to college. And I think that's just a waste of talent.

KAGAN: So, she's facing the same challenge that you did, but she doesn't have the high school sweetheart that can sponsor her in the same way.

AVITIA: Exactly.

KAGAN: What about people who - what do you say to people who are looking at these, people like your family, like how you were, and saying that they should leave the country, that they are potential felons?

AVITIA: I think that it's important that we recognize that we are contributing economically and in many other ways. We're going to make a difference, if only we're able to make sure that -- if we are able to fix the system in the way that works for both immigrants and the economy.

KAGAN: So, should anybody be allowed to come?

AVITIA: Excuse me? I didn't quite catch that.

KAGAN: Should anybody be allowed to come to the United States?

AVITIA: I think that we need to recognize that immigrants make economic contributions and that we need to make sure that we have an immigration system that works.

KAGAN: But meanwhile, when you came and you were illegal, you went to public schools, yes?

AVITIA: Yes, I did.

KAGAN: Public schools. And the tax and the burden that the millions of people who come, like your family did, put on social services, what do you say about that?

AVITIA: Yes. Well, one of the things, as I was talking earlier to Diane (ph), is that my parents throughout the whole process paid their taxes. We do have individual tax identification numbers where we do contribute economically. And I think that's one of the main points for today, to show that immigrants are not here to rip off just any benefits. We're here working hard, making sure that we contribute, that we -- and show that we are Americans. KAGAN: And what are your immediate plans besides trying to sponsor members of your family?

AVITIA: I'm continuing to work in the immigration field to make sure that, you know, other people that are facing in same situation that I faced, the situation that my parents are facing, don't have to continue to live in the shadows. It's really empowering to see that now people are starting to realize and stand up and -- you know, in solidarity and show that we are America.

KAGAN: Deycy Avitia, thanks for putting a face on the story that we talk about in these -- in these huge numbers, and just look at these big crowds at rallies, and telling one woman's individual story. Thank you.

AVITIA: Thank you.

KAGAN: CNN will have extensive coverage of this Day Without Immigrants. You'll also see live reports from our Spanish language network, CNN En Espanol. And when you're away form your television, go online to get the latest with CNN Pipeline at CNN.com all day long.

As we move on to business news, Starbucks thinks it's just that you trust its coffee. But what if you trust its choice of entertainment?

Susan's telling us what the java giant is brewing up now.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Daryn, Starbucks is going Hollywood. Right? That kind of fits there, that name.

KAGAN: Yes, stars.

LISOVICZ: Stars, bucks, yes.

Well, Starbucks announcing today, Daryn, that it's teaming up with the William Morris Agency, which is one of the world's best-known talent agencies, to help it find more movies and books to market. The goal for this company, this coffee company, is to have at least one book in Starbucks stores this year, and at least two or three movies.

Now, devoted Starbucks customers may have noticed the advertising recently for the new Lions Gate film "Akeelah and the Bee." This is a film that opened just this past weekend starring Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett. Well, its numbers so far have not been impressive. It took in just over $6 million at the box office, number eight out of the top 10, far behind "RV" with Robin Williams.

Analysts, however, think that Starbucks' promotion, perhaps as it fine-tunes, it could give some movies, the movies that it promotes, longer legs. And Daryn, the chairman of Starbucks says it has been deluged from studios trying to partner with it because they think it's a great place, a community gathering place where a lot of people see these things and talk about it and might be influenced.

KAGAN: I bet. What about books? They could call it "Star Books".

LISOVICZ: Yes, just with a slight change in the spelling there. And this obviously is a natural fit for Starbucks.

You always see people deep in the papers or in their books when they're at Starbucks. The strategy here, the same as movies. Starbucks says it believes its customers trust the company to choose their entertainment for them.

The first success came with music. Obviously something we talked about a lot with Ray Charles, for instance, "Genius Loves Company," a CD that did very well. Starbucks says it's now even considering self- publishing books that can bring stories to the market that are hard to find elsewhere. In a perfect world, Daryn, it could have an Oprah- like effect with its large, dedicated audience.

And finally, Starbucks is even transferring its small but growing entertainment staff from Seattle to Santa Monica. So it can take those meetings and lunches that are so common.

KAGAN: Do lunch.

LISOVICZ: Yes, do lunch.

KAGAN: You must lunch.

LISOVICZ: Have your gal call their gal or your boy call their boy, or whatever.

KAGAN: Or maybe you do coffee.

LISOVICZ: Yes, exactly.

KAGAN: You know, meet us at the nearby Starbucks, which there's always one nearby.

And what about the markets?

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: So, would you rather have a shot or a snip? Flu vaccines need not be so traumatic for kids or their parents anymore. Some health expert say the spray vaccine gives babies and young children better protection against the flu than a traditional shot. And unlike the needle, the sprays don't have any tears.

The findings come from one of the largest studies to compare flu inoculations.

Here's a dilemma for you: being employed or being thin, which is more important? Let's weigh that one for a minute. According to a poll for "Fitness" magazine, more than half of Americans say they would rather lose their jobs than get fat. Another finding, the majority of Americans say they would rather be poor and slim than rich and overweight. The poll is reported in "USA today." It appears in the June issue of "Fitness" magazine.

To get your daily dose of health news online, log on to our Web site -- it is Monday, is it not? Let's make that a Web site. You'll find our latest medical news, a health library, and information on diet and fitness. The address is CNN.com/health.

(MUSIC)

KAGAN: The music is carrying the message, don't cross the border. But it's who's behind this hardening campaign that really has people talking.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're watching crowds gather for "A Day Without Immigrants" in different cities across the country. This is downtown Atlanta, near the State Capitol. Organizers say they expect as many as 100,000 immigration demonstrators to gather at the State Capitol today. But there's also word that many are worried about losing their jobs and will not show up.

And then off to Homestead, Florida -- we've been watching this one as people were gathering here. They are gathering with marches and prayers and demonstrations, boycotting work, school and shopping to show their importance, they believe, to the country.

They're using, by the way, Mexican, U.S., and Central American flags and signs in English. Most signs written in English, possibly due to the backlash over the release of a Spanish-language version of the national anthem.

We have reporters all across the country and live pictures. We'll bring that to you as "A Day Without Immigrants" continues. You can also watch it as it develops in CNN.com Pipeline.

Soft guitars and a hardening message -- a hit song makes waves on Mexican radio. But you might never guess who is the real star behind the music. It's the U.S. Border Patrol.

Here's CNN's Dan Lothian. His report first aired on "AMERICAN MORNING."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The warning isn't on the label, but in the music. And the message is serious. Songs aimed at Mexicans thinking about sneaking into the U.S., a gritty, but little known media campaign produced by the U.S. Border Patrol, which says they're airing on some 30 radio stations across Mexico.

SALVADOR ZAMORA, U.S. BORDER PATROL: They send a very hard- hitting message: If you come across the border area, especially through the desert, you will die. LOTHIAN: In "En La Raya," a man fleeing poverty in Mexico runs across another man barely alive in the hot desert.

(SINGING)

LOTHIAN (on camera): The U.S. government is targeting so-called key feeder states, like Zacatecas and Chaipas. At first, buying the airtime for five different songs, but then, listeners began requesting the tunes, most unaware of the messenger.

ZAMORA: They don't understand, nor do they know that it is a U.S.-based government, law enforcement entity, providing this message.

LOTHIAN (voice-over): This sort of anonymous strategy is also part of the television and print effort. The campaign No Mas Cruces, or No More Crossings and Crosses, using video and disturbing images as a deterrent, aimed deep inside Mexico, on the border, and now for the first time, inside the U.S. with this TV spot set to hit the air this week.

ZAMORA: Friends, family, distant relatives encouraging the illegal immigration, encouraging the illegal crossing, they, too, will have blood on their hands.

LOTHIAN: Ali Noorani, an immigrant advocate in Boston, says this media campaign is in the wrong hands.

ALI NOORANI, IMMIGRANT ADVOCACY COALITION: To educate the public south of the border is an important role to play. However, that role should be played by the Mexican government, by organizations, and businesses and individuals in Mexico.

LOTHIAN: Spending time and money on this message, he says, could be a distraction from finding the real solution to illegal immigration.

NOORANI: President Bush should be passing public policy that serves all immigrants. President Bush should not be running public service announcements in Mexico.

LOTHIAN: But the Border Patrol says early reports show this unique effort is getting the attention of the Mexican people.

ZAMORA: The ultimate goal is to plant the seed of doubt.

LOTHIAN: And perhaps, like the character in the song "En La Raya," who encountered a dying man, learn an important lesson.

(MUSIC)

LOTHIAN: Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: So for the most part, illegal immigrants live life under the radar. But one teenager's status is now on the line because he's just, well, too good. A story you first heard on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," here is our Alina Cho.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMADOU LY, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT: That's the new wheel?

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In many ways, Amadou Ly is just like the others on the East Harlem Tech Robotics Team.

LY: That one.

CHO: But in one significant way he is different.

LY: I'm not the same as them because they can do certain things that I can't do.

CHO: Eighteen-year-old Ly, originally from Senegal, is living in the United States illegally. But it's possible no one would have known had it not been for the good fortune of his team ...

LY: How come we don't have another grill (ph)?

CHO: ... which recently advanced to the International First Robotics Competition in Atlanta, a coup for a rookie team. Ly and his teammates called it a dream come true. Then, reality set in. Ly would have to reveal his secret. He couldn't fly from New York to Atlanta because he didn't have proper identification. Kris Breton is East Harlem Tech's team coordinator.

KRIS BRETON, EAST HARLEM TECH: I didn't really have time to focus on being sad about it. You know, we had to look at him and we had talk. We had to say, you know, how can we make it work?

CHO: The solution, the team would fly. Ly would make the trek 18 hours by train. Time enough to worry about his future.

LY: Every day I have to deal with it and think about the immigration case, think about how I may go to court today and they may send me back.

CHO: As an illegal immigrant, Ly doesn't have much of a chance of staying in the U.S. unless the federal government makes an exception. For now, this modest apartment building in Harlem is home. A home he shares with a distant relative. He hasn't seen his family in years. Since going public with his story, Ly has received support from his teammates.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're not just a robotics team, we're a family.

CHO: Others have offered to pay for his college. Even to adopt him. His lawyer says none of that would change his immigration status. Something his math teacher calls a shame.

RHONDA CREED-HARRY, TEACHER: This country is -- has a history of immigrants, you know? Built the country. And hard working people like Amadou and his family, they shouldn't be turned away. CHO: So as he and his teammates compete to win the robotics championship, Ly has a bigger goal.

LY: I'm here illegally but at least I'm making a difference.

CHO: Alina Cho, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: You can watch mere of Alina's report and Dan Lothian's as well on CNN's AMERICAN MORNING weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

(NEWSBREAK)

KAGAN: An Annual tradition, and this year President Bush doubled the fun. Ahead on CNN, the president and the press.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: It's good to see so many influential guests here tonight, Justice Scalia, Justice Alito.

STEVE BRIDGES, IMPERSONATOR: Yes, all usual suspects. Speaking of suspects, where's the great white hunter?

BUSH: I am sorry, Vice President Cheney couldn't be here tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: You can call this one a hook-up with a purpose. More than 100,000 bras linked together to form a chain. Organizers on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus say they broke a world record. This colossal connection has twin points, you might say, to raise awareness about breast cancer, and earn a spot in "The Guinness Book of Records." It looks like they may have actually done it. They beat a former record holder, which was Singapore, by more than 20,000 bras. Whatever it takes.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Let's show you what you missed on Saturday night. Black ties and cheap laughs. It's the tradition of the Annual White House Correspondents Dinner. This weekend, the beltway bigwigs took their good-nature jabs at one another, including the biggest wig of them all, President Bush. You might think that you're seeing double when you see this next clip. Well, let's just tell you the president got a little bit of help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: I'm absolutely delighted to be here. As is Laura.

STEVE BRIDGES, IMPERSONATOR: She's hot.

STEPHEN COLBERT, COMEDY CENTRAL: The greatest thing about the man is he's steady. You know where he stands.

BUSH: As you know, I always look forward to these dinners.

BRIDGES: It's just a bunch of media types, Hollywood liberals, Democrats like Joe Biden. How come I can't have dinner with the 36 percent of the people who like me?

COLBERT: Don't pay attention to the approval ratings that say that 68 percent of Americans disapprove of the job this man is doing. I ask you this, does that not also logically mean that 68 percent approve of the job he's not doing?

BRIDGES: The only thing missing is Hillary Clinton sitting on the front row, rolling her eyes.

COLBERT: Mayor Nagin is here from New Orleans, the chocolate city. Yes, give it up. Mayor Nagin, I'd like to welcome you to Washington D.C., the chocolate city with a marshmallow center.

BUSH: It's good to see so many influential guests here tonight, Justice Scalia.

COLBERT: Justice Scalia, may I be the first to say, welcome, sir! You look fantastic. How are you today?

BRIDGES: Bet it feels good to be out from under those robes. Toga, toga, toga!

COLBERT: The president makes decisions he's the decider.

BRIDGES: Where's the great white hunter?

BUSH: I am sorry Vice President Cheney couldn't be here tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: So we've combined a couple of the comedic bits there from the big dinner. Hope you enjoyed that.

An infamous music service now giving you songs for free, again. That story, plus "The Boss" rocks New Orleans. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: He's a political boss, blasting slow hurricane recovery. Bruce Springsteen performed Sunday at New Orleans' first post-Katrina Jazz Festival. Springsteen added new lines to a 1929 protest song called "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live," and he dedicated the song to, quote, "President Bystander."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) (MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Springsteen has been doing a lot of Seeger songs. This is his first appearance at Jazz Fest. The festival continues through next weekend.

Well, here's a kind of blast from the recent past. Napster -- do you remember Napster, where people used to download music for free? Well, it's free again, and this time it's legal.

Susan Lisovicz is live from the New York Stock Exchange with details on that. How can that be, Susan? There was huge court cases on it.

LISOVICZ: You know the lawyers were hard at work on this one. And by the way, Daryn, I was one of the people who was at Jazz Fest over the weekend ...

KAGAN: Really?

LISOVICZ: ... pumping money into the economy and checking out our hard-working New Orleans spirit.

KAGAN: Good for you. Good for you.

LISOVICZ: Yes, but back today, hard at work. So the deal with Napster, Daryn, is that it switched to an ad-supported model over the weekend to better compete, and they'll need a lot of help to compete with Apple-dominant iTunes Music Store.

Now visitors can listen to any of Napster's two million song in its catalog without paying to download the Napster software application, which is the closest Napster has come to its original vision of free file sharing since it was shut down by the government at the request of record labels.

Since its site relaunched in 2003, Napster has lost $73 million as a subscription service. So it had to resort to something and now it's getting its revenue from advertising -- Daryn.

KAGAN: But file sharing is still illegal, so how are they doing this?

LISOVICZ: Ah, and herein lies the rub. You can only listen to the song five times. After that, you buy it for 99 cents, which anyone who's visited iTunes knows is the same price, or you can buy a monthly subscription, which can run either $9.95 a month for unlimited online listening, or merely $15 a month where you can transfer songs to your MP3 players.

But guess what? Not iPods, and iPods are 75 -- more than 75 percent of the market. So they've got to work on that. By the way, Walt Disney and Guitar Center are some of the advertisers and record companies, yes, will get a cut of the ad revenue. And that's why they're on board, Daryn.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: All right, Susan. Thank you.

I'm Daryn Kagan. International news is up next. Stay tuned for "YOUR WORLD TODAY."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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