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Rescue Ships Carrying 629 Migrants Arrive In Spain; Trump To Have Follow-up Phone Call With Kim; Right Now: Germany And Mexico At 0-0; CNN Goes Inside Islamic Jihad's Tunnels In Gaza; Families Separated Under Zero Tolerance Policy; Turkey's "Iron Lady" Challenges President Erdogan. Aired 11-12p ET
Aired June 17, 2018 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:00:00] LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD, I'm Lynda Kinkade live for you from Atlanta filling in
for Becky Anderson. Good to have you with us. Well after being stranded at sea for days, hundreds of migrants are now finding relief on Spanish
soil. Exhausted but happy, the rescued migrants you can hear erupting into song and dance as they reached the Spanish coastline. It comes after a
1,200-kilometer journey. The rescue ship Aquarius and two other vessels arrived at the port of Valencia just hours ago carrying the 629 people
who've been granted temporary entry into Spain. These migrants were turned away by Italy and Malta before Spain swooped in to help. Italy's Interior
Minister issued a warning against other ships wanting to dock in a country's ports, you are not welcome. This is just another example of
Europe's failure to reach an agreement on the growing migrant crisis. Well, Lauren King was part of that team that rescued the migrants stranded
in the Mediterranean. She joins me now on the phone from Valencia. Lauren thanks for being with us. I understand you were on the Aquarius boat,
you're clearly being with the hundreds of migrants including many children. Give us a sense of their condition.
LAUREN KING, ACTRESS: So what we saw today is we had 106 people left on board our ship after just over 500 were transferred to Italian Coast Guard
vessels. We rescued these people eight days ago. Usually, when we do a rescue, they're taken to a point of safety within a few days. But in this
instance, we had a political standoff and we were stuck with hundreds of people on board our ship with no certainty of where they were going. After
a few days, we were told we were headed to Spain, Valencia as you mentioned over a thousand kilometers away. We had really, really rough weather
conditions with four-meter waves, 35 knots of wind, incredibly seasick people including -- it comes to my mind now a breastfeeding mother trying
to breastfeed her child she was also vomiting and receiving a seasickness injection. They were put needlessly through an extensive journey and there
was no other reason other than it was political considerations being put above these people's lives.
KINKADE: It was highly political. Italy, of course, claiming victory here saying that their migration -- anti-immigrant policies are working calling
this a success. How do you view it?
KING: Basically what we're seeing is these people are being dehumanized. I've had -- I've had the pleasure of spending eight days with the people
that we rescued these are mothers, children, fathers brothers sisters, they're human beings and they're not being treated as though. I got to
know their stories and these are stories of people who faced horrendous conditions inside Libya. They've been bought and sold, they've been
abused, they've been raped and sexually violated. They see no other choice for them other than to flee Libya and they understand the risks of going on
these rubber boats. I don't think it's a victory for anyone when these people are not being treated humanely at all. And what we actually did see
over the past couple of days was the Italian Coast Guard had rescued I think around 800 or 900 people recently. These people were safely
disembarked in Sicily yet because we're an NGO we were forced to travel for eight days or seven days to disembark these people in Spain because Italy
closed its order. I think when you treat people like cargo or like pawns in a chess game, then you cannot claim this is a victory in any sense.
KINKADE: You said many of them came through Libya, what were their countries of origin and what do you make of the fact that some people
believe their economic migrants? How many of these people are asylum seekers fleeing their homeland?
KING: For us, if we get to know their stories a bit so they leave for various reasons in the country that we see people coming from the countries
that we see a lot through West Africa, the countries like Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria many countries that had been exposed to the Ebola crisis
not so long ago where MSF was working. We also see people coming from Sudan, from Eritrea, just to name a few. We don't ask people if their
economic migrants, what we ask is their story. So why did they leave their country of origin in the first place and what we're looking at is the push
factor here. Quite often it is to have some work and they first go to Libya. Sometimes it's because of insecurity or conflict or poverty they
all end up going to Libya. But what we see is when they transit through Libya, they're exposed to extreme, extreme levels of violence. They're
treated inhumanely. They're not treated like human beings. I've had people tell me they were bought and sold. And this is 2018 and a human
being looking at you in the eye and telling you that they were sold various time and that they had owners and were measured by their muscle mass to go
and do forced labor, these are some of the stories that we hear on board.
[11:05:25] KINKADE: Absolutely horrific. Lauren King, thank you so much for sharing your perspective with us. We appreciate your time.
KING: Thank you very much.
KINKADE: Well CNN's Vera Catano was at the port in Valencia when the ships arrived and she filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VERA CATANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The three boats carrying 630 migrants arrived to the port of Valencia in Spain this morning on a Sunday. One of
them, the Aquarius arrived at 11:00 a.m. local time. The first take has been to give medical attention. We have unknown that so far there are not
serious pathologies among all these migrants. There are some of them for example the ones who came from the Aquarius were of a profile of like
younger. People who were more excited but also exhausted after being sailing for more than a week. And after having been stranded in the
Mediterranean, then the Spanish government offered them to dock here in Valencia and this is what they have been doing. Although the authorities
want to give them privacy and that's why the journalist, the media, we haven't been allowed to be in the very same place where they were arriving.
We don't know either the locations where they are being driving because some of them are going through different locations here in Valencia.
Others have to go to the hospital although as I was saying there are not serious pathologies for the moment. They will also have psychological
attention after this situation. Some of them may have been suffering torture or sexual abuse. There are very different situations most of them
come from a countries in Africa. And also the offer of the French government to offer census of refugees to some of them who want to go to
this country. Now, we are waiting more details about the situation of these people, the Spanish government is insisting that they are
accomplishing with the international law and the human rights protecting these people. They also announced that they will run the refugees status
to some of them but they have to examine every case individually just to see if they meet the necessary requisitions to be refugees. Vera Catano,
CNN Valencia, Spain.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Let's put your migrant crisis in context for you. There have been more than 44,000 arrivals in Europe this year alone most of them by
sea. Nearly 800 of those migrants and refugees died before reaching their destination. Greece has received the most people this year more than
17,000. Well the U.S. is awash in its own immigration debate pitting calls for compassion against those demanding tighter border control. Some 2,000
undocumented children are being held and hastily put together shelters in Texas near the border with Mexico. They have been separated from their
families as a result of a policy -- a policy shift from the front administration. Outrage is growing over the self-made crisis with some
Republicans breaking breaks to condemn it. Our Ed Lavandera is in South Texas near the border with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: While the Trump administration remains unapologetic and its support in the way it's rolled out the so-called zero
tolerance policy for undocumented immigrants crossing into the U.S. Southern Border, there is a growing chorus of frustration and anger and
protest that will start really being visible here on Sunday in South Texas. There is a congressional delegation that will be touring several
immigration facilities throughout the region throughout the day. Most of the members of that delegate very much opposed to this zero-tolerance
policy. There is a vigil protest also scheduled to occur here on Sunday in McAllen and there is another congressman who is leading a march in protest
toward the newly opened temporary facility for undocumented immigrant children that's a -- that was just opened up in Far West, Texas so a lot of
this is really starting to pick up as the stories that have emerged from these -- from the zero-tolerance policy and people are watching this play
out really starting to pick up steam. But as I mentioned off the top, the Trump administration unapologetic.
They continue to say that this policy is designed to deter undocumented immigrants from continuing that support into the U.S. southern border.
However, when you used to report here on the ground and you talked to immigrants who have just crossed the border, news of this policy isn't
necessarily making it to every corner of these countries in Central America and Mexico as well where most of these undocumented immigrants are coming
from. And when you do talk to them, if they do know about the policy, they say it is a risk that they're very much willing to take, that anything is
better than the homes and the hometowns that they're coming from. So that's the latest here in South Texas as the frustration and anger and the
focus on this issue really continues to build up. Ed Lavandera, CNN McAllen, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: On Tuesday President Trump will discuss immigration with Republican lawmakers and it is hoped the meeting will clarify what he would
be willing to sign into law. Two bills being hammered out deal with legal status for undocumented migrants who came to the U.S. as children as well
as funding for the southern border wall. That comes as he seems to be using heart-wrenching scenes of children being taken from their parents as
a political negotiating tool. In a tweet he said Democrats can fix their forced family breakup at the border by working with Republicans on new
legislation for a change. Returning now to the next step through negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea. Mr. Trump says he exchanged
direct lines with Kim Jong-un and he is expected to make a phone call with the North Korean leader today to follow up on their Singapore summit.
No word yet on that call but Mr. Trump set off a flurry of tweets earlier today including this ticket about suspending military drills "holding back
the war games during the negotiations was my request because they are very expensive and set a bad light during a good faith negotiation." Also "also
quite provocative can start up immediately if talks breakdown which I hope will not happen." Nic Robertson joins me now live from Seoul, South Korea
with more on all of this. Nic, wasn't that long ago that the two leaders were threatening a nuclear strike and now it seems today there's going to
be a phone call following that summit, probably a lot to knot out if it comes to going ahead with the complete and verifiable denuclearization.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Sure. I mean, the sort of insults that were exchanged, Kim Jong-un called president Trump a
dotard, President Trump called him Little Rocketman so the fact that President Trump in his words has given Kim Jong-un a very direct number and
that will -- we understand that President Trump was going to call Kim Jong- un on Sunday, the relationship seems to have gone through an absolute abrupt change and President Trump has made that very clear. President
Trump is going to make the call Sunday Korea time he's really missed this slot there is after midnight here. It may be that the call has been made
and we don't have a readout from the White House yet and the North Korean news agency, their readouts, if they come, would be -- we could expect them
to be at least 24 hours delayed.
We don't really work from the South Korean officials either whether they know if that call has been made or not but the view frame from here in
South Korea is this new relationship between President Trump and Kim Jong- un is an opportunity to -- it's a perhaps when there are problems in the negotiations and the talks just to pick up the phone with each other and
break what otherwise might be a longtime in communications or at least a log jam it and in their intentions the way they're communicated to their
senior officials are actually doing the negotiation. So the view from here is look, this relationship is a good thing and if the phone call helps then
let's hope that it does. Of course, they go into this with our eyes wide open as well.
KINKADE: They're certainly doing. Of course, President Trump has been asked about the human rights issues within North Korea. We heard him speak
about it outside the White House and Friday. Let's just take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's you know, funny guy, he's a very smart guy, he's a great negotiator. He loves his people not
that I'm surprised by that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How can Kim love his people if he's killing them?
TRUMP: I can't speak to that. I can only speak to the fact that we signed an incredible agreement, it's great.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But he still has done some really bad things.
TRUMP: Yes, but so does a lot of other people done some really bad things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: And so you can see there has several comments over several days being asked about that very issue. How often do you see world leaders kind
of turn a blind eye to human rights issues within another country when they are dealing with a broader international issue.
ROBERTSON: Well, particularly in this case here where it's an opportunity, a point of leverage that President Trump could have over Kim Jong-un in the
future to try to get into you know, to compromise on other issues. You know, you generally see world leaders when they want this case here where
it's an opportunity a point of leverage that President Trump could have over Kim Jong-un in the future to try to get into you know, to compromise
on other issues. You know, you generally see world leaders when they want to negotiate with somebody particularly you know, recalcitrant brutal
dictators like Kim Jong-un human rights is something that they keep to the forefront of the agenda.
It gives them the moral authority, it gives them a point of leverage, the fact that President Trump hasn't done this so far is perhaps indicative
more of his style, it certainly seems to speak to the aspiration that this is something that he can deal with further down the line. But let's see
his phone call became Kim Jong-un and his future phone calls with him when so swimmingly well that the North Korean leader against everyone's
expectations decided to give up his nuclear weapons which no one at the moment really credibly believes and President Trump was to offer up
sanctions relief on that basis because that's what we understand is on the table at the moment.
And the implication would be there'd be no cost correction for Kim Jong-un for all these human rights violations, that none of this would change and
that his people would still potentially be brutalized than the evidence you know, the past evidence does speak to that. So President Trump in many
people's eyes has given up an opportunity that other negotiators wouldn't but we know President Trump is doing this all on his own terms as I say the
view from South Korea is one that they hope that this dialogue, this talking is better than the other option which we're looking at eight months
or so ago which was you know a much more -- a much greater likelihood of an imminent -- end of an imminent war. Lynda?
[11:16:38] KINKADE: Excellent analysis, Nic Robertson for us in Seoul, South Korea. Always great to have you with us. Thanks so much.
Well, let's get you up to speed on some other stories we're following that on our radar right now. At least 18 people were killed in a suicide
bombing in Eastern Afghanistan. Now, it happened near the governor's compound in Jalalabad while he was meeting with Taliban leaders there to
mark a three-day ceasefire which ends Sunday. It comes a day after at least 25 were killed in an ISIS suicide bombing in that same region.
Greece and Macedonia have signed an agreement and a decade's old name dispute. The accord calls for Macedonia to change its names North
Macedonia and could lead to it being admitted into the E.U. and NATO. But the deal still requires the approval of both Parliaments as well as a
referendum in Macedonia. In Yemen, aid workers say too dangerous for them to operate in her data a strategic port on the Red Sea. Sunni laid
offensive is trying to take control of the city from Iranian-backed rookie rebels, the violence is getting close to civilian areas.
On Saturday, Houthi fighters clashed with the Saudi coalition troops near the airport. And groups believe nearly a quarter of a million people in
Yemen are at risk from violence. You can read more about this deadly and complex war at cnn.com. Well, live from CNN's world headquarters here in
Atlanta you are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Germany kicks off its World Cup quest to defend its title starting with Mexico. They're playing right
now and the score is well, you'll just have to wait and find out. We'll be back in just a couple of minutes. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00] KINKADE: Well, even if you're not keen enough to dress up like a flag, no matter where you go or who you speak to, pretty much everyone is
talking about one thing right now and that is the World Cup.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mexico, Mexico, Mexico.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Mexico. Right now they are the only ones ever to have got so far as the quarterfinals taking on four-time tournament winners and defending
champions Germany. Clearly, those details are not stopping the Mexican fans from hoping against hope. An hour 20 minutes into the game and it is
still nil all. Well, CNN's Amanda Davies working, sleeping, eating football for you coming to us right now from in front of the iconic 500-
year-old Saint Basil's Cathedral. It's quite incredible there on the streets from what we've seen. So, Amanda, we've got the defending champion
taking on Mexico, how much has changed for the German team since 2014 when they and what are the expectations like this year?
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: In many ways it's quite a similar team, Linda, but there have been a few big game retirements which
we knew were coming after that victory four years ago in Brazil, the likes of Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm, (INAUDIBLE) but in place of that there's
some fantastic new exciting talent that has emerged from Germany team who we were actually here watching. Just last year as Germany won the
Confederations Cup, Joshua Gammage has been making ways this season across Europe as well. And arguably you'd have to say in many ways it's a
stronger squad than four years ago which is pretty worrying for the rest of the teams here at the World Cup. But what is quite interesting about this
German side at the moment is that although they dominated their qualifying campaign, they went through winning ten games out of ten. They set the new
goalscoring records across Europe.
Since then, it hasn't been as convincing as we've may become to expect from them. They actually only won one of six friendlies in the run-up to this
game and that was against Saudi Arabia, a team of course we saw what happened to them against Russia on match day one here in Russia. So there
are lots of question marks. They though have the German confidence that we have seen in recent times. Tony Cruz said yesterday we will step up when
it matters. It has been a fantastic start to this match against Mexico but it's certainly not one way traffic. Mexico was thumped this time last year
for one in the Confederations Cup by what arguably was a German B team. They seemed to have a lot more of the possession. They've had some
fantastic chances already in this game. So don't think it's going to be one-way traffic. It's still goalless after 25 minutes so far. As you say,
it's still very early days. Lynda?
KINKADE: Early days indeed, Amanda. And of course Brazil's first match just a few hours away up against Switzerland. And we've got a huge data
firm cranking up some pretty predictions for us reckoning that Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, and France always in the best chances of
winning. We've seen a few of them play so far. Brazil of course just a few hours away, how big a factor will their star striker Neymar be in this
tournament?
[11:25:20] DAVIES: Yes a brilliant (INAUDIBLE) football player I have to say. It's definitely worse things to be doing on a Sunday evening than
Moscow you know watching these couple of matchups in play. But the big question over Neymar who is undoubtedly such a superstar is his fitness.
He broke his foot back in February playing for Paris Saint-Germain. He's been fighting back from that. He played a couple of games, came back to
score two for Austria just -- Brazil against Austria just last week. And people have been saying he's been back to full fitness but his coach Tite
yesterday said he's actually not 100 percent. So that certainly has raised a question mark. What we don't know though is whether that is Tite playing
down expectation which he has been doing quite a lot over the last couple of years. He's been trying to take some of the pressure off Neymar. He
actually called the pressure and expectation on Neymar as inhuman. And he's gone out of his way really since taking charge to try and change that.
He's taken the captaincy away from Neymar not in a bad way but to share it around the squad. He was all the players to feel some responsibility.
Interestingly Neymar didn't take place in the pre-match press conference yesterday which in days gone by he would have done. So they're very much
trying to protect what is still a young man but of course he is somebody who will want to make amends because there was all that focus on him on
home soil in Brazil four years ago. He got that back injury which meant he wasn't able to play in what is now the infamous seven-one semi-final defeat
to Germany where there were players holding up Neymar's shirt, the anthem ahead of the game. It was almost desolation the fact that he hadn't made
that semi-final and the team crumbled without him. So the word that we keep hearing thrown around at the moment is redemption. They are desperate to
try and make amends for what happened four years ago in Brazil. And Neymar, you would think if Brazil are going to go a long way through this
tournament will be absolutely key to what happens.
KINKADE: No doubt a lot of eyes on Neymar and that game in a few hours' time. Amanda Davies, good to have you with us from Moscow. Thanks so
much. While billions of us are tuning in, many others are making the trip to be right there and in an area jam-packed with fans in Moscow. In fact,
not too far from where Amanda is, there was an incredible act of violence and we have video of what happened but we need to warn you it is extremely
graphic and hard to watch. So take a look if you will from slow-moving traffic. You can see that a driver turning sharply to the right into a
crowd of people on the busy sidewalk going faster and slamming into quite a number of people. At least seven pedestrians were injured. You can see
the driver there running away. Some locals managed to actually catch him before he got away and police have arrested him. They say he lost control
of the vehicle. Well, we have much more to come. We'll take you deep underground to see how Islamic Jihad fighters get around enemy lines. Stay
with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:32:23] KINKADE: You're watching CNN, and this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Lynda Kinkade. Welcome back.
The Haaretz Newspaper is supporting the Israel is going after Palestinians in Gaza who are launching burning kites and balloons with explosives into
Israel. All Israeli military strikes in the air. Is Islamic Jihad planned its attacks from below? CNN has gotten rare and exclusive access inside
Islamic Jihad's military tunnels. It's our Ian Lee, has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IAN JAMES LEE, CNN FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT: A tunnel opening somewhere in the Gaza strip. Islamic Jihad militants guide us through. It's hot,
humid, narrow, and low hanging. It feels claustrophobic.
As you can see, many of these tunnels are reinforced with concrete, protect them from caving in and also from potential air strikes.
Israel has a different name for them, terror tunnels.
ABU ABDALLAH, COMMANDER, ISLAMIC JIHAD FIGHTERS (through translator): We use them as a shield against heavy missiles fired by F-35 and F-16 aircraft
as well as helicopters, so that our fighters can move and play their role to find the Palestinian people.
LEE: They've also proven effective for smuggling arms and launching attacks into Israel. Abu Abdallah, gives the fighters a pep talk, telling
them not to be afraid, God is with them. Then, a recital from the Quran, this Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Today's movements are tightly controlled, access for journalists is rare. They blindfold us, and we prepare to be driven on to the next location.
Islamic Jihad is one part of the complex faction-based society that is Gaza. It is smaller than Hamas, the militant group that runs the strip.
But late last month, Islamic Jihad triggered the biggest exchange of fire over Gaza for four years. Israel bombing 60 targets in response to about
100 rockets and mortars fired from launch sites like this one.
So, he's telling me this weapon system here has the range of about four to six kilometers. It was recently used against the Israel.
Abu Abdallah, says the attack was revenge for the deaths of scores of Palestinian protesters killed by Israeli soldiers on the Gaza-Israel
border.
[11:35:03] ABDALLAH: The world hears the conflict only through Netanyahu's voice. We try to make it hear us to the sound of these simple missiles.
To say that we are here, we have land, we are human beings. We want to live in dignity.
But one projectile hit at kindergarten in Israel. No one was hurt, but only because no one was around. I asked Abu Abdallah, why they target
Israeli civilians?
ABDALLAH: The world needs to know that's a resistance never planned to target children.
LEE: He admits to me, mistakes are made. And yet, time and time again they fire rockets indiscriminately. The U.S., Israel and European Union
designate Islamic Jihad is like Hamas, a terrorist organization. The group has few friends abroad but it's not totally isolated.
ABDALLAH: Israel is proud of its support from the United States, and we are proud of Iran's support of the Palestinian resistance on the moral and
logistical level. There is nothing wrong with it and it is not a secret.
LEE: Gaza's tragedy can be described in a host of different ways. Having militant groups in charge committed to Israel's destruction is just one of
many. Before as long as Israel and Egypt maintain an iron grip from outside and the rest of the world wrings its hands, it's hard to see how
anything will change.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Allahu Akbar!
LEE: Ian Lee, CNN, Gaza.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our top story this hour, hundreds of migrants find a new home at least temporarily in Spain, after being rescued from the sea. Meanwhile, a
different immigration debate is happening right here in the U.S. and the scenes, a spot sparking it a chaotic and unimaginable.
It's hard to capturing images alone but you can see the desperation in these photos. Desperation that means parents risk making the journey to
the U.S. only to have their own children pulled from their arms.
We now know that in a six-week period, nearly 2,000 children were separated from their parents at the border by the U.S. government. Now, Democratic
lawmakers say they want clarity. Today a group will visit immigration centers in South Texas to learn more about how undocumented immigrants are
processed while entering the U.S.
But even for those already safely in the country, the nightmare is not over. Undocumented immigrants in the U.S. live in increasing fear that they
too will be separated from their families. Deported back to countries they managed to escape. Our Nick Valencia talked with one of them, a mother
with three young children.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If you go back to Honduras, they'll kill you.
In many ways, Joanna feels like she's already dead. An undocumented immigrant from Honduras, she's too scared to show her face or use her real
name. She says MS-13 gang members murdered her brother and two relatives back home. Which is why in 2011, she fled. If sent back, she says she
will most certainly die.
You'd rather they kill you here than you die there.
For the last seven years, Joanna and her American-born children have lived in the shadows of America. She thought fleeing MS-13 gang violence and
being a victim of sexual assault would help her qualify for asylum. She applied in 2011 but admits like so many others, she was too scared to show
up to her court date.
Now, with the new edict from the Trump administration, her greatest fear is what will happen to her children when or if she's deported. She has three
children, all U.S. citizens under the age of seven.
JOANNA, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT (through translator): What will happen to my kids? Will I be able to take them? If I go alone, what will happen to
my children who are here practically alone?
VALENCIA: On Monday, she's in court for driving without insurance and a license. She could be detained by immigration officers.
JOANNA: With the orders that the president gave to get out all of immigrants, why doesn't he take the time to know how someone's life is?
Why on the border are they treating us like animals? That's not being human to not feel the pain of someone else.
Joanna, says under President Obama, she was aware that deportations were at an all-time high but she still had hope with the prospect of asylum not
anymore.
Now, the only thing she could think of is how best to shield her children from the strong chances of her being sent back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[11:40:00] KINKADE: Nick Valencia reporting there in a powerful interview. Just a glimpse into a monumental issue in the United States.
Well, CNN Political Commentator Alice Stewart is standing by for us in Washington. She's also a Republican strategist and the former
communications director for Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Good to have you with us, Alice.
ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Great to be with you, thank you, Lynda.
KINKADE: The President Trump is hoping to use these people as a bargaining chip to work with Democrats to negotiating it in immigration policy. But
there are even Republicans against this. Let's just take a listen to one Republican from Texas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. WILL HURD (R), TEXAS: We should not be using kids as a deterrent policy. This is something I think is actually unacceptable. And it's
something that as Americans, we shouldn't be doing. And this really isn't a Republican or Democratic issue. This is an issue about how should you
treat a children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Alice, what do you make of the fact that the U.S. president seems to be using these children as a political pawn?
STEWART: Well, Lynda, I, 100 percent support and endorse what Congressman Hurd just said. It's very true, this isn't a Republican and Democrat
issue. This is a humanitarian issue, this is an issue of heart.
But one thing to keep in mind at President Trump ran, one of the key components of his campaign was to enforce immigration laws, and to be
strong on immigration, and build a border wall. And he has committed to doing just that.
And what we're having here, what we're seeing with the situation at the border is a result of him being firm on his policy, and the Attorney
General Jeff Sessions, saying, "Look, if you enter this country unlawfully, you will be prosecuted.
The difference here, is Lynda, for many years in the past the immigration issue, the illegal immigration issue has focused on single males coming
into this country. Now, we have a tremendous influx of women, and families, and children.
So now, we're dealing with a different dynamic here but this principle still being the president is going to stay true to his commitment. If you
enter unlawfully, you'll be prosecuted. Unfortunately, that has led to the separation of many families. And now, we're in a crossroads as you said,
2,000 children have been separated from their family since this was really more forcefully enacted. What do we do with them? I think that is the
issue that Congress needs to deal with.
We have legislation, two pieces of legislation are going to talk about this week that don't address this specifically but address the overall
immigration issue. But this can be done very quickly, the president can just as sign a piece of paper and do away with this.
This is a part of the Flores Consent Act, which deals with how the government deals with children that come into this country. Whether
they're accompanied by their parents or not. And Congress needs to act on this, and Congress needs to take the action necessary to put an end to the
separation of families at the border.
KINKADE: Personally sound initially seemed to dismiss his own party's immigration bill, it -- the compromise bill. Is him really across the
details here because very quickly he turned around and said, "Oh actually, I do support that."
STEWART: Unfortunately, Lynda, we see that a lot. And a lot of it is just because there's a lot of details in here. But he has cleaned that up a
little bit. His comes team has cleaned that up. What he did come out and say ultimately and where he does stand is he does support the more
compromised version that is out there, and that specifically includes funding for the border wall, billions of dollars for the border wall and
that has always been a priority.
Ending the visa lottery, putting an end to chain migration, and policies that would encourage people to come into this country illegally. And in
return, he would provide and come up with a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, which is what not just Democrats want.
But Lynda, we're seeing here in this country almost 70 to 80 percent of Americans support some type of pathway to citizenship for DREAMers and that
is something that if we can get the border wall funding that the president so deeply wants and these other issues that he is willing to address the
important issue of DREAMers.
But also with this, there is conversation and more and more congressmen are saying all of this is important as part of the broad immigration package
but we also need to deal with the current crisis we have at the border, dealing with these children who are -- who have been separated from their
parents.
KINKADE: It's certainly is a crisis right now. Alice, here. Good to have your perspective. Thank you much.
STEWART: Thankful to have a great day.
KINKADE: You, too.
Well, you were watching connect the world still to come, she has earned the nickname of She-Wolf and Iron Lady. We'll hit the campaign trail with the
woman fighting to become Turkey's next president. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:46:57] KINKADE: You're watching CNN, and this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me. I'm Lynda Kinkade, welcome back. Well, elections in Turkey are
just around the corner. In about a week, we'll find out if President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, could be reelected. If he is, he'll come into office with
sweeping new powers.
The result of that controversial referendum he masterminded last year. And while polls show, he is leading the race. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh meets one
opponent who is hot on his trail.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN PRODUCER: Almost everyone in this small Turkish town is out on the streets to greet the woman they called a Senna. That's a
she-wolf in Turkish mythology.
At times Meral actioner nearly disappears in the crowd it's almost impossible for us to keep up as people rush to meet her. And her campaign
rally supporters chant, President Meral Aksener. She says, she wants people to see her as a mother figure.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ESRA DEMIRKOL, SUPPORTER OF MERAL AKSENER (through translator): For the future, for our children, for our country, for many reasons, I was vote for
Meral Aksener. If woman's touch makes everything better, I want a mommy to rule our country.
KARADSHEH: The 61-year-old who once headed the old powerful interior ministry broke away from her party over its alliance with President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.
In October, she founded her IYI or the Good Party. Leading it to the first national polls this month hoping to unseat Turkey's strongman. The June
24th snap election is the country's first after last year's constitutional referendum that gave Turkeys next president new sweeping powers.
Like any politician running for office, Meral Aksener is making a lot of promises. But perhaps, the one that is resonating the most with people
here is the promise of change. Changing the direction their country has taken.
MUSTAFA KOSELER, SUPPORTER OF MERAL AKSENER (through translator): If her party just not win, we will lose the Republic and we will switch to one
man's dictatorship. Like Bashar al-Assad, like Hafez al-Assad, like Gaddafi.
BERTUG OZTURK, SUPPORTER OF MERAL AKSENER (through translator): I will use my very first vote for her because I think she has very good project for
the youth. I want unemployment to change, I'm studying to be a teacher.
KARADSHEH: While Erdogan remains the country's most popular figure, Aksener's candidacy could cost the president votes. Like him, she's a
center-right nationalist and a conservative, making her an alternative for his base. Aksener, says President Erdogan should be worried.
MERAL AKSENER, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, TURKEY (through translator): I think I'm a strong opponent. Both polls and the field shows the same.
KARADSHEH: "It's time," she says, "for a woman to be president. Turkey has been ruled by a very harsh man for a very long time. I'm one of the
most experienced politicians in Turkey. Probably, the most experienced female politician. I have been struggling with Erdogan in his
extrajudicial behavior for the last 2 1/2, three years. All this showed me, it was time to take responsibility for my country."
Aksener is not Erdogan's only serious rival of the polls, but Turkey's Iron Lady remains a wildcard in what could be one of the most decisive votes in
the country's history. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Adana, Turkey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[11:50:26] KINKADE: We'll now picture an ambassador to the U.N., have someone in mind? It is third polished shoes the works, right? We'll check
out this instead. The ambassador's catching World Cup fever and some of them play dirty. We'll have much more on that, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kinkade. A quick update for you, it is halftime right now. A thrilling game, Mexico are beating Germany 1-0.
Remember, of course, Germany are the defending World Cup Champions. They've won the World Cup four times, Mexico have never come close. We'll
update you on the match as it continues.
Well, if you were looking for a good time, you probably would not swing by the United Nations. There are lots of large rooms, long talks, and tedious
protocols to keep up with. But the beauty of goals like this knocked down by Serbia against Costa Rica just before the show can be just too good to
not bring out the footballers inside everyone.
The feel parting shot CNN's Richard Roth shows us how it has even affected the ambassadors that the Security Council's pressing pause on the
diplomatic game for the beautiful one.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: When the Russian ambassador to the U.N. practices a header, you know its World Cup time.
VASILY NEBENZYA, AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, RUSSIA: I feel like we're already in a stadium.
ROTH: You have heard of the fog of war. Well, next to U.N. headquarters, cutting through the fog of diplomacy on the North Lawn, delegates from the
32 countries competing in the World Cup and even some who didn't make it to Russia's stage some friendlies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The World Cup brings the world together and that is the business of the U.N., too.
ROTH: It was like a dress rehearsal for the World Cup.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's an intense match indeed. But that sport, it means that when we are playing sport, we forget about all our differences.
ROTH: No Messi or Ronaldo, but there was the Algerian ambassador.
SABRI BOUKADOUM, AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ALGERIA: It's better that we fight on the -- on a -- on a soccer field than here at the U.N.
[11:55:02] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Much more peaceful than they usually deal with each other.
ROTH: One ringer on the field, Real World Cup winner, Lothar Matthaus of Germany, which hosted the cage matches.
Can they play?
LOTHAR MATTHAUS, FIRST FIFA WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR, GERMANY: I think they have passion, and this is the most important. I tell the same to the
children. You have to play soccer with passion and with love.
ROTH: I noticed some of the diplomats apparently faking injuries there, imitating some sports stars. Did you observe that? That wasn't very U.N.-
like.
OLOF SKOOG, AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, SWEDEN: Now, I agree. That was a bit surprising but I think they were all very friendly at the end.
ROTH: This was a pitch where no player or country could veto any action.
Can I ask you why the host of the World Cup is not playing on the field?
NEBENZYA: I'm a scout. I'm choosing players for my team next time.
ROTH: In the same group as Russia at the World Cup, Egypt.
The Russian ambassador Nebenzya, threaten you at all here?
AMR ABDELLATIF ABOULATTA, AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, EGYPT: Not at all. Not yet.
ROTH: Richard Roth, CNN, United Nations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you so much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: That looks like a lot of fun. I am Lynda Kinkade, thank you so much for joining us to this edition of CONNECT THE WORLD. We appreciate
your time. If you're celebrating Father's Day, I hope it's a happy one.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
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