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CNN This Morning

Judge Orders Trump Admin To Stop Immigration Arrests In L.A. Without Probable Cause; Death Toll In Texas Rises To 129, At Least 150 Missing; Trump-Appointed FBI Official May Resign Over Epstein Files Clash. Trump Administration Ramps Up Pressure on Fed Chair Jerome Powell; Trump Threatens 35 Percent Tariffs on Canada; Wildfires Force Evacuations at Grand Canyon, Black Canyon. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired July 12, 2025 - 06:00   ET

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

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[06:00:35]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to CNN This Morning. It's Saturday, July 12th. I'm Victor Blackwell. Here's what's happening today. The Trump administration's immigration crackdown suffered a setback overnight. Federal judge ordering it to stop arresting people without probable cause.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is calling up state emergency resources. Also ahead of more possible flooding in the state today. And after initially saying he wanted fever to go away, President Trump is now shifting his tone on the agency.

And Discord at the DOJ. Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino has told People that he's considering resigning after a heated confrontation with Attorney General Pam Bondi. This is over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein memo.

Plus, dry conditions, extreme heat, the fueling wildfires that have forced evacuations at two national parks. We're tracking the heat risk coming up.

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And more rain for Texas, including a flood threat. We'll have that forecast coming up.

BLACKWELL: New this morning, a major setback for before the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, a federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop detaining people based solely on race, spoken language or occupation.

In a ruling late last night, the judge said that those characteristics do not count for reasonable suspicion. DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin already condemned the ruling, saying that the judge is undermining the will of the American people.

California has become a flashpoint, as you know, for the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration. A warning that this video, it's going to be disturbing to some people. This surfaced Friday of an ICE vehicle driving into and through a

group of protesters in San Francisco. President Trump says that he's had enough of the protesters.

He posted on social media encouraging ICE and DHS to arrest protesters who assault officers using whatever means necessary. Tom Wait with CNN affiliate KCBS and KCL explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM WAIT, KCAL NEWS POLITICAL REPORTER (voice-over): A federal judge says immigration enforcement operations like this one in Montebello last month helped prove the case brought by the ACLU and joined by L.A. that the Trump administration was arresting people solely based on skin color, performing raids without warrants, and denying legal counsel to people they detained.

MOHAMMAD TAJSAR, ACLU ATTORNEY: We provided the plaintiffs in this case, courageous individuals and organizations, provided reams of evidence demonstrating that what the federal government has been doing the last month in Southern California has flagrantly violated the Constitution.

MAYOR KAREN BASS (D) LOS ANGELES: Angelenos today we had an important victory at the court. So now there will be a restraining order. They won't just be able to drive through the streets and snatch people off the streets.

WAIT (voice-over): The judge in the case appointed by President Biden said even though the Trump administration denied the claims of racial profiling and indiscriminate raids, there was a, quote, mountain of evidence proving the claims were true. Not long after the ruling, U.S. attorney Bill Essayli, who overseas Southern California said in a statement, we strongly disagree with the allegations in the lawsuit and maintain that our agents have never detained individuals without proper legal justification.

Our federal agents will continue to enforce the law and abide by the U.S. constitution. We spoke with Essayli before the court issued its ruling.

BILL ESSAYLI, U.S. ATTORNEY: It's based on a totally false narrative and premise. For every person who's apprehended, who's arrested, there is an individualized determination made and there's a standard of reasonable suspicion to believe that they're in the country here unlawfully.

WAIT (voice-over): The judge disagreed. One of the plaintiffs in the case was the man seen here in this video being detained in Montebello last month. Brian Gavidia, a U.S. citizen born and raised in LA. He says he was detained by agents after walking outside his business when heard ICE agents were there. The ACLU says the judge believed the plaintiffs and the evidence presented.

TAJSAR: On the face of that record, she had little choice but to put to say that the federal government has likely been violating the Constitution. And we applaud the decision.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Tom Waite, thank you. Coming up next hour, we will talk to former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf for his reaction to the ruling and the tensions between federal agents and local communities.

[06:05:08]

And this morning, the death toll from the catastrophic Central Texas flooding has climbed to at least 129. Rescue teams are searching for more than 150 people still missing with expected rain threatening to slow efforts.

Overnight, Governor Greg Abbott activated the state's emergency response resources as more storms bring the possibility for more flooding.

And President Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited one of the hardest hit areas of Kerrville, Texas, Friday. And scrutiny is building over the federal government's response, including FEMA, which, according to the New York Times, failed to respond to thousands of survivor calls after staff cuts and contractor firings. But President Trump defended FEMA. He praised both the local and federal response to those deadly floods.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: FEMA has deployed multiple emergency response units. And FEMA has been really headed by some very good people. We have some good people running FEMA. It's about time, right? We get some good ones. They failed us in North Carolina, but when we got in on January 20th, they fixed it up in no time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: CNN's Ed Lavandera has more on the president's visit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: It's hard to believe the devastation. Trees that are 100 years old just ripped out of the ground. I've never seen anything like it. We're filled with grief and devastation, the loss of life. And unfortunately, they're still looking. They're still looking. There's a lot of missing.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Kerrville, President Trump and the first lady met with flood victims families.

MELANIA TRUMP, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: We are grieving with you. Our nation is grieving with you.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): During the president's visit, first responders and teams of volunteers kept searching for victims. And crews also continued the massive effort to remove debris and clean up dozens of miles of flood damage in Kerr County.

More Texas counties were also added to the president's disaster declaration, which will provide more recovery assistance through FEMA. Before Trump's arrival in the Texas hill country, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson put out a statement saying that, quote, FEMA as it exists today will no longer exist, leaning more on local authorities to manage disaster recovery.

But President Trump appears to be changing course on those plans to phase out FEMA and praised the agency for its response.

TRUMP: My administration is doing everything in its power to help Texas. When the request was made for the emergency funds, Kristi, I think we gave it within about two minutes, maybe less. And they had everything they needed. Right? Right.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): That runs counter to what four sources told CNN that the disaster agency's response was delayed by more than 72 hours after the flooding slowed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's policy that requires her approval for even small FEMA expenditures. One Democratic congressman is calling for an investigation into FEMA's initial response.

All along the Guadalupe River, communities are relying on an army of volunteers to get through the first days of this tragedy. Texas officials say more than 12,000 volunteers have descended on the disaster zone while local residents are giving mixed reviews to FEMA's response under the Trump administration.

DANIEL OLIVAS, KERRVILLE RESIDENT: I really appreciate his support. We just need to see a little bit more action from the federal government.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Daniel Olivas is retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Floodwaters ravaged his home on the riverbank and so far it's been volunteers helping him clear everything out.

OLIVAS: Like everybody, we're exhausted. We need a break and we need the resources from our government to step in and come in behind the wave of volunteers and provide resources such as debris cleanup. That's a big one because if it wasn't for these guys, that debris would have been there probably for months.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Some residents say they are being shuffled from agency to agency for help.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I came here to talk to FEMA about the rental property we have because we don't have flood insurance on that house and the insurance company can't help with it, but FEMA can't because it's a secondary property. So then I talked to the community action people and they gave us a mop and some stuff to help.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Tributes, meanwhile, to the victims. Growing crosses, snapshots of the lives lost framed by flowers, fill a memorial wall to the more than 120 people found dead after the floods receded. And residents, including 91-year-old Charles Hanson, are doing what they can to make things a little better each day. CHARLES HANSON, KERRVILLE, RESIDENT: I had to borrow a rake and a

shovel and everything. I think the best thing I can do in respect for the people is to help clean up the mess.

LAVANDERA: Victor, in the week since the devastating flooding, search teams and volunteers have been scouring the Guadalupe River. The task is emotionally draining, especially for those who have found victims. And what is also sinking in here is that this is a process of recovery and a search that will not end anytime soon. Victor.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[06:10:04]

BLACKWELL: All right, Ed Lavender reporting. Ed, thank you so much. And listen, it's going to get harder today because we're watching the forecast. More rain is on the way for Texas and it's going to make the already dangerous rescue efforts even harder. Meteorologist, Chris Warren, is with us now. This is not what they need, but what should they expect?

WARREN: Well, this is one of the deals, Victor, where you could end up having, you know, a deluge or you might end up being dry for most of the day. It's just the nature of the way these showers are going to be working out.

The threat zone is here in the yellow from Kerrville to Midland, over to Dallas. This is a two out of four, essentially. So, heavy rain being fueled by this moisture coming in from the Gulf into Texas essentially sets the stage for a heavy rain event.

Now, the nature of this, the type of showers we're going to see, if it comes down long enough and heavy enough over the same areas, we're going to see some flash flooding. Flood watches are posted in these areas right here in green. And this again include San Angelo and Kerrville.

But the way these storms are coming, you can kind of get an idea right here. It's going to pick up in the afternoon. But it's these clusters that you see coming in just to the west of Lubbock, outside of Albuquerque, see how they're kind of clustering there. And that is where eventually if that sort of thing, those thunderstorms hang out too long, that's where there eventually could be some more thunderstorms. So most of the state is dry.

Now, as we go through the next couple of days, the threat is still there for more rain, more thunderstorms. And you can even see here, this is through tomorrow. And some areas not going to see any rain. But other areas that do get rain, there's a lot of green on the map, which could be in a few showers. It's the yellow and the red.

You look for those spots and this could be adjusted. This is a forecast likely to evolve and change over the next day or two, today and tomorrow through the weekend, going to see how this evolves. But again, where it does set up, there could be more showers, more thunderstorms. The potential still there for flooding. And again for tomorrow, the forecast does show again a two out of four with the excessive rainfall possibility and the potential there with once again for some flooding and then eventually really drying out for next week with temperatures staying Victor on the warm side we'll call that hot here in Texas. Upper 80s and lower 90s.

BLACKWELL: All right Chris, thank you so much. Backlash over the Epstein files. The FBI second in command says that he's considering stepping down over the Justice Department's handling of the case. Plus, a new report sheds light on what may have gone wrong when that Air India flight claim crash last month. Remember 260 people were killed.

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[06:17:18]

BLACKWELL: Sources tell CNN the FBI's number two in charge is considering resigning. Deputy Director Dan Bongino did not show up for work Friday. According to multiple people. He is in the middle of an internal clash in the Justice Department over the Jeffrey Epstein case. Now this started Monday when the department said that the government was not keeping files about a so called client list and they claim there's no evidence that Epstein was murdered behind bars.

Now his death was officially ruled suicide, but that and his client list are two theories that President Trump's base and Bongino himself have pushed for years. CNN did not did reach out I should say, to Bongino and the FBI for comment. With me now, Skylar Woodhouse, White House Correspondent for Bloomberg News.

Skylar, good morning to you and let's start right there with Dan Bongino and for years he had focused on as a podcaster this Epstein case in 2009. Specifically, he said the questions surrounding this alleged suicide are numerous and are worth entertaining and worth getting to the bottom of quickly. A resignation from Dan Bongino. How far would that go to appease Trump's base because it's actually Pam Bondi they're looking for. What do you see here?

SKYLAR WOODHOUSE, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, BLOOMBERG NEWS: I think it's an interesting moment with the Epstein files, with the Epstein saga that has been going on for years now. But it's an interesting -- it's interesting because it's sort of -- it's created a split, you could say, in the Trump administration. And one thing the administration has sought to do compared to his first term, Trump's first term, is to have a united front where, you know, sort of everyone, or team players, everyone is on the same page.

So the fact that there now is a little tension between, you know, the FBI and the Justice Department, it will be really interesting to see going forward how the two departments sort of navigate how they're going to handle these Epstein files, especially when there's been this sort of push and pull on, you know, releasing more information to now, you know, that did come out, sort of scaling back and walking back on some of the information that was supposed to come out. So it'll be interesting to see if more information comes out or does it continue to sort of be scaled back.

BLACKWELL: Does it hurt the president with his base? I mean, there have been several issues that have disappointed them. But is this a big enough issue to soften the support?

WOODHOUSE: You know, I think among sort of Trump's base, the MAGA base, I think this is something that a lot of people are paying attention to and that are very interested in.

[06:20:00]

But I think, you know, when you compare maybe this Epstein case to the economy or to what's happening, you know, around the world, I don't know if this is maybe the most pressing issue for his base right now, but it's certainly definitely interesting to sort of pay attention to and see how they -- how the administration navigates this, especially as time is ticking. Midterms will be here eventually, so, you know, they'll have to sort of start to, you know, hone in on, you know, promises and appealing to their base and what they're looking for.

BLACKWELL: All right, let's talk now about FEMA and of course, the work that they're doing in Texas after those deadly floods. The president at the first quarter of the year said that it was time to phase out FEMA. That said that it would likely be going away. Now that rhetoric has softened. What's the prognosis for the agency?

WOODHOUSE: Yes, I mean, this is sort of the game that we've been seeing since Trump took office in January. He sort of approaches things very hard hitting that he's going to, you know, like you just said, sort of he said that he was going to dismantle FEMA. Even when you kind of compare this to tariffs, they were, you know, very hard hitting and it was just going to sort of tariff every country out there.

But we've seen over time that the stance sort of softens and that they walk back just a bit. And we're seeing this right now with FEMA. Obviously, natural disasters are a terrible thing and, you know, to sort of quickly dismantle one of the agencies that, you know, is supposed to be there when moments like this happens is very telling as they navigate, you know, what's happening in Texas with, you know, the plan to sort of dismantle FEMA and give more, as they say, control to states and local governments.

But I think it'll be interesting to see going forward how much do they actually scale back FEMA and sort of what that new reality for FEMA looks like, especially as only, you know, hurricane season will soon pick up and just, you know, natural disasters are obviously very unpredictable.

BLACKWELL: Yes. And of course, as we hear from the states and municipalities that they cannot do all of this as an event on this scale by themselves without some of that federal assistance. Finally, let's end here where we started the show. This decision from a federal judge that the administration cannot use exclusively race and accent language spoken location as the criteria for these ICE detentions.

Is there any indication this will slow what we're seeing, especially in this part of California, or the approach from the administration?

WOODHOUSE: Yes, I mean, I think the administration is moving very aggressively across their immigration stance. You know, we've been seeing now sort of the legal back and forth across the sort of immigration spectrum right now in various sort of corners. And they are continuing to plow forward.

So it's a little too maybe early to tell how much this decision will end impact decisions. But I do think the administration is going to continue to press forward. We even saw from, you know, a true social post from the president late last night, basically, you know, saying that he is instructing ICE and his immigration team to do what they can if they feel that, you know, ICE officers are being attacked. So, you know, I think they are going to continue to press on this issue.

BLACKWELL: By any means necessary the president says. Skyler Woodhouse, thank you so much.

In this morning headlines, David Gergen, an advisor to four U.S. presidents and longtime CNN analyst, is died. Gergen started his career in politics under President Nixon, later served presidents Ford, Reagan, Clinton. After the White House, he began a second career as a Harvard professor and lecturer.

His son says that he passed away Thursday from Lewy body dementia. Gergen was 83 years old.

A son of drug lord El Chapo faces life in prison after pleading guilty to drug charges. He admitted yesterday at a hearing in Chicago to running a massive operation that sent fentanyl into the US. Prosecutors say that he, along with his brother led a violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel known as Los Chapitos. They also say that the group tortured rivals and even fed victims to tigers. His actual sentence will depend on how much he's willing to cooperate.

We just received new information from the family of a 23-year-old American citizen they say was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. A warning now that some of the images you're about to see are extremely graphic.

The family of Sayfollah Musallet is calling on the U.S. to lead an immediate investigation into his death.

[06:25:08]

The Palestinian Health Ministry says that he was killed Friday in the West Bank. A family friend says that he was an American citizen born in Tampa, Florida. The U.S. State Department says that it is aware of reports but did not name the victim.

Another Palestinian man was shot and killed in the same attack. Ten others were wounded. Israel says it is reviewing what happened.

The White House widens its pressure campaign against Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, this time attacking building renovations at the Fed's headquarters. Will it be enough to force the chair out of his post?

WARREN: Wildfires, force evacuations at two U.S. national parks and extreme heat in the west will bring you the very latest developments when we return.

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[06:30:00]

BLACKWELL: The Trump administration's pressure on Fed Chair Jerome Powell reached a new level this week after months of the President urging Powell to lower interest rates. Trump's director of the Office of Management and Budget sent a letter to the Fed Chair accusing him of breaking the law.

Now, the accusation is that Powell lied to Congress and did not follow regulations over the Fed's planned renovations of its headquarters. Joining me now, Lydia DePillis; economics reporter for the "New York Times". Lydia, good to have you. Let me start here by playing what the President said yesterday about the potential for firing Powell.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think he's doing a terrible job. I think we should be -- no. I think we should be 3 points lower interest rate. He's costing our country a lot of money. We should be number one, and we're not. And that's because of Jerome Powell.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Mixed in there was a no to the response to the question if he was going to fire Jerome Powell. If he's not going to fire him, what's the point of this build-up?

LYDIA DEPILLIS, ECONOMICS REPORTER, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Well, I think it's a possible way to -- if he finds an excuse, as you heard from the OMB Director Russ Vought attacking Chair Powell over the building renovations. Maybe, I think they're thinking if they can find some excuse to fire him for cause, that would allow them to remove him earlier than his term ends in May.

Now, it's been reported across the media that President Trump is considering Chair Powell's successors. Already, one possibility is that he could basically signal, I am going to put so-and-so in place, and that makes the policies that Chair Powell has been following basically ineffective. Because if you know that somebody else is going to be in charge in a year, you are going to believe what they say, not the person who is currently in that chair.

BLACKWELL: Yes, the so-called shadow chair, who is forecasting what's coming. And that would have the attention of businesses. Let's talk about the tariffs, it's 35 percent tariff placed on Canadian imports. Some imports into the U.S. The U.S. just racked up a win with Canada backing off the digital services tax that the President complained about. What informs this decision specifically on Canadian imports? DEPILLIS: Gosh, it's really hard to say. It did seem to come out of

nowhere. Canada was not subject to those earlier reciprocal tariffs because it did have other separate tariffs applied to it earlier in this year. So, the round of letters that President Trump issued this week were profoundly random, and it is difficult to read into what caused them to decide on 35 percent.

For one country, 20 percent for another. And it is injected a degree of chaos into this process that we have not even seen thus far in the second Trump administration.

BLACKWELL: Yes, and Canada aside, you and your team at the times, you have some reporting on how, you know, the countries that were facing 10 percent that could soon face 15 percent or 20 percent, they thought they were negotiating in good faith. And so, what's been the impact now of this on those talks?

DEPILLIS: They have, and I don't think we know what is going on with every single process. Again, they were trying to do this unrealistic thing of negotiating 90 trade deals in 90 days. Again, these are processes that usually play out over years, and maybe a handful at a time. So, countries are completely baffled as to where they stand.

It's been reported that Vietnam, which the President announced a deal with, was not on board with that deal at the time. So, there hasn't been any paper on it. We haven't seen any documentation. We don't know the specifics of it, or even if the other party agrees to it. And that's the nature of deals.

Both parties have to agree. So, it's really unclear where this is going. I think markets have been relatively calm because they do not think that these tariffs will go into place as warned on August 1st. I think that's why the last letters on Brazil and Canada, people just threw up their hands and thought, this seems like a fit of pique by the President.

We're not sure this is going to actually happen. If it did, it would certainly be very disruptive, but there's no telling what will actually come to pass.

[06:35:00]

BLACKWELL: Yes, and of course, this 50 percent tariff on Brazilian imports, it really doesn't have much to do with trade because there's -- let's put up the number, a $7.4 billion trade surplus with Brazil, that's up 39 percent in 2024 over 2023. So, I don't know how you negotiate this threat away if it's based exclusively on the prosecution of the former President Bolsonaro. There aren't any kind of trade variables that you can talk through if it's about a legal process.

DEPILLIS: That's exactly right. I mean, at the outset of these reciprocal tariffs in April, they did have a formula. It didn't make a lot of sense, but it was at least math. Now, they seem to be applying tariffs completely willy-nilly based on things that do not have to do with commerce. They -- and it is true that President Trump sees tariffs as leverage for any number of policy aims.

In this case, he wants to get a former President off on very similar charges to those that he faced himself over inciting an insurrection because he lost an election. So, I don't think anyone thinks these are actually going to happen, but it is very difficult for our trading partners to negotiate under these circumstances. They're not sure who they're negotiating with or on what terms.

BLACKWELL: Yes, and then think about the businesses that have to make decisions based on the eroticism of the administration as it relates to these tariffs. Lydia DePillis reminding us that a deal requires both sides to agree. Thank you so much for being with us. All right, wildfires have forced evacuations at two national parks out west.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park near Denver, and part of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Look at this, lightning sparked fires in both, and crews worked to save the visitor center at Black Canyon. So far, the fire at the Grand Canyon's North Rim does not appear to be a major threat to the park, but officials say the heat, drought and dry conditions are making fire danger worse across the west. Let's bring back Chris Warren now. Parts of the west really heating up this weekend.

CHRIS WARREN, METEOROLOGIST: Yes, and we're going to see triple digits in a lot of areas where those fires are burning right now. And we're looking at basically about 100 large active wildfires right now. And a lot of those here in the west where it is going to be hot. This is the White Sage fire of more than 10,000 acres.

Not at all contained, 0 percent. And it is pretty far to the north of the Grand Canyon here. And when you look at the rainfall that's to come, or in many cases not to come, not going to get much help where there are thunderstorms, though, new fires are a possibility. So, it is staying dry here in the southwest and in the Pacific Northwest, where it has been, and it does remain hot.

This is the heat alerts right now with warnings, also watches and advisories. Half dozen states here in the west going to see some extreme heat with temperatures well above average in some locations. And now for Sacramento, that's going to mean the rest of the weekend into early next week into the '90s for Las Vegas. So, your average is 105, but Victor, we're looking at 110, 111, 112 here in the coming days.

BLACKWELL: Uncomfortable, but also dangerous --

WARREN: That's right --

BLACKWELL: So, people got to be safe out there. Chris Warren, thanks so much. At least, now, 129 people have been killed in Texas after the devastating floods ripped through that part of the country. How one group is helping communities heal, both physically and mentally.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:40:00] BLACKWELL: One week after the deadly flooding in Texas killed more than 100 people, communities there are still trying to understand what happened, and they're trying to deal with the trauma. Candlelight vigils in Kerrville honored the flood victims. One volunteer jumped into action despite being days away from giving birth, and she talked about the recovery effort for at least 150 people still missing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIDA MENDOZA, VOLUNTEER: A group of 15 or less, they found -- a couple of the guys who were coming with us found a little girl, a little bit behind craters, because some of them went a little bit backwards and then we went forward. And then in front of heart of the hills, we found a boy, the -- one of a couple of our guys were in the middle of the river where you could walk, and they found a boy.

We continued to walk this way pass Mystic, because we were really concerned that nobody was really looking past Mystic. And as we get here, our group gets here kind of from walking, they had found him a couple 15 minutes before, really close to the house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: With me now is Jack O'Rourke. He's the Emergency Response team leader for Americares. Your organization, Americares is deploying to address the most urgent health needs across central Texas. What are those greatest needs right now?

JACK O'ROURKE, EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM LEAD, AMERICARES: Thank you for having me, Victor, and I think, first of all, just want to extend, you know, our deepest sympathies and condolences for everyone affected by this horrific event here in central Texas. I think we've been on the ground as Americares, focusing really on the immediate and intermediate health needs of the people who are affected by this catastrophic flooding.

[06:45:00]

And you know, what we're seeing is obviously the focus is still on rightfully so, the search and rescue efforts. But we know that, you know, health needs are beginning to emerge. Americares is prepared and has the capacity and is working with our local clinics and local partners to respond with medicines and medical supplies.

But we also have, you know, emergency funding available for some of these immediate health needs. And what we're really seeing and what we're really hearing from the community is right now, people are in help mode. But we know that the mental health needs are really starting to emerge, and are going to continue to emerge over the next few weeks.

BLACKWELL: Yes, let's break this down into parts, because you're right that the immediate concern is the search for those who are missing. But kind of a daily medications that were washed away when homes disappeared, some of the medical needs from those who might have been injured, we kind of forget those sometimes in a disaster of this scale. So, talk about what you're seeing in that context.

O'ROURKE: Yes, I think that's a really good point. You know, working with the community here and with a lot of our partner clinics across the affected area in central Texas, we're working really to meet those needs. As you mentioned, you know, people are displaced. People might have to have moved, they might be going with other family members who are affected, and they might not have their medications.

You know, people are out all day working to respond, and it's hard, it's hard work. And so, that's something that as Americares, we want to pay attention to, you know, some of those secondary needs in addition to the search and rescue that might not be on the top of everyone's mind. So, that -- the physical health needs are, you know, something that we are always akin to and something that drawing on our past experience as Americares, working in disasters around the world and working in, you know, disasters such as hurricane responses in the United States, is something that we're really working to respond to.

BLACKWELL: You mentioned the mental healthcare, and of course, people have lost, sometimes loved ones, homes, businesses. They're waiting for loved ones to come home. A question I've always wondered, have never asked, how do you get people in this landscape to stop and consider their own mental health with so much that has to be done? Are people taking the time to sit and talk with mental health professionals at this phase of the emergency?

O'ROURKE: Well, I think that's a really good point. I think everybody is processing this situation and this tragedy on a different timeline, and that is something that we're really aware of based on, again, our experience working in some of the hurricane responses and mental health work across different disasters.

And so, you know, I think it's really important to just acknowledge that Kerrville and the community that's really affected is a really tight-knit community, and that people here, they know each other and they're able to -- they have these connections in the community, and they have places that they turn to.

BLACKWELL: Yes --

O'ROURKE: And so, I think something that's really important is that, as people are able to sit back at some point, take a breath and assess their own mental health needs, that they have people in their community who they can trust, that they can turn to. So, as Americares, what we're really focused on is strengthening these systems that already exist.

BLACKWELL: Yes --

O'ROURKE: And so, that's something we're working with community leaders, we're working with community groups that when people take the chance to talk to them and look at their own mental health needs, that they'll have places to go to.

BLACKWELL: Well, Jack O'Rourke, I thank you for taking a few minutes with me with all that you have going on there. And I thank you for the work you are doing. So many people need help on so many levels, and this is one we certainly need to pay attention to, your work with Americares. Thanks so much, we'll take a break, we'll be right back.

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[06:50:00]

BLACKWELL: A new report obtained by CNN suggests what may have caused the deadly Air India crash last month. The fuel going to the engines cut off. That London-bound flight went down just after takeoff, 260 people were killed. India's aviation investigators say the fuel control switches in the cockpit were somehow flipped, and cockpit audio captured one pilot asking why the fuel was cut off, while the other responded that he didn't do it. Here's India's Aviation Minister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAM MOHAN NAIDU, AVIATION MINISTER, INDIA: We are going to do a fair and thorough investigation. We are not going to spare anyone. We are not going to leave any stone unturned. We will do properly according to the protocol, and we are going to go to the depth of why this incident has happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: The plane crashed into a medical college. Several people were killed on the ground, and you'll remember that there was that one passenger who survived. There's much more ahead on the next hour of CNN THIS MORNING WEEKEND, the FBI's deputy Director, Dan Bongino, threatens to turn in his resignation after a clash with the Justice Department over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.

[06:55:00]

Plus, 40 years ago this Summer, it was one of the most famous line-ups in music history, with Queen and U2 and Elton John, The Who, Madonna. See how Bob Geldof brought them all together to raise money for famine relief in Africa, and how the movement continued. It's all in the new CNN Original Series, "LIVE AID" when rock and roll took on the world. Watch the premiere tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 12:00 noon in London, 7:00 a.m. in Philadelphia, and around the world, it's time for Live Aid.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We live in a world of surplus food. There is no reason why these human beings should die.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bob came in and said, I've got this idea.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very pleased to announce Live Aid.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even the experts didn't have a clue whether it was going to work or not. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My head was full of it's going to be a disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To be honest, it seemed like this could never happen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one had ever had 16 hours of anything on television.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a huge event, you know, it could be the start of something big.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That effort saved so many lives.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's coming from a good place, but it's coming from a very white paternalistic place.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What Live Aid did was open up the avenues of possibility. Live Aid invites you to walk down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was one of the last moments of global solidarity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Something went on at Live Aid that's still with us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live Aid when rock and roll took on the world, premieres Sunday at 9:00 on CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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