On this ”Face the Nation” broadcast, moderated by Margaret Brennan:
- Camilo Montoya Galvez, CBS Information immigration and politics reporter
- Sen. Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina
- Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Denver Mayor Mike Johnson
- David Becker, founding father of the Heart for Election Innovation & Analysis and CBS Information election legislation contributor
- Jo Lin Kent, CBS Information senior enterprise and expertise reporter
- Ben Tracy, CBS Information senior nationwide and environmental correspondent
Click on right here to browse full transcripts of ”Face the Nation.”
MARGARET BRENNAN: I am Margaret Brennan in Washington.
And this week on Face the Nation: At 12 months’s finish, America’s immigration system is in disaster. Will 2024 lastly deliver some options?
Day-after-day this month, 1000’s of migrants crossed America’s southern border into the U.S., rising the pressure on each federal officers and native communities. In the meantime, bipartisan negotiators within the Senate are struggling to strike a deal which may stem the disaster and overhaul immigration legal guidelines for the primary time in practically 40 years.
However with the problem tied up within the debate over assist for Ukraine, Israel and extra, what is going to it take to discover a compromise?
We are going to verify in with a prime Republican negotiator, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. And we are going to hear from two Democratic mayors who say the inflow of migrants has introduced their cities to a breaking level, they usually need extra assist from the Biden administration.
Then, with simply over two weeks till voters start to decide on the Republican nominee, the candidates are furiously making an attempt to topple front-runner Donald Trump and are struggling by means of some unforced errors.
(Start VT)
NIKKI HALEY (R-Presidential Candidate): What would you like me to say about slavery?
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MARGARET BRENNAN: However is Trump’s personal candidacy in jeopardy, as two states search to disqualify him, citing his position within the assault on the U.S. Capitol?
In simply 9 days, an appeals court docket will think about Trump’s declare of presidential immunity. Particular counsel Jack Smith warns in an pressing new court docket submitting that each one presidents might be held criminally liable and Trump ought to face penalties for making an attempt to grab energy regardless of dropping the 2020 election.
We are going to get the newest from election legislation skilled David Becker.
It is all simply forward on Face the Nation.
Good morning, and welcome to Face the Nation.
Now we have rather a lot to get to on this New 12 months’s Eve, however we need to start with the dire scenario on the southern border. New Customs and Border Safety information obtained by CBS Information present that company is on monitor to course of greater than 300,000 migrants, an all-time month-to-month excessive. That features document numbers of households and youngsters.
In the meantime, cities, states and federal legislation enforcement report being overwhelmed because the ripple results unfold from border communities to all throughout the nation.
And, for the newest, we’re joined now by CBS immigration and politics reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez.
Camilo, you’ve executed some extraordinary reporting on this. Are you able to inform us, what is basically driving the sharp enhance and who’s making up nearly all of migrants?
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: I feel, Margaret, the extra exact reply I may give you is that the push-and-pull elements that traditionally have pushed migration to the U.S. have intensified to a level that I do not suppose we now have ever seen in U.S. historical past.
Now we have a comparatively steady economic system right here with many job openings, and that’s driving plenty of migration. We even have an immigration system that’s massively backlogged and can’t decide shortly who qualifies for asylum and who doesn’t. That additionally attracts migration. These are the pull elements.
However we now have very highly effective push elements as properly. Deteriorating political and financial situations in international locations like Venezuela, in international locations in Africa and Asia are driving document numbers of individuals to the U.S. That is really an unprecedented disaster of humanitarian proportions alongside the border. Now we have by no means seen this earlier than.
1 / 4-of-a-million migrants are being processed every month on the U.S.- Mexico border.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That is breathtaking. And it is a hemisphere-wide disaster.
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: That is proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The president despatched the homeland safety secretary and secretary of state to Mexico to press Mexico’s president to assist police that border.
What did they obtain?
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: Effectively, I used to be advised that U.S. officers requested Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to extend enforcement inside the inside of Mexico to stem the circulation of migration additional south on the Guatemala-Mexico border and successfully divert migrants away from Northern Mexico and alongside the U.S. border.
And it actually does illustrate the outsized position that Mexico performs in how we take care of this extremely complicated and vexing drawback. We’re counting on Mexico, Margaret, to do a lot of this border enforcement and immigration coverage, as a result of they are surely the important thing participant on this debate. They’ve to simply accept the returns of non-Mexicans, and that may be a huge diplomatic activity for the Biden administration.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we all know that a few of these ports have really been shut down…
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: Sure, for business…
MARGARET BRENNAN: For business…
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: … and car site visitors, which is a big financial…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Has an financial – sure.
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: … sure, consequence for Mexico and the U.S., appropriate.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, precisely.
That is simply past humanitarian disaster. We’re at so many ranges of complexity now.
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Texas’ governor has signed into legislation that hasn’t but taken impact, however it could in March…
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: That is proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: … the flexibility for his state legislation enforcement to cease migrants and arrest them.
Texas has vowed that they’ll combat this all the best way to the Supreme Courtroom. However the Biden administration goes to take them on.
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: This can be one of the vital vital authorized clashes on immigration in 2024. The Justice Division has already advised Texas that this legislation will undermine relations with Mexico and stop federal officers from imposing federal immigration legal guidelines, together with U.S. asylum legislation, which permits migrants on U.S. oil to request asylum, even, Margaret, in the event that they enter the nation illegally.
This legislation not solely permits Texas to prosecute and jail migrants on actions which might be already authorized on federal grounds, on federal statutes, however it additionally permits state judges to challenge what are successfully deportation orders, although Mexico has stated that it’s going to reject returns of migrants from the state of Texas.
The Justice Division has given Texas till Wednesday to say that it’s going to abandon plans to implement this legislation as deliberate in March, however that may be very unlikely to occur. Texas, I feel, will attempt to implement this legislation, so we should always count on a protracted authorized battle, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And potential growth as quickly as this Wednesday.
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: That is proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, that brings us again to what’s occurring right here in Washington, or what’s not occurring, frankly…
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: Proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: … with lawmakers speaking about making an attempt to place collectively some piece of laws…
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: … to alter immigration legal guidelines, which have not actually been up to date in many years.
(CROSSTALK)
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: For the reason that Nineteen Nineties.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper, and to place within the funding that President Biden has requested them for.
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: That is proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The place are we in these negotiations?
CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ: Effectively, the White Home, importantly, is at the moment entertaining some sweeping border restrictions, together with an authority to expel migrants when Border Patrol is overwhelmed and to droop asylum legislation, similar to the Title 42 pandemic period coverage that ended earlier this 12 months, to persuade Republicans to get on board when it comes to backing further assist to Ukraine.
That might have been unthinkable simply three years in the past, and it speaks to the scenario we’re in on the U.S.-Mexico border. I feel that these talks will intensify in January. They might very properly collapse as a result of we’re dealing, in spite of everything, with immigration. And, as you realize, Congress has been desperately gridlocked on this challenge for many years, however I feel there are two various factors right here at play that would make this a distinct state of affairs.
The White Home actually needs assist to Ukraine, and it’s below great political stress to do one thing new on the U.S.-Mexico border.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Camilo, we are going to proceed to observe your reporting.
And we will flip now to a type of negotiators concerned within the talks. That’s Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who’s with us from Seneca, South Carolina.
Senator, welcome again to this system.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-South Carolina): Thanks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You simply heard laying out for you all of the unimaginable issues that are actually being thought-about on this proposed deal, that they appear important.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you suppose that you simply and the Republicans concerned on this negotiation can get the social gathering to signal on?
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Effectively, I hope so.
We have to do it, not just for Ukraine, however for our personal nationwide safety.
I have a look at the border drawback as a nationwide safety nightmare for America. The threats to America are at all-time excessive from jihadist teams. Now we have a damaged border, 300,000 folks in December alone, up about 400 % from 2020.
Here is the important thing, I feel. We’re asking the administration to make use of Title 42- sort authority to inform folks we’re full. It takes 4 years to get your asylum declare heard. Now we have 1.7 million people who find themselves able to be deported, however they simply will not deport them. We have to ship some folks in another country to cease the influx.
However Title 42 authority within the fingers of any administration prepared to make use of it could cease this. Once you come to our border, we are saying, I am sorry, we’re full.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, at what quantity would you institute this? And simply to be clear, this is able to permit for the expulsion of migrants with no assure of an asylum listening to.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: At zero.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I am sorry?
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: OK. Here is what – sure.
So, OK, we turned folks again due to COVID. Now we have a pandemic within the nation. Our system is damaged. You are going to have mayors speaking about extra money to assist relocate migrants.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: We’re not going to have a remain-in-Texas coverage.
I do not know if Abbott will win in court docket having a state legislation to take care of this. I do not know if he’ll or not, however he is a determined man making an attempt to guard his state.
So, to the mayors, name up the White Home and say, work with Republicans to alter asylum, change parole, however implement a Title 42 authority that may cease the influx.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, OK.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: We’re full. Do not come.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We are going to discuss to the mayors about that. They’re really asking the Biden administration for assist.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Sure. Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However are you suggesting right here that there is not but settlement on expulsion authority in your group of negotiators?
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: There’s – there’s – I’m telling you proper now, expedited elimination is on the desk. They need extra exceptions to make the rule nearly meaningless. We’re having to drag tooth to alter coverage.
This isn’t irregular migration. That is a bunch of B.S. This can be a predictable consequence of unhealthy coverage decisions made proper after Biden turned president. All of us stated, should you eliminate remain-in-Mexico, you are going to have a run on the border. Dangerous decisions led to this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, you realize the Supreme Courtroom obtained concerned in that. And that is difficult with the Mexican authorities too.
However, up to now…
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: No, it isn’t difficult.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, up to now…
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: No, it isn’t difficult.
MARGARET BRENNAN: … you’ve recommended in interviews that parole was a sticking level, particularly, that a part of the coverage.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: It nonetheless is. It nonetheless is.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is it the deal-breaker for you? What do you need to change?
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Effectively, below our legislation, you are presupposed to parole folks on a person foundation. They’re utilizing humanitarian parole, an idea not even in legislation, to parole folks at 145,000 a clip.
I need to return to the unique intent of the legislation. I do not need to do something dramatic. I simply need to implement the legislation. The asylum legal guidelines are being abused. Let’s change them. Title 42 authority must be reapplied right here on the idea that America is full.
If it’s important to wait 4 years for an asylum listening to, let’s decelerate the asylum system; 1.7 million…
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: … individuals are able to be deported. Let’s deport them earlier than we let new folks in.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you stated you aren’t asking for what the Home was demanding, this invoice generally known as H.R.2.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Proper, H.R.2, proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Precisely.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Have you ever been speaking in any respect to Speaker Johnson about what he can be prepared to placed on the ground?
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What’s he prepared to do?
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Right here – sure.
We’d like coverage adjustments that deal with the pull elements. There’s nothing irregular happening on the earth. This was created by coverage decisions that created new pull elements. So, asylum reform, limitations on parole, reinvoking Title 42, I feel, can be sufficient to get it by means of the Home.
The coverage adjustments need to be actual. Now we have to begin deporting folks to decelerate the influx. In case you see folks leaving the nation, individuals are much less more likely to present up on the border. So I am urging the Biden administration – when Trump will get to be president, if he does…
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: … should you’re right here illegally, you are going to be deported. There’s going to be mass deportation below Donald Trump of individuals right here in violation of the legislation who’ve obtained a last order of deportation. They will be going.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, a few of these have restarted when it comes to Venezuela. As you realize, there are plenty of complicating diplomatic elements right here with a few of the international locations you are speaking about.
However I need to be certain I ask you concerning the connection right here to Ukraine.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Positive.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You may have seen this unimaginable assault…
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Sure. Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: … by Russia on Kyiv, a few of the most vital missile assaults since this battle has begun.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And it occurs days after the US sends the final cargo of assist for 2023.
Do you see a connection? And when will Ukraine assist really have the ability to get by means of the Senate?
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Will probably be a package deal. I need to assist Israel. They’re below siege. And I am not objecting to Secretary Blinken sending them weapons as an emergency declaration. I feel it is sensible.
Ukraine, I need to assist desperately, however we now have obtained to assist ourselves. I can’t come again to South Carolina and discuss giving assist to Ukraine and Israel if the border remains to be damaged. It isn’t damaged. It is in chaos. I can’t let you know the humanitarian issues individuals are struggling as a result of this immigration.
However our nationwide safety may be very a lot in danger.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However – so…
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: So, Ukraine assist needs to be tied to frame.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper, however we’re nonetheless not there on border. So each appear very a lot in danger proper now.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Proper. Sure.
Here is what I’d inform the Biden administration. Settle for the concept that we’re full. Let – give us – take the instruments we’re prepared to provide you to cease the influx. Begin deporting folks right here who must be deported. Then you’ll flip issues round fairly shortly.
To the Biden administration, settle for the instruments that may change issues and can get cash for Ukraine.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to additionally be certain, since you’re on the Judiciary Committee, I ask you about what is going on proper now with this stress for the Supreme Courtroom ultimately doubtlessly to tackle a few of these instances involving the election.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Sure. Positive.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You stated again in 2021, after the Senate impeachment trial, you stated of Donald Trump: ”The president’s conduct is topic to the legislation of the land. In case you imagine he dedicated against the law, he may nonetheless be prosecuted after he is out of workplace.”
Do you stand by that assertion that Mr. Trump might be prosecuted and criminally liable?
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Sure, it depends upon what the conduct is.
Now, should you’re doing all your job as president, and, January the sixth, he was nonetheless president, looking for out if the election was on the up-and-up, I feel his immunity declare, I do not know the way it will bear out, however I feel it is a respectable declare.
However they’re prosecuting him for exercise round January the sixth. He did not break into the Capitol. He gave a fiery speech, however he is not the primary man to ever do this. So, on the finish of the day, I feel this case won’t go to trial earlier than the election. I feel there are extra authorized points round this than you’ll be able to even think about about what – what – what can a president do as president, what are the restrictions of being president?
MARGARET BRENNAN: However, to be clear, you don’t imagine {that a} president must be immune from prosecution if he dedicated a felony?
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Effectively, it depends upon – proper. I imply, no person’s immune from the legislation, however you do have presidential immunity to do your job.
I imply, I’ve immunity to do my job below the Speech and Debate Clause. That is what the authorized challenge is. This went earlier than the nation by means of impeachment. He obtained acquitted. I feel January 6 is baked into the cake. I feel the Jack Smith instances usually are not altering the political consequence in polling.
We are going to see what the court docket does. On the finish of the day, Donald Trump is in a great place to win the Republican main, as a result of Republicans imagine he had a great presidency. And I feel he can win the final election. And all these – like in Maine, knocking him off the poll, the secretary of state in Maine is a fairly radical particular person.
She stated the Electoral Faculty was a product of white supremacy. No, it is a product of negotiation. Civil Conflict was about slavery. The Electoral Faculty was about negotiations between small states and enormous states.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, all it will go to the courts, as you are laying on the market.
(CROSSTALK)
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Proper. It’ll.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We will discuss that forward with David Becker, our election legislation skilled.
Senator Graham, good to have you ever with us.
Face the Nation can be again in a second. Stick with us.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: For extra on how immigration is affecting communities throughout the U.S., we flip now to 2 Democratic mayors, Chicago’s Brandon Johnson and Denver’s Mike Johnston.
Gents, welcome to Face the Nation.
BRANDON JOHNSON (D-Mayor of Chicago, Illinois): Good morning.
MIKE JOHNSTON (D-Mayor of Denver, Colorado): Thanks for having us.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thanks for becoming a member of us.
And, Mr. Mayor of Chicago, I need to put to you a query about what appears to have developed in a single day. There are reviews of a aircraft from Texas touchdown in Chicago carrying extra migrants that arrived round 1:00 a.m. I am questioning if Texas officers gave you any heads-up. Who’s on the aircraft? What occurs subsequent?
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON: Effectively, what we now have is clearly, clearly a global and federal disaster that native governments are being requested to subsidize.
And that is unsustainable. None of our native economies are positioned to have the ability to stick with it such a mission. And what we now have tried to do is to create construction and a few coordination round this humanitarian disaster. And, sadly, the governor of Abbott – the governor of Texas, Governor Abbott, is set to proceed to sow seeds of chaos.
And final evening and a number of other nights earlier than, numerous buses proceed to reach within the metropolis of Chicago and all through the nation with none coordination. And now he is taken on this very harmful activity of inserting people on airplanes and flying them into our varied cities. That is actually a matter of – not simply of our nationwide safety, however it’s the kind of chaos that this governor is dedicated to administering.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor of Denver, to be clear right here, I do know that you’ve checked out New York and Chicago making selections to limit bus arrivals.
Are you making an attempt to take measures in your metropolis to limit them from even arriving within the first place?
MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON: No, all we would like is a system that’s – that’s humanitarian for each the brand new of us which might be arriving and for our cities and our metropolis workers.
And so we perceive there can be an influx. Now we have already had 35,000 migrants arrive to Denver. Now we have efficiently helped them combine into the nation right here. What we do not need is folks arriving at 2:00 within the morning at a metropolis and county constructing with girls and youngsters outdoors in 10-degree climate and no assist.
And so we would like buses right here to do regardless of the bus does, which is land at a bus station and a bus cease and hours once we can have employees there to obtain them and to direct them towards providers. And so we perceive the circulation is coming. We simply need it to be coordinated, and in a humanitarian method, which we expect makes it efficient for town and for these newcomers.
So meaning issues like arriving 8:00 to five:00 Monday to Friday with discover.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.
And I perceive that you have not been capable of get the state of Texas to cease sending folks. However relating to your social gathering’s management, as Senator Graham stated, you’ve requested the White Home for extra assist. Did they reply to your public name?
MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON: Sure, we have talked to the White Home. We have talked to management there. we expect they agree on the core wants that we see.
I imply, we expect it is a solvable drawback. There are key priorities we’d like. We’d like federal {dollars} to assist assist our work right here within the cities. We additionally want federal {dollars} for extra assist on the border, the flexibility to adjudicate asylum claims extra shortly, to allow them to be executed in 90 days, and never in 4 to 6 years.
That makes a large distinction. If we now have the assets for cities to assist us, if we now have – when folks arrive, we even have work authorization after they get to a spot like Denver, so we will put them to work, which is what they need, and we now have a coordinated entry plan, the place it isn’t simply the governor of Texas deciding what cities to ship folks to, however it’s really the best way we have welcomed asylees on this nation for years.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.
MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON: After we had asylees from Afghanistan or Ukraine, we had federal assist, we had coordinated entry, we had work authorization.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON: And people efforts labored fairly easily. America is aware of how to do that. We predict we will do it right here.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper. These are completely different packages for these refugees. However I hear your level on the work authorization.
Mayor Johnson of Chicago, did the White Home provide you with what you want in your public name this week?
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON: Effectively, look, I feel there is not any secret right here that we’d like complete – complete immigration – immigration reform.
This complete immigration reform will surely remodel this case. In actual fact, it solves this – this disaster. What we now have stated repeatedly is that we’d like Congress to behave to supply the assets which might be wanted with a view to – to hold out this mission.
However what we will not have is a governor within the state of Texas performing the best way he’s performing. And, fairly frankly, the rogue buses which might be being dropped off throughout this nation in the course of the evening, leaving folks with – with no actual assist in any respect, no coordination with the native municipalities, that sort of chaos is – it is actually dividing our nation.
And we’d like higher coordination between all ranges of presidency to have the ability to reply to this mission.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Once you attain out to the governor – I am – I am assuming you’ve – do you get any response?
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON: Effectively, we despatched a complete delegation to the border to see firsthand what’s occurring on the border. I’ve really spoken with leaders of the Mexican authorities.
They’re having the identical challenges that we’re having right here in America. And so there needs to be an actual coordinated effort to have the ability to reply to this disaster. Once more, placing folks on airplanes, and dropping them off within the metropolis of Chicago and Denver, New York, with none coordination, with no manifest, I do not know what number of federal legal guidelines or aviation legal guidelines he might be violating.
However any such chaos isn’t what’s wanted on this second. We’d like a coordinated effort between all ranges of presidency to make sure that this humanitarian mission that is a global disaster is met with the kind of civility and sanctity that is required.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood.
I imply, I checked the climate and each of your cities. It is 32 levels in Chicago. It is 25 levels in Denver. I am guessing somebody strolling throughout from Mexico is not outfitted for that form of frigid arrival.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON: Sure. That is completely proper.
(CROSSTALK)
MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON: We are saying that daily. Now we have of us arrive in T- shirts and sandals.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
It is – I need to discuss this extra, however I’ve to take a business break. So, should you would each stick with us. As we do this, I can be proper again with you and be again with you all in a second.
So, stick with us.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Tune in to Face the Nation subsequent Sunday for an interview with Home Speaker Mike Johnson. We are going to journey to the border to talk with him, getting his ideas on immigration reform and the remainder of the agenda in Washington, as Congress begins a brand new 12 months.
We can be again in a second.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we can be proper again with the mayors of Denver and Chicago, in addition to our election legislation skilled, David Becker.
Again in a second.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome again to FACE THE NATION.
We choose up the place we left off with Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Gents, I do need to choose again up on one of many factors you raised.
Mr. Johnston of Denver, the White Home says it takes 30 days to course of work permits and short-term protected standing for – for a few of these migrants. You are saying you want folks to reach able to work. What occurs in that 30-day interval? Why is that not quick sufficient?
MIKE JOHNSTON (Mayor of Denver): Sure, we have been grateful for the federal government’s motion, together with the secretary’s motion, to supply short-term protecting standing for Venezuelans who arrived earlier than July thirty first. We advocated for that. They made that change. That was an enormous assist.
The problem now’s Venezuelans who’ve arrived within the final a number of months usually are not eligible for that short-term protecting standing. They usually haven’t got a path to work authorization they usually could have an asylum declare that’s three or 4 or 5 years within the ready till the declare is heard. And so the problem on our metropolis streets, we now have of us which might be right here who at any time when I discuss to migrants, I used to be with them yesterday, they will simply say, I solely need one factor, which is the flexibility to work. And we now have employers calling me daily saying, hey, mayor, I’ve open jobs, can I please rent these of us. However we now have of us that proper now are at the moment with no path to work authorization. We might like to see that path to work authorization develop for more moderen arrivals the identical method the secretary of well being did be potential for individuals who arrived earlier than July thirty first.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And that was executed by means of – by means of federal authority by means of the administration. However altering the legislation would require Congress to – to change a few of these packages. I believed it was fascinating, Mayor Johnson of Chicago, you additionally made the purpose that when it got here to Afghanistan and Ukrainians, they arrived with no drawback in your metropolis and that you simply wish to replicate that program for everybody.
BRANDON JOHNSON (Mayor of Chicago): That is precisely proper. There are 30,000 Ukrainian refugees which might be within the metropolis of Chicago proper now. The distinction is, after all they have been totally supported by the federal authorities they usually have been capable of acclimate themselves and combine into our economic system. Now we have numerous asylum seekers from Central and South America and the continent of Africa, and the query is, why are we not offering that very same assist and remedy right here?
Look, the underside line is that this, we’d like Congress to behave. And we’d like them to do it expeditiously. However we can’t have the kind of chaos that continues to return from the state of Texas. And, clearly, the governor of Texas, Governor Abbott, is actually afraid and mad, however he cannot minimize his personal nostril off, proper? And so what we’re merely saying, and what I’ve executed over a month in the past, we supplied an ordinance that may finally present some construction and a few coordination round when busses ought to arrive. Shouldn’t be dropping folks off in the course of the evening in the course of nowhere with out the kind of assist that is wanted.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
In a short time, earlier than I allow you to go, I learn, Mayor Johnson of Chicago, lower than two weeks in the past a five-year-old boy died after falling sick at a migrant shelter in your metropolis. What state are folks exhibiting up in, and what’s the well being danger right here, if any?
BRANDON JOHNSON: Effectively, our condolences are nonetheless with the household and we proceed to wish for the – the – the household who misplaced their – their baby. I am a father of three. That is simply an unimaginable ache.
However what may be very clear is that not solely are we offering psychological well being associated providers, in addition to vaccinations and well being screenings, and offering medical well being look after these households after they arrive the second they get off these busses, we’re not seeing that very same remedy on the border. In different phrases, there is not any well being screenings, no vaccinations. That course of on the border is completely raggedy and reckless, however we can’t have a governor who decides that he’ll cling to the vestiges of Jefferson Davis once we must be pulling to the hopes and aspirations that have been left by Frederick Douglas. Now we have to have a coordinated response to this humanitarian disaster. We can’t permit chaos to dictate and to divide this nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, we are going to wait to listen to from Governor Abbott’s workplace in response to that.
Mr. Mayors, thanks each for becoming a member of us.
We’ll be proper again.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: We flip now to the 2024 election. The Supreme Courtroom is below rising stress to shortly resolve the query of whether or not former President Trump is eligible to function president after two states, Colorado and Maine, have moved to strike him from the Republican main poll for allegedly supporting an rebel.
For extra we flip to CBS Information election legislation contributor David Becker, the founding father of the Heart for Election Innovation and Analysis.
David, it is all the time good to have you ever right here to chop by means of the politics on this.
Each of Maine’s senators, an unbiased and Republican, stated they disagreed with this, although they each personally voted to convict Trump within the Senate trial that concerned (ph) the allegation that he helped to hold out an rebel. Do you suppose that this determination to attempt to take away him from the first poll in Maine will rise up in court docket?
DAVID BECKER: Effectively, it is a – it is a huge query. The Supreme Courtroom has by no means resolved this challenge, particularly with regard to a president, about what partaking in rebel means below the 14th Modification to the Structure.
Now, after all, as you simply talked about, each senators from Maine and a majority of the U.S. Senate, together with seven Republican senators, voted to disqualify Donald Trump from the presidency in February of 2021, as did a majority of the US Home, together with 10 Republican members of the Home. So, it is clear that that is an open query. There’s legitimacy to the query. And it needs to be resolved by the US Supreme Courtroom. They’re the ultimate arbiter of what the US Structure means. And this 14th Modification nonetheless exists – it is likely to be inconvenient, however it exists, and it has to have that means. It would not say convicted of rebel, it says engaged in rebel. And we have seen it utilized in different workplaces, as in New Mexico simply final 12 months, to somebody who was not convicted of rebel, somebody who was convicted of prison trespass in opposition to the Capitol on January sixth.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Fascinating, as a result of the particular counsel, Jack Smith, has not invoked rebel in his federal case in opposition to the previous president.
When it comes to what occurred in Colorado, which was the primary state to attempt to do that, to take away Trump from the primarily poll, he – in Maine Chris Christie’s not on the first poll. In New Hampshire, Joe Biden isn’t on the first poll. So, does any of this actually matter I suppose is the query?
DAVID BECKER: Effectively, I feel it’d matter. And definitely we’d like this resolved as a result of Donald Trump could very properly find yourself being the nominee. And it is vital to resolve this as shortly as we will and on the deserves in order that the Republican Social gathering is aware of if it has a professional nominee in order that election officers can print their ballots, which needs to be executed properly prematurely, so the voters know what the alternatives are.
However as you level out, it isn’t anti-democratic per se to disqualify somebody from the poll. There are – everybody below 35 is disqualified from being the president of the US. Anybody who’s not a pure born citizen, for example, Governor Schwarzenegger, former Governor Schwarzenegger of California isn’t eligible to be president. Barack Obama and George W. Bush aren’t eligible to be president as a result of they’ve served two full phrases. So, that is working by means of the method. That is the start of that course of. And, fortuitously, whether or not you agree with it or not, this course of is shifting shortly. And the Supreme Courtroom now has it, at the very least in reference to the Colorado case. And hopefully they will acknowledge, and I feel they’ll acknowledge, the significance of them ruling clearly and shortly on this challenge.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, Republican Consultant Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who endorsed Governor DeSantis, was on the market yesterday on the marketing campaign path, and he stated, ”Congress is the last word arbiter of whether or not we acknowledge electors from the states or not.” He stated, ”I might be inclined to not acknowledge electors from these states as a result of he would not like what they’re making an attempt to do right here.
Can they? Can he do this?
DAVID BECKER: Effectively, to begin with, as we noticed in 2021, on January sixth, Congress cannot simply resolve to throw out the outcomes of an election they do not like. Members of Congress aren’t going to love the leads to each single 12 months, however that is not the best way the Structure works. And the Electoral Depend Act, which utilized in 2020 and 2021, was reformed final 12 months.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.
DAVID BECKER: And we now have an Electoral Depend Reform Act. And this strengthens the guardrails. It requires extra members to Congress to object – 20 % of every home of Congress to object with a view to ship it into deliberations. It applies stronger presumptions close to the electoral certificates which might be submitted by the chief, purchase the governors within the states, in the event that they’re executed on time, December eleventh and December seventeenth, because it happens in 2024.
So, I feel it will be very troublesome for Congress to simply dismiss that. Additionally vital to notice, that Congress that will get to resolve that is the subsequent Congress. It is not the Congress that is at the moment sitting, it is the Congress that is elected in November of 2024. So, the majorities would possibly shift. And so assumptions made now may not apply in January 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And if you’re not a U.S. citizen you can not vote, however Donald Trump is saying that that is a part of this migrant disaster, a part of a conspiracy.
DAVID BECKER: Sure. It is true, should you’re not a U.S. citizen, you do not have the suitable to vote.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
DAVID BECKER: The protections in place are stronger than ever earlier than.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
DAVID BECKER: There’s federal legislation that’s utilized for over twenty years that requires each voter to indicate I.D. with a view to register to vote.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
DAVID BECKER: And we have studied this for years, and we all know that fraud may be very, very minimal.
MARGARET BRENNAN: David, thanks.
DAVID BECKER: Thanks, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Again in a second.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Now to the newest within the battle between Israel and Hamas. IDF floor forces are pushing deeper into southern Gaza and battle planes are hanging refugee camps within the heart of the territory.
Ian Lee is in Sderot, close to the Gaza border, with extra.
(BEGIN VT)
IAN LEE (voice over): Avenue by road, home by home, Israeli forces press the offensive deeper into Gaza focusing on Hamas and their huge tunnel community, together with what Israel says is the headquarters of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar. Militants combat again, placing up stiff resistance.
Final evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advised Israelis the battle may final months longer, saying, ”we proceed to combat till the completion of all of the goals of the battle.”
However extra preventing means extra struggling for the folks of Gaza. Almost 2 million Palestinians have fled their houses chilly and hungry. Tents now dominate the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah. CBS Information witnessed 1000’s standing in a meals line, their solely hope for a meal.
Amina al Raffi (ph) fled Gaza Metropolis together with her 4 youngsters. A can of chickpeas is all they need to eat.
”We face chilly, starvation, and thirst. The water is salty. As for hygiene, it is exhausting to maintain clear,” she says.
The U.N. reviews widespread outbreaks of illness, together with respiratory infections and diarrhea.
Whereas within the West Financial institution, violence spiked after Hamas’ October assault. Israeli army has killed greater than 300 folks since then. The U.N. is now warning of the fast deterioration of Palestinian rights within the territory. And in northern Israel, militants launch rockets, mortars and missiles from Syria and Lebanon. Israel responds in power.
MAN: So we have been referred to as on –
IAN LEE (voice over): Captain Aton (ph) of the Northern Parachute Brigade confirmed me their positions. They’re all that stands between Hezbollah and Israeli communities.
IAN LEE: How tense is the scenario right here then?
MAN: It might be fairly intense right here and the taking pictures, the – largely, you realize, rockets, mortars may observe round right here.
IAN LEE (voice over): A stress that threatens to escalate into one other entrance in a area already at battle.
(END VT)
IAN LEE (on digital camera): Few, if any, Margaret, can be celebrating the brand new 12 months right here. Many hope, particularly in battle torn Gaza behind me, that 2024 brings a protracted and lasting peace.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: There was no scarcity of stories on the expertise and enterprise beat this 12 months. For a preview of what’s going to dominate 2024, we flip to our senior enterprise and expertise correspondent Jo Ling Kent.
Jo Ling, good morning
JO LING KENT: Good morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So that you cowl Silicon Valley. There was all this discuss right here in Washington about making an attempt to control synthetic intelligence, AI. Is there any momentum right here?
JO LING KENT: You realize, there’s some momentum, however Congress doesn’t have a great monitor document relating to regulating tech or social media. And synthetic intelligence seems to be yet one more troublesome problem for them. You may have the Senate AI Discussion board. It is convened a number of occasions behind closed doorways. And it options highly effective CEOs. You’ve got obtained Sam Altman of OpenAI, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and, after all, Elon Musk, however no concrete progress has been made on the a part of lawmakers.
Now, this comes as the most recent model of ChatGPT 5 is predicted to return out within the coming months and it is anticipated to be a brand new more and more complicated set of capabilities.
Now, all of this occurring because the backdrop of Goldman Sachs predicting that 300 million jobs will disappear or change considerably due to AI. And you’ll count on voters to be asking about that affect within the election 12 months forward, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Completely. And we all know, within the rapid time period, the Biden administration has been involved about what it will imply for our politics on the marketing campaign path, using deep fakes or deceptive voters. What are the businesses doing to forestall that?
JO LING KENT: You realize, the social media firms are telling me that they are throwing each useful resource that they need to cease misinformation and disinformation. However the actuality is, that it is a sprawling, infinite sport of Whack-a-Mole. That data spreads continuously on-line and it’s persevering with to be very exhausting to cease, particularly with arguments and protections of free speech.
Now Meta, the dad or mum firm of Fb and Instagram, says it removes manipulated media and voter interference misinformation. And the corporate does make the most of fact-checking organizations and past. However the actuality right here is that taking down all of this unhealthy data has all the time been an unattainable activity on platforms of that measurement.
And, after all, we can’t neglect about X, previously Twitter. Elon Musk and his workforce have mainly allowed the return of conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones they usually’ve additionally dramatically diminished the dimensions of their belief and security workforce, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Switching gears to the broader economic system, which I do know you watch as properly. You realize, the Federal Reserve had this end-of-year rosier prediction than many anticipated about what they could do with rates of interest, together with doubtlessly finishing up three cuts. What is going on to find out that for people who find themselves, you realize, considering that issues are too costly proper now when it comes to borrowing cash?
JO LING KENT: Sure, borrowing cash is basically costly proper now. You are completely proper. And so the Fed’s going to be taking a look at three primary issues, the job market, inflation and GDP. That is the dimensions and productiveness of the economic system, proper? And as these primary markers change and report, they will resolve how and when to chop charges.
Now, at this month’s Fed assembly, the nation’s prime central bankers’ forecast that inflation will drop to about 2.4 % in 2024. After which lastly reaching the goal of two % in 2026.
Now, we have additionally been trying on the dot plot, and people are a few of the predictions about what’s coming subsequent 12 months from the December Fed assembly, and we count on to see at the very least three fee cuts subsequent 12 months because the Fed is making an attempt to land this aircraft for that gentle touchdown, mainly eager to deliver down inflation with out triggering a recession.
Now, as for when charges are going to be minimize, Fed Chair Powell stated one thing actually fascinating in December. And I need to share this quote with you. He stated, we’re conscious of the dangers that we might dangle on too lengthy earlier than decreasing charges. And there’s a danger that that poses to the economic system.
However, meantime, we have been protecting the vibe session right here, proper? There’s an actual disconnect between encouraging financial information on jobs and inflation and spending versus the fact of how folks really feel about their private funds relating to your rents, your gasoline, and the rising value of insurance coverage. So, it is a vibe session that went on all through 2023, more likely to proceed properly into the presidential marketing campaign even.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Jo Ling, thanks very a lot for becoming a member of us.
JO LING KENT: Thanks, Margaret. Nice to be with you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Now to the surroundings. During the last a number of days rogue waves, some over 20 ft tall, have been crashing down on the southern California shoreline, inflicting accidents and destroying property. And the area is bracing for extra this morning. A current examine by an oceanographer on the College of California San Diego discovered that local weather change could also be rising the dimensions and frequency of massive waves in oceans.
For extra we go to our senior nationwide and environmental correspondent Ben Tracy with a have a look at what extra to count on within the new 12 months.
Ben, you have defined local weather change isn’t the climate. However these broader local weather adjustments can affect the energy of the issues we expertise within the climate. So, after 2023, which was powerful, what ought to we count on within the new 12 months?
BEN TRACY: Effectively, the local weather scientists I’ve been speaking to say that we should always count on extra extremes in 2024. You consider a few of the issues that we noticed this previous 12 months. Once you discuss these document warmth waves. You have a look at these wildfires in Canada that despatched these plumes of black smoke into U.S. cities. Report rainfall and flooding. They are saying these are issues we’re going to see extra of. These usually are not one-off occasions which might be occurring.
And, in truth, while you discuss concerning the document warmth of 2023, the most well liked 12 months on document, 2024 anticipated to be even hotter than that. And the explanation for that’s scientists say we now have this double whammy coming of long-term world warning, which is form of making the baseline temperature hotter, however that’s now coupled with a really robust El Nino. That is the warming of the tropical Pacific waters, and that tends to spike temperatures across the planets.
And all of that is going to proceed to occur so long as we proceed burning fossil gasoline.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, what can Individuals do to guard themselves and their property?
BEN TRACY: We will have to begin considering rather a lot concerning the well being impacts of local weather change. You realize, the wildfire smoke, for example. Individuals are going to have to essentially begin occupied with, when do you put on a masks outdoors when you’ve got wildfire smoke drifting into the neighborhood that you simply stay in, or when do you put money into an air air purifier as a result of that is one thing individuals are not coping with for sooner or later out of the summer time, they’re coping with it for weeks and months at a time.
Long run, we will have to consider the place we’re dwelling. We did a narrative this 12 months about how insurance coverage firms are pulling out of main coastal areas, main markets the place flooding or hurricanes or wildfires have gotten huge points. So, that is impacting the charges folks pay for insurance coverage and a few locations they can not even get insurance coverage anymore as a result of the businesses have stated, this simply is not price it to us as a result of there’s going to be a lot long-term harm.
MARGARET BRENNAN: One of many issues that we have seen the Biden administration emphasize is that they need to transition away from combustion engines to those electrical autos. And it is also an enormous problem for the auto business to make this shift. We noticed all that play out with the autoworkers strike this previous 12 months and the businesses saying they’re dropping cash on these autos. So, are Individuals really shopping for electrical autos within the numbers wanted?
BEN TRACY: For this 12 months there’s going to be a document variety of EV gross sales on this nation. It may prime 1 million for the very first time. They now make up about 8 % of latest automotive gross sales in the US. So, EV adoption is definitely rising 12 months over 12 months, and it has for the final couple of years, however it’s not rising as quick as they as soon as thought. And a few of the cause for that’s as a result of these automobiles are nonetheless very costly while you examine them to inside combustion engine autos and folks do have actual considerations, not solely concerning the vary when it comes to how far their automotive can go, however after they do have to cost, are they going to have the ability to get one on the facet of the street. And that has been one of many main impediments to folks adopting these automobiles. And also you’re now seeing the automakers, which had these grand plans for rolling out all these new fashions, they’re beginning to gradual roll that and saying, you realize, we’re not going to place these available on the market fairly as quick as we thought and never within the quantity that we thought.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What is the holdup with getting the chargers rolled out?
BEN TRACY: So, that is among the huge issues. There’s $7.5 billion from the infrastructure legislation that was handed greater than two years in the past to create a charging community throughout the nation. And simply this month, you realize, nearly two and a half years later, they lastly put in the primary charging station with that cash. It really is – it is in place in Ohio at a truck cease. I am advised there is a Waffle Home proper down the road. So, should you’re charging up, you can too get a little bit breakfast. However it’s form of unhappy that that is the primary one and it is taken this lengthy.
And a part of that’s, you realize, what you would possibly count on, plenty of authorities paperwork, paperwork. States need to administer these packages and get these chargers set. The objective is to have a charger mainly each 50 miles on main interstates on this nation, and that can be occurring over the course of the subsequent couple of years.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And earlier than I allow you to go, that is going to be an election challenge as properly. What are you watching in 2024?
BEN TRACY: Effectively, it is going to be actually fascinating. I imply this race for the White Home, should you care about local weather points goes to be a vital one. You may have the Biden administration, which has handed all these local weather initiatives, however then you definately even have former President Trump, who has campaigned on the thought of drilling extra on federal land. He says drill, drill, drill. He has referred to as the transition to electrical autos the transition to hell. So, he has very robust opinions about this stuff. And also you additionally produce other Republican candidates who’re campaigning on repealing a few of the Biden administration’s, you realize, landmark local weather laws. So, relying on how this election seems, you could possibly see some actual adjustments within the local weather house.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ben Tracy, thanks very a lot.
BEN TRACY: Margaret, thanks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That is it for us. Completely satisfied New 12 months. Thanks for watching.
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