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WH Pressure ICE to Pick Up Pace of Migrant Arrests; Panama President and Trump Set to Speak; Trump Continues Threats to Seize Panama Canal; Netanyahu Speaks with Mike Johnson. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired February 07, 2025 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: New CNN reporting this morning, the White House is now pressuring ICE to pick up the pace of migrant arrests. More than 8,000 people have been taken into custody in the roughly three weeks since President Trump's inauguration. But an administration official says that ICE is, quote, "way behind."

CNN's Phil Mattingly and Priscilla Alvarez joins us now. So, a lot to sort through, including this call Trump made today with the president of Panama following his threats over the Panama Canal. Phil, you recently traveled there. We're going to get to that moment. Here's some of that video from when you traveled there.

But Priscilla, I want to go to you first. What more are you learning about these conversations going on in the administration about --

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, the state of play here is that right now they're arresting over 900 people, including 1,000 a day. That is above where the Biden administration was in the last year, which is around 300. So, clearly, they have ramped up their interior arrests.

But I am being told that there are daily phone calls with White House officials, including, for example, Stephen Miller, Tom Homan and Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, where they have become quite tense because they are asking for more.

I have been told that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is essentially getting a lot of incoming from these senior officials, telling them that they need to up the ante. Here's the problem though. We don't have a clear number from any senior official in terms of how many arrests they want to meet this year. They often hinge in on the resources at hand, and that is what I'm also hearing from sources.

ICE has limited resources. Yes, they've been able to pull in all parts of federal government to help with the arrests in the interior of the United States, but it is still not enough. And often when you hear from Tom Homan is that he needs more from Congress.

So, there's two things happening at once. You have the White House putting out the images of the arrests and touting, the -- a work that's been done by ICE, well, behind the scenes, there are these tense phone calls that are happening on a daily basis where they're being told, do more, do more.

So, that is one part of the equation. What I'm also being told is that while they're doing all of this, they're pushing more on their -- on the immigration agenda, contemplating new moves. For example, we saw with El Salvador, they're willing to take migrants from other countries. Well, I'm being told that another plan is being conceptualized to do the same with African nationals, though where they would go is still unclear.

They are also thinking about putting buoys in the Rio Grande. Remember, there was a lawsuit between the Biden administration and Texas over that exact issue. They're also looking at more military bases to expand detention space. So, if you take this all together, they're trying to move their agenda forward, but they are hitting those realities on the ground. That's really what it boils down to, ambition meeting reality.

BROWN: There you go. All right. Let's turn to Panama Canal. You visited there recently. We know Trump has this call with the president of Panama today as he is threatening to take back the Panama Canal and as he is claiming without evidence that China operates the Canal. You went there. Tell us about the tense sort of diplomacy at play here.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: This actually threads really well into what Priscilla is laying out in the contrast of the intensity and pressure behind the domestic immigration efforts that we've seen in deportation efforts. And Panama's government officials just absolute confusion/puzzlement at this moment in time, even after Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a visit to Panama to the canal, had a one-on-one meeting with President Jose Raul Mulino.

The reason why is this. Mulino is pro-American, conservative politician, pro-American, at least compared to two administrations ago, which move very sharply toward China in terms of its relationships, in terms of its financing, in terms of its diplomatic role. And Mulino, right out of the gate, when he was inaugurated, the first thing he did with the Biden administration was sign off on an immigration crackdown assisting at the Darien Gap, which is a huge passageway for migrants.

He made very clear before Trump took office, I am here to help you with one of your central problems, immigration coming through the Darien Gap. He thought, and I think his team thought, that would be the way to reach out. The Panama Canal becoming an issue shocked them when I was down there. The biggest question was, we don't know what they want. Like this feels like a negotiating tactic. They want something. What is it that they want?

It has not gotten any clearer even in the wake of Rubio going down there. And it actually got a little bit more complicated because after Rubio departed, the State Department announced that Panama had agreed to end charges of U.S. naval vessels that transit through the Canal. U.S. naval vessels get priority, but they pay the same rates as everybody else. What's fascinating about this, that's not Mulino's choice. There is a kind of a quasi-private entity that runs the Canal, that sets the rates, that goes through a very similar regulatory process that we have in the U.S. It's public, it takes time, there's comments, periods. So, they couldn't actually do this, even if they wanted to.

My sense is -- and what I'm hearing, is there were discussions about going through that process, perhaps to give something on this. State Department front ran it, caused a whole lot of problems. Where this call goes today, I think the biggest thing you hear from Panamanian officials, what do they actually want? Because we're trying to make it work.

BROWN: Interesting. And it was interesting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had to walk back the comments about the U.S. --

MATTINGLY: Whoops.

BROWN: Yes.

MATTINGLY: Yes.

BROWN: -- U.S. fees. Exactly. All right. So, we also have a visit today from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She's going to visit Guantanamo Bay. As we know, the Trump administration has been housing migrants there. Tell us about this visit.

ALVAREZ: Yes, there's a second -- she is coming on the heels of a second military flight that arrived overnight. Again, the Venezuelan nationals, they say that they have criminal convictions, including drug trafficking, arms trafficking, et cetera. So, that -- this is all part of a cadence that they are trying to build, of military flights going to Guantanamo Bay with migrants as they are building up their facility.

Now, to remind viewers, there is a migrant operations center that already exists there.

BROWN: I have to interrupt you. I'm sorry because speaker Mike Johnson is speaking with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel. Let's listen.

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: -- celebrate the remarkable progress over the past year and to renew, of course, our steadfast commitment to the U.S.-Israeli partnership.

The prime minister and I have developed a strong bond since I became speaker. I consider him a close friend. We've spoken often. The first piece of legislation I passed after taking the gavel was a resolution of reaffirming the U.S.'s commitment to the security of Israel. That was a very important gesture on our part. And of course, I was happy to pass the security assistance funding when Israel needed it the most.

He and I speak regularly. We were honored, chose my friend, the prime minister, in July for his historic fourth joint address to Congress, which tied for the record of all time. And that showed that the world of Israel is not alone, and they won't be, so long as we are governing here.

Today, we discuss the special partnership that we have between these two countries. And I thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for his unrelenting commitment to making the region and the world a safer place amid really extraordinary challenges.

What Israel has done in the past seven months really is a testament to what can be accomplished when we do not let the enemy set the rules. As Prime Minister Netanyahu said Tuesday at the White House, when our enemies see daylight between Israel and the United States, they will exploit it. And we all know that is true. And that's why strong, decisive leadership is so crucial in this time.

President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu both understand that peace is secured through strength, not appeasement, and not by turning our backs on our allies. Before he even took office in January, President Trump and his team helped secure the ceasefire agreement and return -- the return of American and Israeli hostages.

This week, he announced a plan to exert maximum pressure on Iran and its proxies who terrorize the Israeli people and the world. This is what decisive leadership looks like. And with President Trump back in the White House and Republican control of Congress, America will not turn its back on our national security priorities.

[10:40:00]

Our support for Israel remains ironclad. We are truly grateful to Prime Minister Netanyahu for joining us today. And I'll turn it over to him for a few remarks.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Mr. Speaker, Mike, thank you. I have developed, as you say, a very warm personal bond with you. I think you're an extraordinary leader. You have the job of running -- passing historic legislation in zero time. So, we exchanged a few tips on how to do that, because we both know what coalitions are. But I have to say that I'm impressed with your leadership, with your initiative. And for me, most of all, your friendship to the State of Israel, the Jewish people, the Jewish State.

The American-Israeli alliance has never been stronger. I'm now completing a week in which began with an extraordinary meeting with President Trump. And under his leadership, the critical decisions that show his commitment and the American people's commitment to Israel have come to the fore instantly.

First, he renewed immediately the supply of weapons that had been stopped, which we need as we're fighting for our future, for our existence, and for the broader Middle East in a seven-front war. He immediately released those weapons. He issued yesterday these sanctions on this scandalous and corrupt organization, the ICC, that threatens the right of all democracies to defend themselves, by themselves, and he's done so many things in the interim, just in two weeks. But I was deeply moved by the reception that we got, the substantive things that we discussed, making sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. And also, making sure that Hamas is destroyed. We're not going to have a future for Gaza or for a future for peace in our part of the world if Hamas remains there.

We agreed on many things. But I think it sets the tone for this great strengthening of the American Israeli alliance. It's not only an alliance between governments, it's an alliance between peoples. This is the house of the people. And you, Mr. Speaker, represent the American people that overwhelmingly support the State of Israel.

You know, I was driving through Washington, I look outside, there are people on the sidewalks. They see, you know, our -- the limousines pass and they all go like this. They all go like this. They all support. And I think, Mr. Speaker, that's the spirit that animates you and so many of your colleagues here. And I want to thank you again.

And I want to say, we invited you to Israel. This year in Jerusalem. I know you're busy. But find space to do that.

JOHNSON: I can't wait.

NETANYAHU: You'll be welcome in the red carpet.

JOHNSON: Thank you so much.

NETANYAHU: Thank you. Thank you.

BROWN: -- and Speaker Johnson, they didn't take any questions from reporters there. I want to go to Kevin Liptak from the White House. Obviously, this follows the meeting with President Trump when Trump announced that shocking proposal about the U.S. taking over Gaza, Kevin.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, and you didn't hear mention of that proposal in that appearance with Netanyahu and the house speaker, Mike Johnson. And I'll just note, Johnson was supposed to meet with Netanyahu yesterday. That was delayed because of that marathon four-hour meeting here at the White House.

But it is interesting that they didn't mention that because that, of course, was sort of the major takeaway of Netanyahu's entire weeklong visit here in Washington. He was at the White House on Tuesday. He's still here now on Friday. And I think it's clear that's plan that the Trump -- that president unveiled on Tuesday came as a surprise to a lot of people, including on Capitol Hill, including a great many Republicans who met it with a degree of skepticism.

Johnson did come out afterwards, said it was a bold, decisive plan. And I think the real sort of hope among Republicans as they were talking about it was that it would prompt other countries in the region to come up with their own ideas for how to rebuild Gaza, but I do think it's notable he didn't mention it there.

Now, in their meeting today, I think one thing that they'll want to talk about is these new weapons sales to Israel. You'll remember under the Biden administration, some of those weapon sales had been put on pause, including shipments of 2,000-pound bombs. The Biden administration concerned about how those would be used in heavily populated areas of Gaza. Now, the Trump administration wants Congress to approve a billion-dollar new arms sales shipment that would include artillery and weapons. And that's something that I think Netanyahu wants to sort of secure before he departs Washington and heads back to Israel.

[10:45:00]

BROWN: All right. I'm going to go to Lauren Fox on Capitol Hill. Thanks for that, Kevin. So, Lauren, as Kevin noted, you know, they didn't bring up publicly this proposal from Trump for the U.S. to take over Gaza, but do you expect that to be part of the meetings today?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think that that has been a part of a series of questions that Republican lawmakers have had on Capitol Hill. Now, what we have heard from Speaker Johnson previously is an openness to the idea that Donald Trump floated. That's very different than what we've heard from some Republican senators who, earlier this week, did ask a series of questions in a private meeting with Steve Witkoff when he came to the Hill about what exactly could happen in Gaza, whether or not U.S. troops would be committed to the area, whether or not Palestinians would be displaced.

I think that the relationship, though, between Speaker Johnson and Netanyahu is one that has been forged over a period of time, despite the fact that Johnson is relatively new to the speakership, he has felt and created this really warm relationship with Netanyahu, and you really did hear that in the comments. This was, you know, Netanyahu being very complimentary of the speaker. And in fact, at the very end there, inviting him to Israel.

I think that part of the contrast that we had seen over the course of the last several years has been really some broader concern between the Netanyahu administration and the Biden administration in terms of them not always seeing eye to eye.

Obviously, Washington looks really different now. And I think that that relationship between Johnson and Netanyahu is really one to keep a close eye on, given the fact that Congress has so much stake in the ability to get additional aid to Israel. And we've seen that over and over again, Johnson being very committed to that priority.

BROWN: All right. Lauren Fox, Kevin Liptak, thank you both. More news when we come back.

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[10:50:00]

BROWN: Well, this Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. But as the Chiefs and the Eagles prepare for this potentially historic game, off the field, some are trying to make dreams come true for a group of youngsters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

CNN's Coy Wire joins us from New Orleans with more on this. So, tell us about it, Coy.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: We are here. Lots of these dreams come true for these players to make it to this game, but we have some stars in the -- that are making wishes come true. Because of Fanatics, the partner of Make-A-Wish, the sports partner, they are able to grant 19 Make-A-Wish kids their dream come true of going to the Super Bowl. And not only that, there's five days of events, including coming here to Lids to get to spend some money and get some swag with some NFL star and future star.

We have Tristan Wirfs here, all pro lineman, Super Bowl champ of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and future NFL star. You'll see him in the draft in April. Cam Skattebo of Arizona State. I need to know, what was it like for you when you saw these kids and their faces light up?

TRISTAN WIRFS, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS OFFENSIVE TACKLE: Oh, my gosh, it was incredible. We kind of surprised them. We're hiding behind one of the pillars and they brought us out one by one. It was amazing.

WIRE: I mean, it's tough for him to hide, but he did. He pulled it off pretty well and their faces lit up. Cam, how about you? I mean, you're not yet part of the NFL, but you will soon be and you're getting a taste of the importance of maximizing your stage and using it to do good. What did this make you feel like today?

CAM SKATTEBO, ARIZONA STATE RUNNING BACK: Yes. I mean, when I walked in and, you know, I heard a kid yell my name and asked me where I'm going, it was just a blessing because, you know, I feel like I've gotten to that point where, you know, I can make these kids' lives better and, you know, put a smile on their faces. So, it's been awesome and it's a dream come true.

WIRE: It's great. They've been FaceTiming with friends and family. Tristan, I got to ask you, you've played in the big game as a rookie, you won a Super Bowl. What might added pressures these players we'll see on Sunday feel all the hype that comes along with the Super Bowl?

WIRFS: Yes. I mean, so I had the COVID Super Bowl. So, like we didn't have all the media, all the stuff leading up to it. But, you know, the biggest game of your life, you know, biggest thing I'd say is go out and have fun. You know, it's football, you know how to do it. Done it for a long time, you know, the season's long as itself. So, go out and have fun and ball out.

WIRE: What's this New Orleans been treating you like? How do you like it? The food, the flavor, the -- what -- how do you -- how would you paint the picture of what Super Bowl in New Orleans is like?

SKATTEBO: Yes. I mean, just how I -- you know, the last 12 hours of, you know, me being here has been everything I thought about it. You know, the nightlife is live and the -- you know, the morning is dead quiet, you know. So --

WIRE: How many beignets have you had?

SKATTEBO: I haven't had any yet. I just got my first, but I didn't want to dirty myself up. So, yes. But this is a blessing, you know, Fanatics and Lids putting this on with Make-A-Wish partner -- partnering with them and, you know, having us out, it's just a blessing that we can be here and be a part of this and help the kids.

WIRE: It is a blessing, being a blessing to others. All right. Before we go, real quick, who do you think is going to win the big game and why?

WIRFS: Oh, my gosh. I got to go Eagles. I know all the linemen and I got Cooper DeJean, Iowa boys. So, I got to go Eagles.

WIRE: Good answer. How about you, Cam?

SKATTEBO: Yes. I mean, I'm going Eagles too. You know, they got Saquon over there that's balling right now and, you know, I wish the best for him. So, I want him to get him one.

WIRE: OK. The future Saquon Barkley. The all-world offensive lineman. Tristan Wirfs, thank you so much for joining us. Go ahead and make some more kids smile. Yes?

WIRFS: Yes, absolutely.

WIRE: All right. Appreciate you guys. Pamela, as you can see, it's not just about the game, it's about these players who know how to use their platform to spread love and spark joy in the lives of so many others, right here, including these 19 kids from Make-A-Wish who are going to get to go to that game on Sunday.

[10:55:00]

BROWN: That is just so special. Good for them, changing those kids lives, giving them this incredible once in a lifetime experience. Coy Wire, New Orleans. I will say I did disagree with them on who they're rooting for. I got to root for the Chiefs. So, other than that, it was a great segment.

WIRE: You got it.

BROWN: Thanks so much. Coming up, the start of our new series, Your Voice, where we'll talk with a pair of talk show radio hosts from out in the country for what they are hearing from you, the American people. How you feel about what's happening in Washington right now and what issues you care about most.

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