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Federal Inspectors Capture Images of Overcrowded Migrant Centers; Navy SEAL Found Not Guilty of Murdering ISIS Fighter; Angels Return to Field after Tyler Skaggs' Death; U.S. Beats England 2-1 to Reach Women's World Cup Final; Trump's Fourth of July Celebration Under Scrutiny; New Poll: Biden Leads, Harris Surges in Iowa. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired July 03, 2019 - 06:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We saw women placed in prison-like cells. They were sleeping on the floor. Those are just disturbing images.

[05:59:19] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very confident that we are meeting and, in fact, most of the time, exceeding these standards.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A Border Patrol agent who's had enough.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They need to know the truth.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to have planes going overhead, and we're going to have some tanks stationed outside.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have this special VIP area being auctioned off to Trump cronies and donors to the RNC.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're the strongest military power on the face of the earth, and we have never had to display that power.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It's Wednesday, July 3. It's 6 a.m. here in New York. And these are the pictures America is waking up to.

Look at this: "Shameful." That's the "New York Daily News." "Squalor Pervasive" in "The New York Times." And it's not just the pictures here. It's the new report just released by the Trump administration itself, which discovered hundreds and hundreds of migrants, including children, crammed into extremely overcrowded border facilities. This was all uncovered by a government watchdog during unannounced visits in May and June.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Government investigators found migrants sleeping on concrete floors with no access to showers, children younger than 7 being held for weeks, rather than the 72 hours allowed by law.

Now, Border Patrol divers are searching for a missing 2-year-old in the Rio Grande. Agents say the girl's mother told them she lost her daughter while they were crossing the river. All of this as one border agent sounds the alarm in an exclusive interview with CNN that we will play for you.

So CNN's Nick Valencia is live in El Paso, Texas, with our top story -- Nick.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alisyn, these disturbing images from the inspector general report show that the facts are undeniable. Overcrowding is a serious issue that demands immediate action and attention. That's what's in the report.

And while it focuses on the Rio Grande Valley, here in El Paso, things are just as bad. That's according to a veteran agent that we sat down with in a CNN exclusive, this agent telling us enough is enough.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: Taking a big risk by doing this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. But America needs to know. They need to know the truth.

VALENCIA (voice-over): A Border Patrol agent who's had enough. In a CNN exclusive interview, the veteran agent, who agreed to go on camera only if their identity was concealed, expressed disgust at a closed Facebook group reportedly comprised of thousands of current and former agents. Pro Publica, the first to expose the group, "I'm 10-15," where members shared lewd and sexist content about Latina members of Congress, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The agent telling CNN being derogatory is part of the Border Patrol culture, even hearing a supervisor joke about dead migrants.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was making fun them.

VALENCIA (on camera): Saying what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That what difference does it make? It's just another life?

He made a comment also regarding running over illegals. And I'm like, "You cannot run over people."

VALENCIA (voice-over): In describing the conditions inside the El Paso facilities, the agent compared them to a zoo.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The holding facility, the cells, they are what I will say filthy. We have a maintenance and cleaning crew that clean the general area by the hallways. But I have never seen them cleaning counters, or cleaning toilets in the cells, or cleaning sinks in the cell. Sometimes you go in a cell, and there's trash everywhere.

VALENCIA (on camera): There are those in leadership at Customs and Border Protection.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

VALENCIA: They say that migrants are getting basic human rights. What do you say to leaders who are saying migrants are getting basic human rights?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is basic human rights? Toilet paper. Water from the sink? Wearing the same clothing for days?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: And this morning, the search for a 2-year-old little girl is resuming this morning. Customs and Border Protection announcing overnight that a mother told them that she lost her 2-year-old child while trying to cross the Rio Grande. We can only imagine that mother's anguish. Customs and Border Protection saying that they hope that their search leads to a positive outcome -- John.

BERMAN: All right. Nick Valencia, thank you so much for that reporting. We're going over this report from the I.G. We'll have much more on it later, including information that most adults had gone as long as a month without a shower there. So stay tuned for that. Thank you, Nick.

All right. Breaking news. At least 40 people have been killed and more than a hundred injured from an air strike on a migrant center east of Libya's capital. Emergency crews are working to help the wounded and remove the dead from piles of rubble where buildings once stood.

The U.I. -- the U.N.-recognized interim government blames the leader of the opposition Libyan National Army, calling this an intentional war crime. But right now, there's no independent confirmation about who was responsible for this attack.

CAMEROTA: A Navy SEAL found not guilty of the premeditated murder of an ISIS fighter in Iraq. Edward Gallagher was accused of stabbing a teenage prisoner in the neck and body, and then posing with that body for a picture.

CNN's Nick Watt has been covering this. He's live in San Diego with more.

Was this a surprise, Nick?

NICK WATT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Nothing would have come as a surprise in this court-martial, Alisyn. It's been twisty-turny from beginning to end.

[06:05:03] But Eddie Gallagher was facing the possibility of life behind bars. Not anymore. That jury -- seven military members, Eddie Gallagher's peers -- found him not guilty of stabbing to death that ISIS detainee in Iraq back in 2017; not guilty of firing at civilians; and also not guilty of pressuring his fellow SEALs not to turn him in; and not guilty of retaliating against those who did.

This case always rested heavily on the witness testimony of Gallagher's fellow SEALs. And the defense always said this was not about murder. This was about mutiny. Young SEALs who just didn't like Eddie Gallagher made stuff up to try and get rid of him.

Take a listen to Andrea Gallagher, Eddie Gallagher's wife, talking just after the verdict came down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW GALLAGHER, WIFE OF EDDIE GALLAGHER: I was feeling like we're finally vindicated after being terrorized by the government that my husband fought for, for two decades, in the war on terror. He's fought every major enemy of the United States. He is a righteous and noble individual.

We need to afford the benefit of the doubt to our war heroes who we send over there to fight these evils.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: Now, Eddie Gallagher was found guilty of taking a photograph with the corpse of that young ISIS detainee. But the maximum sentence for that -- and we'll hear the sentence probably later today -- the maximum sentence is four months. And he's already served a lot more than that during pretrial confinement.

So John, Eddie Gallagher will be home for the Fourth of July.

BERMAN: I have to say, what an amazing trial that was. Nick Watt, thank you so much for covering it for us. Really appreciate it.

This morning we're still waiting for answers on the cause of death for 27-year-old pitcher Tyler Skaggs. His team, the Los Angeles Angels, took the field just one day after he was found dead in his hotel room.

Scott McLean is live in Arlington, Texas, where the Angels played last night. And I have to say, Scott, what an emotional evening.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You bet, John. The Angels wore black patches with Tyler Skaggs' number, 45, on them last night. But it was clear that the 27-year-old pitcher was on his teammates' minds, not just on their jerseys.

Manager Brad Ausmus hugged every single one of his players after they came off the field last night. He said he felt like there was some urgency to win, to give these guys something to smile about. And they did, 9-4.

Now, before the game, there was a moment of silence held for Tyler Skaggs. I was on the field with the rest of the press, and I can tell you, stadiums are obviously loud places, but at that moment, you could hear a pin drop. You would never know that Skaggs had been a member of the opposite team.

After the game, his teammates, they were visibly upset, including all- star Mike Trout. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE TROUT, LOS ANGLES ANGELS PLAYER: You know, we're close, you know. All these guys in here, you know, I see -- I see these guys more than my family. You know? And you know, to lose somebody like him, it's tough. You know? My first at bat, I get up there, and all I can't -- all I do is think about him, you know?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCLEAN: Yes, clearly still a distraction for those players.

Now, there are still a lot of questions about the circumstances of the death. Skaggs was found dead in a hotel room on Monday. The Angeles manager called his death incomprehensible.

Local police say this does not look like foul play, nor does it look like suicide. There was an autopsy scheduled for yesterday, but at the request of Skaggs's family, none of the details will be released until the full report is completed in October.

Meanwhile, the Angels won't be playing back at home until July 12 after the all-star break -- John, Alisyn.

BERMAN: Yes. Still really only questions remaining at this point. We have no information about the cause of death.

CAMEROTA: But I wonder why his family wants to hold the autopsy until October.

BERMAN: You know --

CAMEROTA: There's is so much interest, and everybody is waiting to find out what happens. I just wonder --

BERMAN: Maybe they want to protect information. Maybe there's something that they don't want people to know.

CAMEROTA: Maybe.

BERMAN: All right. Scott, thank you.

So on a much happier note, it was just like the revolution, with almost as much drama. The United States beat England, 2-1, to win a ticket back to the World Cup finals.

And the drama began before the game even started. One of Team USA's biggest stars sidelined with an injury. So what happened and what's in store next? CNN's Amanda Davies in France, Coy Wire in Atlanta.

You know, Amanda, if you count the War of 1812, this makes us 3-0 against England. AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, John, it's been a tough morning

for me, I have to say. But sometimes, you've just got to put your hands up and say you were beaten by the better side.

England's Lionesses absolutely tamed by a tea-drinking Alex Morgan and a U.S. team who showed exactly why they are the top-ranked team in the world, the ones that everyone else is using as the benchmark for women's soccer.

[06:10:05] Even without the talismanic Megan Rapinoe, she was ruled out with a minor hamstring injury. Jill Ellis' side dominated. It was very much a case of no Rapinoe, no problem.

Once again, the USA were lightning quick out of the block. They scored for the sixth time in six games inside the first 12 minutes. This time it was veteran of over a hundred caps, Christen Press, who sent the defending champions on their way. She was closely followed by birthday girl Alex Morgan as she keeps up her campaign for the Golden Boot Award given to the tournament's top scorer.

But again, there was controversy over the celebrations, after that criticism for going overboard in that opening thrashing of Thailand. Then Carli Lloyd's somewhat more subtle golf clap against Chile.

This time Morgan stopped for tea. It was a very -- was it a dig at English tradition? Was it a reference to the Boston tea party and July the 4th? She's left us guessing. And ultimately, it was left to goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher to seal the deal, stepping up to save a late penalty from England captain Steph Houghton to book the USA in a record fifth World Cup final.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALYSSA NAEHER, USWNT GOALKEEPER: It just meant a lot to me to have, you know, through this whole thing my teammates have had my back. I've had theirs, and that was just kind of a culmination of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Coy.

DAVIES: It was as stunning -- it was as stunning as you'd have wanted that semifinal to be. And of course, we find out a little bit later on whether it will be the Netherlands or Sweden lining up in the final on Sunday against the U.S.

CAMEROTA: So Coy, the reason I was jumping in, is what is the deal with Megan Rapinoe? Is she going to be able to play for the final?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS: Alisyn, this was a big shock to all of us. And their co-captain, their heartbeat, not even warming up. And our team there, in Lyons, caught up with Rapinoe after the team's big win. She was asked about not playing. Here's what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MEGAN RAPINOE, USWNT CO-CAPTAIN: No, I wasn't fit for selection today. Just a minor hamstring strain. So obviously, we have a lot of days now, you know, and for me the timeline really was after the France game. And now I have, you know, the extra rest day and looking forward to the final. So I expect to be fit by then.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COY: So it will be nine days of rest for that hamstring by the time Sunday's final rolls around. I don't think there's any way Megan Rapinoe at 33 years old doesn't get out there on that pitch.

But we're reminded through this injury, two of the most impressive things about this team. One, their mental toughness, and two, their depth. How impressive for Christen Press, Rapinoe's backup, to come into the match and score the opening goal of the match, just in the tenth minute there.

She said that she watched her teammate and the great Carli Lloyd practice headers every day at practice for two years. That's what enabled her to make that happen during the game. She is inspired by Lloyd.

I think there's a generation of young girls out there inspired by these women. They're inspiring all of us, aren't they?

BERMAN: A generation of old men. I mean, I -- it's everybody. We're all inspired by them, Coy.

CAMEROTA: Yes. But let me get this straight. This is the new offensive hand gesture? Let me just make sure I got it. Because I like to use it in the car --

WIRE: Drink these up, Alisyn, yes.

CAMEROTA: -- when another driver bothers me. I use other hand gestures.

BERMAN: Drinking tea in their face is what it, you know, amounts to.

CAMEROTA: I don't know if this cuts it for me.

BERMAN: What do you think Prince Harry thought or that, or the queen when they saw that?

CAMEROTA: They were not happy.

BERMAN: No, exactly.

CAMEROTA: They were not pleased.

BERMAN: Exactly. "I'm going to drink your tea, Prince Harry."

All right. I do want to note one thing here, and it's important. The president of the United States, who claims to be a fan of soccer, has not tweeted congratulations at all to the women's team. CAMEROTA: How is that possible?

BERMAN: You know, before the Fourth of July, you might think you want to get behind the national team that's playing in the World Cup finals. We've heard nothing.

CAMEROTA: I'm sure he will this morning. Please monitor it on Twitter.

BERMAN: I'm watching very carefully.

CAMEROTA: Any minute now.

BERMAN: Nothing. He's tweeting a lot about the parade and the celebration. Right? There's going to be tanks. There's going to be planes. There will be political favors on the National Mall tomorrow night for the president's Fourth of July celebration. The question is: who's paying for it? In a way, Smokey the Bear. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: President Trump wanted tanks for his July Fourth Salute to America celebration, and he will get tanks. And this morning we're getting a better idea of how much those tanks will cost taxpayers.

We're also learning who will get tickets to this event. Tom Foreman is live with one of those tanks behind him near the Lincoln Memorial.

What's the latest, Tom?

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is exactly what the president wanted. Big pieces of military hardware right in the middle of this area that will be absolutely flooded with tourists for the holiday.

Take a look at how they brought these things in last night. There are more coming in later today. These are actually Bradley fighting vehicles. They're armored personnel carriers. Allegedly, there will be some actual Abrams tanks brought in, as well.

[06:20:06] That is the big question, though. Who's going to pay for all of this? What budget is this coming out of? And while the president says this is a celebration of America, many of his critics are saying, no. This is a celebration of himself.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN (voice-over): The iconic fireworks over the National Mall will be moved to a new spot. All flights will be grounded at Reagan's National Airport for more than two hours. And three times the usual number of National Guard troops will be deployed for security.

All so president Donald Trump can be the centerpiece for D.C.'s Fourth of July celebration, giving an unprecedented speech at the Lincoln Memorial.

TRUMP: We're going to have a great Fourth of July in Washington, D.C. It will be like no other.

FOREMAN: For all the costly changes, it's still not precisely what he wanted early on: a grand military parade as seen in some other countries, such as France, Russia, and North Korea. But cost estimates for that plan quickly ran into tens of millions of dollars.

The D.C. city council, mindful of expensive street damage, howled "No tanks." The Park Service has remained quiet about how much it will cost to take on the additional requirements. And the Pentagon is not discussing the price tag for a flyover by the Blue Angels, a plane that serves as Air Force One, some other aircraft, and a couple of tanks and troop carriers that will also be there but simply parked near the Mall.

TRUMP: We want to bring millions of people into the city, and we want people to come who love our country. Those are the people we want.

FOREMAN: The president tweeting, "The Pentagon and our great military leaders are thrilled" after asking the chiefs of every branch to stand with him during the celebration. The Pentagon not saying which, if any, are going.

And adding to the frustration of those who claim the traditionally nonpartisan event is being hijacked by team Trump, the White House and the Republican National Committee are reportedly giving VIP access to favored friends and colleagues.

Democrats say on this scorching week, they are largely being frozen out. The White House response?

KELLYANNE CONWAY, ADVISOR TO DONALD TRUMP: This is a public event. It's open to the public.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN: The public may be thrilled to see these military vehicles parked here, the flyover, and everything else. We're right in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial right here.

But it's no mistake the president will not be happy to see some folks show up here. Lots of protesters are now converging on the Mall, as well, including some with a permit to fly that baby Trump balloon over the festivities. So that will also be overhead -- John.

BERMAN: Unintended consequences. And the baby Trump balloon probably won't damage the roadways. All right. Tom Foreman, thank you very much for that reporting.

A major development overnight and a big political setback for the White House. The Trump administration confirms this morning it will not ask about citizenship status on the 2020 census. Those opposing the question argued to the Supreme Court that it would disenfranchise minority groups. The court ruled that the way the administration justified it did not pass muster.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says he strongly disagrees with the justices but would print the census documents without the question. Now, before the announcement from the government, the president tweeted that he wanted to keep up the fight, but frankly, it's not at all clear what that means.

CAMEROTA: OK.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris are heading to Iowa this holiday weekend as a new poll in that state show the race for the Democratic nomination is tightening.

CNN's Kyung Lah is live in Des Moines with more. Kyung, what's the latest?

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a whole new ball game for a lot of these candidates as they come to Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus. And we're going to see Kamala Harris starting her day here in Des Moines, Iowa. And just two hours away is Joe Biden.

I want you to take a look at this map. Because it's not just those two candidates. You can see how many of the 2020 hopefuls are here. It's Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Beto O'Rourke, Tim Ryan, and Amy Klobuchar.

The debate reshuffled the rankings in a number of polls. And if you look at the latest Iowa poll that just came out, you can see that Joe Biden still is in the lead, but that lead has had a significant cut in it.

Right on his heels? Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders fourth. And it very much mirrors a national poll that also came out. Biden, Harris, Warren, Sanders. Similar to a CNN poll that was also conducted.

And throughout this week on this Fourth of July holiday, they are going to have a very Iowa event. All of these candidates are going to be doing parades, picnics, holding a number of town halls.

Pete Buttigieg, a candidate who is also going to be here, he is going to be unveiling a new policy. And he is calling this policy the New Service Corps. It's a nod to his time in the military service, giving back. It's going to target 250,000 service opportunities, targeting young people, high school, college, various students who might be unemployed.

[06:25:19] Alisyn, it's a way, he hopes, of trying to bring young people together and help the country -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK, Kyung. It will be interesting to see that. Thank you very much for a preview.

We have a quick programming note for everyone. This Friday we have a CNN exclusive. Former Vice President Joe Biden will sit down with Chris Cuomo. How does the 2020 Democratic frontrunner plan to stay ahead of the pack? So this interview will air Friday morning right here on NEW DAY at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Eastern. BERMAN: I want to say he hasn't really done this kind of interview

yet, so it tells you everything: the timing of it, that he's choosing to do this now. I cannot wait to see what he says there.

All right. Some of the biggest news overnight. This government report showing these disturbing images from detention centers at the border. The humanitarian crisis there. There are new questions this morning. We'll talk about that next.

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