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Judge Stops Deportation of Children in Middle of the Night; Ex- CDC Leaders Say, RFK Jr. Endangering Every American's Health; Modi and Putin Meet on Sidelines of Global Leaders Summit. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired September 01, 2025 - 10:00   ET

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

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PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, the Trump administration squaring up against a federal judge once again, this time over the removal of Guatemalan children. The judge's order forcing at least one flight, carrying them to turn around.

And scathing rebuke, nine former CDC leaders slam HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., saying his actions, quote, should alarm every American.

Plus, fiery collision, two small planes crash into each other over Colorado, killing one person and injuring three others. We have some new details that we're learning from the emergency responders.

And jaw-dropping video. Have you seen this, a child walking along a monorail track high above a Pennsylvania theme park? When another park guest says this, saw this, he says his dad instincts kicked in.

And later, college football bonanza, the Seminoles stunned the Tide and the Buckeyes beat the Longhorns. Plus, Bill Belichick is making his college coaching debut at my alma mater, North Carolina.

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Pamela Brown. Wolf Blitzer is off today and you're in The Situation Room.

And new this morning hundreds of children are in legal limbo after a judge blocked the Trump administration from returning them to Guatemala in the middle of the night. All of the children arrived in the U.S. by themselves, and it's not believed that they have a parent in this country. Some were already on planes to head back to Guatemala when the judge ordered them to turn around. One lawyer tells CNN, many of the children were awakened in the middle of the night, terrified and confused. The judge says she got the emergency call around 2:30 A.M. on Sunday, quote, I have the government attempting to remove unaccompanied minors from the country in the wee hours of the morning on a holiday weekend, which is surprising, but here we are.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez joins us. So, Priscilla, where are the children now and what happens next? PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pamela, we have learned from the Justice Department that they have returned 74 children to U.S. government custody. Those were children that were on the planes yesterday before again being deplaned and taken to these shelters following the federal judge's order.

But all of this really picked up pace late Saturday into the early morning hours of Sunday. What I have been told is that legal service providers, so those attorneys that have been representing the children, were notified that their clients were going to be removed to Guatemala at the request of the Guatemalan government.

The shelters where these children were at were similarly told late Saturday that these children needed to be prepared to be discharged within hours, that means collecting their personal belongings, their medications as well as providing them snacks.

Now, I spoke to an immigration attorney who represents multiple of these children, and they told me that these children were terrified and confused. She said that they were woken up in the middle of the night to be repatriated to Guatemala.

Now, these are children that are in U.S. custody to be reunited with U.S.-based family members or legal guardians. It is during that time that they also go through immigration proceedings to determine if they have any protections in the United States because U.S. law does deem them a vulnerable population.

But what the U.S. and Guatemalan government were doing here was sending them back to Guatemala where they say they would be reunited with other family in that country. That stoked concerns among immigration attorneys, many of whom say that their clients are actually fleeing those conditions at home.

Now, a federal judge had questions about all of this, ultimately blocking their removal for now while these proceedings are ongoing. The administration in the meantime is also pushing back. But, Pamela, this is a complicated set of circumstances because while, yes, some children do say in custody, they want to be returned to Guatemala, they still have to go before an immigration judge to explain that and for the immigration judge to ask them questions to make sure that they're not going back to a dangerous situation.

And then there are kids that are part of this lawsuit who were escaping abuse and neglect from family members back in Guatemala. So, you can see how this gets complicated quickly. But, certainly, attorneys say that the processes that would normally be followed in a situation like this were not, and that the endeavor as a whole is just unprecedented.

BROWN: All right. Priscilla Alvarez, thank you so much for bringing this latest there.

And new this morning, former leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is putting your health in danger. [10:05:08]

Nine former CDC directors and acting directors who worked under both Republican and Democratic presidents pinned in New York Times op-ed. They say RFK's recent decisions are, quote, unacceptable and should alarm every American.

CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard joins us now. These former leaders of the CDC really had a strong warning here, Jacqueline.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Oh, yes, Pamela. And, you know, these former leaders in this op-ed condemn nearly every action Kennedy Jr. has taken so far this year. They write about concerns around how he has fired thousands of health workers, how he has downplayed the importance of vaccinations during the measles outbreak. They also say they worry about how he has cited flawed research and how he's made inaccurate statements.

They argue that this could lead to impacting public health. It could lead to limited access to healthcare for vulnerable people. It could lead to fewer resources for low income families, fewer resources for community health clinics and state and local health departments.

And, Pamela, just yesterday, one of the authors of this op-ed, Dr. Tom Frieden, he told our colleague, Manu Raju, that this is not about politics. He said, this is about public health. Have a listen.

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DR. TOM FRIEDEN, FORMER CDC DIRECTOR: Look, this isn't about Democratic or Republican. This is about fact versus fiction. This is about protecting our health versus endangering our health.

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HOWARD: And, Pamela, this op-ed was really a call to action. The author's write, Congress must exercise its oversight authority over HHS. Pamela?

BROWN: And I also want to ask you about the CDC workers who were set to return to their offices later this month after the shooting at their headquarters a few weeks ago. What do you know?

HOWARD: That's right. They were given an email saying that they should return to the office September 15th. The email did say that those whose work spaces were impacted by that attack, by that shooting that happened on August 8th, those employees will have other workspaces to return to.

But, overall, Pamela, CDC employees say that they are still reeling from that event. There's still a lot of angst and turmoil at the agency right now. And so this return to office is just appears to be an added layer to the anxiety that many are feeling at the moment.

BROWN: Jacqueline Howard, thanks so much. And turning now to breaking news, Russian Leader Vladimir Putin meets with India's Prime Minister Modi. This happened on the sidelines of a huge global security conference in China as the two leaders stand shoulder to shoulder with Chinese President Xi Jinping. And at one point, Putin and Modi could even been seen, look at this holding hands as they walk together. And it seems Putin enjoys having these private discussions in limos, he and Modi spoke privately for nearly an hour during their ride. Modi captioning this photo, conversations with him are always insightful.

And you'll remember Putin also had an extended limo meeting with President Trump last month in Alaska. Xi for his part is using a meeting to outline his vision for a reshaped global order with China leading the way.

So, let's go to CNN's Marc Stewart in Beijing. Tell us more about what these leaders discussed, Marc.

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pam, first off, the optics of all of this is just striking. We have such an eye-catching list of leadership that has been here in China, leadership from Russia, from India, as well as Turkey as with in many other small nations in this part of the world often refer to as Eurasia.

They're all gathering at a time when President Trump and his America first agenda is trying to isolate himself and the world. These leaders are trying to get together. And for China, it's a good chance for it to establish itself as a strong, stable and predictable force in alternative almost to the west, and some of these traditional alliances, like NATO.

You know, the United States was a big theme, but it wasn't necessarily mentioned by name. There are a lot of tensions (ph) but they were not necessarily explicit. If we look at some of the phrasing that Xi Jinping used, a lot of the catch phrases are words that he often uses when describing Washington from the Beijing perspective, phrases like Cold War mentality and bullying practices.

Let's take a listen to what some of Xi Jinping had to say earlier today.

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XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT: We should advocate for an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and make the global governance system more just and equitable.

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STEWART: Let's touch on the optics real quickly, because to see Xi Jinping, to see Putin and to see Modi all together, perhaps sharing a laugh in a lighter moment is, again, striking especially because these nations all are facing very complicated relationships with the United States. Pamela, this is not just political, also economic. We saw China today contribute a billion dollars to a banking alliance. So, many strong points for China here.

BROWN: Certainly, Marc Stewart in Beijing, thank you so much.

Happening now, the White House is ramping up threats to send the National Guard into Chicago. The president has told Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to, quote, straighten it out fast or we are coming. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says a bigger immigration crackdown is also coming. Pritzker said he hasn't heard a word about it from the White House directly.

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GOV. J.B. PRITZKER (D-IL): They ought to be coordinating with local law enforcement. They ought to let us know when they're coming, where they're coming, if it's ICE or if it's ATF or whoever it is. But they don't want to do that either. And I must say it's disruptive. It's dangerous. It tends to inflame passions on the ground when they don't let us know what their plans are and when we can't coordinate with them.

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BROWN: CNN Law Enforcement Correspondent Whitney Wild is in Chicago. So, Whitney, tell us more about the steps that the mayor there is taking.

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, he signed an executive order over the weekend, which directs the city offices on how they're supposed to react. So, for example, it reaffirms that the Chicago Police Department will not work with ICE or Customs and Border Patrol if this immigration effort does come to pass. And we believe that it will, based on our conversations with sources. The executive order also directs city offices to look into legislative and legal efforts that they can take to try to stop this.

Pamela, there is, you know, a feeling here among city leaders and I've spoken with an alderman. We were heard from Pritzker and Brandon Johnson last week that they know that there's not that much they can do to stop this from happening, although they say that they are prepared once it does happen to fight this in court. The Illinois attorney general has said that he plans to file a lawsuit as soon as there is an overt action that he can tie a lawsuit to.

Again, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signing this executive order directing city offices on what they can do. Further, Pamela, it urges federal law enforcement who do end up coming to Chicago not to wear a mask, to wear body cameras. It demands that the Trump administration stop this effort all together. The latter two things, Pamela, unlikely to happen.

Here's more from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

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MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON (D-CHICAGO, IL): We do not want to see tanks in our streets. We do not want to see families ripped apart. We do not want grandmothers thrown into the back of unmarked vans.

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WILD: Pamela, at this point, sources are telling CNN that this effort could be underway by Friday. And that could look like, you know, pieces of equipment bringing into Chicago, boots on the ground response here, Pamela. But what this is actually going to look like, how it plays out remains to be seen. But when you look at Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, the expectation is that this effort will look a lot more like what happened in Los Angeles. Pamela?

BROWN: All right. Whitney Wild, thank you so much.

College football's opening weekend did not disappoint. Alabama got rolled, number one Texas got hooked and the Hurricane stormed passed a key rival for a big win.

For all the weekend highlights, plus a new era in Chapel Hill, let's turn to CNN Sports Anchor Coy Wire. Coy, take us through all the action. And, by the way, did you like all those puns?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Pamela, you're rocking and rolling this morning, and I know you know a thing or two about Chapel Hill. We'll get to that in a second.

Number six Notre Dame and number ten Miami, they had this sensational Sunday night showdown. You have to see this catch. Hurricanes' new quarterback, Carson Beck, finding C.J., Daniels unreal catch. Check his hands for super glue. Jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring touchdown grab. We can just replay this the entire segment. Beck went 20 for 30 with two touchdowns.

This was a top ten slug fest, but with a game tied about a minute to go, Miami Kicker Carter Davis becomes the hero, Keynes' hero. Game winner from 47 yards out, Keynes' pull off the upset, 27-24.

And on Saturday, unranked FSU stunned number eight Alabama. Their quarterback, Thomas Castellano, said in June, they don't have Nick Saban to save him. I don't see them stopping me. Well, he backed up his talk. He rushed for 78 yards and a score. Florida State won 31-17.

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MIKE NORVELL, FLORIDA STATE HEAD COACH: We've talked all year, and I've used the buzzwords of edge and desperation. Well, that comes from the heart. And you saw heart tonight. And you saw a team that men absolutely love playing this game together and were physically dominant. Men were, you know, emotionally together and they responded.

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WIRE: Now, the final game of week one tonight features the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, making his highly anticipated debut for Pamela Brown's University of North Carolina. His Tar Heels will face TCU in Chapel Hill, or shall we say, Chapel Bill. Coach is 73 years old, has created some huge buzz. He said this spring he'd be trying to cultivate the same culture at UNC that he had in New England. TCU is favored by three and a half.

Let's go to the U.S. Open. 29-year-old American Taylor Townsend checked Barbora Krejcikova. They battled in this second set that went on for 98 minutes. The tiebreak alone was a breathtaking 25 minutes. The 139th ranked Townsend had eight match points, but eventually lost the set and match she'd favor -- gained favor with tennis fans after defeating former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko, who accused her of having no class and no education. Townsend had this to say about her inspiring run.

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TAYLOR TOWNSEND, TIES CAREER BY PLAYING IN FOURTH ROUND AT A MAJOR: I'm proud of myself. You know, I don't think that I've ever put on a performance like this. And even when I had gone deep in some tournaments or played well, it's always was like, oh, okay, she's just on a run. And I think that, you know, more than anything I gained the respect of, you know, everyone in the tennis world, you know, and put a lot of my competitors on notice.

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WIRE: All right, Pamela, video you have to see, 22-year-old five-time major champ Carlos Alcaraz stunning the sporting world again, defying description here. This is a baffling behind the back shot. His opponent, Arthur Rinderknech, was just bamboozled.

Alcaraz, he's like this magician now. He's the youngest man in the open era to reach 13 Grand Slam quarterfinals.

I need to know, Pamela, how and where are you watching your Tar Heels tonight? It's an exciting new era.

BROWN: I'll probably be putting my kids to bed, frankly, but I'll catch up with it at some point. Go Heels.

WIRE: You got it.

BROWN: All right. Coy Wire, thank you so much.

And still ahead, saved from a monorail track. Have you seen this? We're going to hear from the man who rescued this little boy from a really scary situation.

And then later, deadly collision, the emergency audio detailing the moments after the fiery crash.

You're in The Situation Room.

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[10:20:00] BROWN: Well, new this morning, the Trump administration is dealt another setback in court. A federal judge is blocking the deportation of hundreds of children back home to Guatemala. In the early morning hours on Sunday, the Trump administration loaded planes with children who had arrived in the U.S. unaccompanied and are believed to not have a parent here. At least one flight was already in route to Guatemala when the judge ordered it to turn around. This is the latest standoff between the administration and a federal judge.

Let's discuss all of this was CNN Legal Analysts and Criminal Defense Attorney Joey Jackson. Joey, thanks for sharing our holiday with us.

So, the judge in this case has told the Justice Department to prove its claim that the parents, children's parents, or legal guardians requested their return to Guatemala. Is that a decisive factor in this case?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: So, I think it's very important. Pamela, good to be with you. You know, there's a distinction between someone wanting to repatriate, that is go back to their home country. And there's an agreement and we know that the Homeland Security secretary has certainly met with Guatemala and officials about that. But there's a distinction between that and just rounding up people and getting them out on a plane. Do they want to go? Are they afforded certain protections? Have they spoken with their lawyer? Were they given notice and the right to be heard?

And so, absolutely, there's a huge gap between just saying, hey, we're just sending them back to reunite with their parents than that factually being so. You know, certainly people who are suing on behalf of the children have every right to question and be skeptical about the claim that we're just taking them back so they could reunite with their parents where they belong. They believe that, as officials who sue on behalf of that these children, that is not true, particularly in all circumstances.

BROWN: Right. And attorneys for some of the children say that they didn't get their due process rights to go before a judge and really talk about what it would mean for them to be sent back to Guatemala.

Now, the Trump administration, for its part, says, as you point out, this is not so much a case of deporting these children, but instead reunited them with family members in Guatemala. And White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller had this to say on social media, quote, the judge is effectively kidnapping these migrant children and refusing to let them return home to their parents in their home country, end quote. Is that a fair portrayal?

JACKSON: So, it really isn't, and it's really tiresome when there are attacks on judges who are merely doing their job. You know, say what you want and take whatever position you want on immigration, Pamela. The United States, foundationally is a country of laws, that is you follow the law. It's a country wherein you're entitled to due process, as you noted.

What is due process? It's notice and an opportunity to be heard. Perhaps the children should be deported. But before they are, should they not as law requires be entitled to a lawyer? Should they not as the law be entitled to state any claims they have in court as to whether they should? Should they not, as the law certainly would require say, hey, I don't want to go? And, by the way, I'm protected by various federal statutes that allow me to apply for asylum, that allow me to assert the fact that I feel that I'm being persecuted in my home country.

So, we can attack judges all day and all night. That seems to be a persistent theme when this administration doesn't get their way. But, again, whatever you might say about immigration, should we not be a foundational country, right, which really entitles everyone to the protection they deserve. And all this judge is saying is that slow your role.

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Let's have a hearing. Let's determine whether or not these are lawful deportations and let's not be doing this in the middle of a holiday weekend where we're loading people on planes in the dead of night, such that people don't get the opportunity to go to court. And I think going to court and asserting your legal protections, Pamela, is a pretty important.

BROWN: Joey Jackson, thank you so much. That really is foundational for this democracy, right?

All right, and new this morning, a terrifying moment caught on video. You can see a child walking alone on the monorail tracks at Hershey Park in Pennsylvania after getting separated from his family. And on the ground below, panicked people scream and try to direct him to safety until help arrives.

Thankfully, another park guest spring into action, and as you see here, climbed up there and got to the child. He told CNN he was glad to be able to help in a scary situation.

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JOHN SAMPSON, RESCUED BOY FROM MONORAIL TRACK: Kind of like the dad instincts kicked in and then it was just trying to figure things out and how to get up there as fast as possible.

Absolute relief. And even I could feel it in him the relief as soon as he got into my arms. And thank goodness he came straight into my arms and it went nice and simply in that sense.

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BROWN: So sweet. Well, the young boy was safely reunited with his family.

Hershey Park noted that the monorail was not operating and the ride was chained off when the child walked on the tracks. A spokesperson for the park added, quote, we are grateful for the vigilance of our guests and the swift response of our team, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest levels of guest safety throughout Hershey Park.

Coming up right here in The Situation Room, why Greta Finberg and the aid flotilla headed for Gaza will have to wait. The latest up next.

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