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World Refugee Day U.N. Urges Compassion and Support; U.S. House to Vote on Two Republican Immigration Bills; Babies and Toddlers Held at "Tender Age" Shelters; U.N. Reports More Than 68 Million are Displaced Globally; U.S. Withdraws from U.N. Human Rights Council; Cristiano Ronaldo Carries Portugal Again in World Cup; Fans Leap for Joy as Senegal Beat Poland 2-1. Aired 11a-12n ET
Aired June 20, 2018 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00] IVAN WATSON, CNN HOST: Welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Ivan Watson at CNN Center and I'm filling in for Becky Anderson.
Many risk their lives to flee war, violence and persecution. While others are desperate to escape crushing poverty, so their families have a chance
at a h better life. Today is World Refugee Day and the United Nations is urging the international community to show its support for millions of the
world's most vulnerable people.
This year World Refugee Day comes amid an uproar over immigration in the United States. A country with a long history of helping people seek
asylum, and that's where we begin this hour. No doubt you've seen the pictures that are outraging Americans across the political spectrum.
Children forcibly separated from their parents after they illegally cross the U.S. border. Virtually everyone, even President Donald Trump says he
hates this policy. So, why does it go on? President Trump could end it right now, but he is demanding Congress do something instead. Democrats
say he's using children as leverage to try and get funding for a border wall that he repeatedly insisted Mexico would pay for. Just minutes ago,
the Republican speaker of the house made this announcement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PAUL RYAN (R), U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: Tomorrow the House will vote on legislation to keep families together. Under this bill when people are
being prosecuted for illegally crossing the border, families will remain together under DHS custody throughout the length of their legal
proceedings. Additional funding is also going to be made available so that DHS has sufficient resources to house and care for families during this
entire process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: OK, now that news comes after President Trump met behind closed doors with congressional Republicans late Tuesday. CNN's Abby Phillip,
look at the politics of deciding the fate of human lives.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These are laws that have been broken for many years. Decades. But we had a great meeting.
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Trump urging House Republicans to pass legislation amid an escalating crisis over
family separations at the border. But stopping short of wholeheartedly endorsing either bill the chamber is considering.
REP. CARLOS CURBELO (R), FLORIDA: He said it was important to get a bill passed and he indicated he would support both bills.
PHILLIP: A number of Republican sources telling CNN that the meeting was not helpful and didn't move the ball forward. Multiple members telling CNN
that President Trump appeared to be behind the more moderate compromised bill pushed by House leadership that would give many Dreamers an eventual
path to citizenship, fund the border wall and stop the practice of family separations. Attorney General Jeff Sessions also appearing to endorse the
compromise bill.
JEFF SESSIONS, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL (audio): Panting the problem is not the right thing... We need to get this thing done, but the overall bill
that the house is considering would be preferable in my opinion.
PHILLIP: Several lawmakers telling CNN that the President did talk about these disturbing images of children sobbing after being taken from their
families.
REP. RANDY WEBER (R), TEXAS: Politically he said this is bad. But he didn't say that he preface it by saying is not about the politics it's
about this is the right thing to do.
PHILLIP: But one Republican telling CNN the President talked about family separations only in the context of political optics. Telling members, the
crying babies doesn't look good politically. In the Senate Majority Leader McConnell expressing optimism about a narrow bill to address family
separations, but it remains unclear if it could pass.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER: All of these members of Republican conference support a plan that keeps families together while
their immigration status is determined.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D), U.S. SENATE DEMOCRAT LEADER: There are so many obstacles to legislation, and when the President can do it with his own
pen, it makes no sense.
PHILLIP: Earlier in the day, President Trump blasted a key provision of Senator Ted Cruz's bill, while doubling down on his hardline immigration
rhetoric.
TRUMP: When countries abuse us by sending their people up, not their best, we're not going to give any more aid to that country. Why the hell should
we?
PHILLIP: On Twitter, the President accusing Democrats of allowing undocumented immigrants to quote, infest the country. As Mr. Trump's
surrogates continue to down play the administration's zero-tolerance policy.
[11:05:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I read today about a 10-year-old girl with downs syndrome who was taken from her mother and put in a cage --
COREY LEWANDOWSKI, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Womp, womp.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- I read about a -- did you say womp, womp to a 10- year-old with down syndrome.
LEWANDOWSKI: What I said is you can pick anything you want --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How dare you?
PHILLIP: The public outrage is growing across the country and on Capitol Hill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quit separating the children. We won't go away.
PHILLIP: Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus confronting the President.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quit separating the kids. They're separating the children. Mr. President, don't you have kids?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON: All right, now let's get more now from White House reporter, Stephen Collinson who is live in Washington. Good to see you, Stephen.
You wrote an analysis piece on CNN.com and I urge viewers to give it a look, arguing that despite the outrage in the accusations that this
government policy has led to child abuse. And the separation of more than 2,300 children from their parents in just the last six or seven weeks, you
are arguing that President Trump is unlikely to back down and step in to put a stop to this practice. Why?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: I think there are persona, philosophical l and political reasons why that's the case. As strange as
that might seem, I think there's a good chance that President Trump sees this this whole controversy as a political winner for him. He understands
his coalition. Those loyal Trump base folks as to whom immigration is an existential issue. It's the original issue that allowed him to build his
Presidential campaign. And while we have seen political business leaders, you know, celebrities come out and criticize this as a gross infringement
of human rights, this treatment of the children, Donald Trump is standing up against the establishment, the political system that he ran against and
that's what his people see.
He also understands that for Trump voters, a substantial minority in this country, say 41 percent where he is in the polls most of the time. A lot
of people feel that if people come across the border with their children they break the law, they come into the country illegally, they deserve what
they get. I mean, that is a fact and it's something that although it seems unpalatable to outsiders, Donald Trump understands.
WATSON: Stephen, President Trump never one to mince words and used some pretty stunning language in tweets this week. In one of them claiming that
Democrats, quote, want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad they may be to pour into and infest our country.
Basically, equating illegal immigrants with insects. So, he's demonizing a community. We've already heard former first lady Barbara Bush comparing
the zero-tolerance policy to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Are we at a pivotal moment in U.S. history when it comes to
the kind of rhetoric and now the policy that we're seeing implemented on the ground?
COLLINSON: We certainly have never had this policy driven from the top of the U.S. government. This is the President of the United States using this
language, and it contradicts for many Americans what they see despite many blemishes through the decades of the moral character of their nation. The
idea that America stands up for certain values for freedom and democracy, and liberalism with a small "l".
But the language the President is using is classic populists, nationalist language, the kind of language used by autocrats and dictators throughout
history. The idea that the people of a country are victimized by people, invaders from the outside that are going to take over the culture of their
country. The President has used this rhetoric time and time again, not in just on this crisis but in the Charlottesville race riots last year, for
example, the race riots. And he's talked about immigration in this way. You are right, this is stunning to hear this from the President of the
United States, but it's the rhetoric of strong men leaders, and you have heard it all over the world throughout history.
WATSON: Populists, nationalists' rhetoric, nationalist socialists' rhetoric, one could argue. Stephen, Mr. Trump has congratulated his
Homeland Security Secretary, for her strong defense of the family separation policy this week. But critics were appalled both by her false
claims about who is responsible, as well as her cold language. She repeatedly referred to migrant children as aliens. Well, this is what
happened when she went to a Mexican restaurant a day later. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: This is a bit of an ambush by a group that describes themselves as Democratic Socialists, perhaps a fringe group.
[11:10:00] But are we seeing a reaction just increasingly impassioned, just in a matter of days since this story of separating families just broke.
COLLINSON: Yes, I mean, I think that is a symbol -- that was a political group, but I think there is just talking to people -- I mean, there is a
great deal of repulsion about this policy. There is a great deal of concern not just from Democrats and long-time opponents about Donald Trump,
about what this says about the way he's changing the character of the nation. I think that's important. I would expect to see more protests and
perhaps marches coming forward.
But the question sort of is left is how is this going to change anything politically? Immigration is such a sensitive and volatile issue in the
United States. Congress has been trying to fix the immigration system for 15 years and has failed. It seems unlikely even this kind of passion will
change that political ground.
All right, Stephen Collinson, White House reporter in Washington. Thank you so much for your analysis here.
The leader of the world's Roman Catholics, he's adding his voice to the condemnation. Pope Francis told the Reuters news agency that he backs a
statement by U.S. bishops which calls family separations immoral. He also posted this tweet, quote, a person's dignity does not depend on them being
a citizen, a migrant or a refugee. Saving the life of somebody fleeing war and poverty is an act of humanity.
Now the U.S. government is using the term tender age to describe facilities where babies, infants and toddlers are being held away from their parents.
A gentle word that's only fueling further outrage over what so many are calling a policy of cruelty. These so-called tender age shelters are
located in southern Texas, in Combs, Raymondville and Brownsville. Another one is planned for Houston. Our Nick Valencia is outside the shelter and
Brownsville and he joins us live. Thanks for joining, Nick. I've never heard -- I'm an American citizen -- I've never heard the term tender-age
shelter. It's almost a surreal term. Can you explain where this has come from? It is new? What is the history here and the provenance of this
term?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Like you, this is the first time that I'm hearing about it this morning and we're trying to get clarification.
Because it seems to mean different things to different people. To the government it could be children under the age of 13, under the age of 12.
And we've also heard references to two children below the age of five years old. But for the facilities that own two of these so-called tender age
shelters, it means children under the age of 10. I'm standing outside of one those, Casa El Presidente, which that is owned by Southwest Key. They
own two of the three tender age facilities, and it's here where there are also babies, infants. And it was just a short time ago I spoke to
Congressman Filemon Vela, who's the representative in this district. He was able to get inside, get a tour. We were denied access. He was allowed
inside, and he told us what he saw.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. FILEMON VELA (D), TEXAS: You walk into a room and there are two children, one the age of 8 months, and another the age of almost one, who
is without their parent. And you begin to think and realize that this that these children that are toddlers are being held hostage by the President of
the United States. It's abhorrent. And the fact that in the United States of America in 2018 that we are allowing this to happen is really shameful,
and what we need is for the President to rescind zero-tolerance right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Let's talk numbers here in this facility behind me. 80 children, half of them have been recently separated from their parents
because of this zero-tolerance immigration policy. And according to the Democratic Congressman Vela, there is between seven and eight children
around the ages of four and five. Any tells me at least four infants -- is what he saw. Two of them that are with their teenage mothers, and the
other two who have been separated from theirs -- Ivan.
WATSON: Nick, very quickly, we rely on accounts like the Congressman there, because journalists are not being given access to these so-called
tender-age facilities.
VALENCIA: That's right. We have tried to get in ourselves. On Monday we tried to get in, and we were denied access. In fact, after this live shot
wraps up, we're going to make another attempt at getting inside -- Ivan.
WATSON: And another question for you. It does appear that there are plans for this policy to ramp up? We've had reporting that the Pentagon is
looking at housing some of these children on the military bases? What more can you tell me about that?
VALENCIA: We should give context to our audience here, Ivan. Because it's something similar that happened back in 2014. A story that I broke here on
CNN of unaccompanied minors, 60,000 of them crossing the border. They were unprepared for that kind of influx at the time, and back then in 2014 under
then President Barack Obama, children were housed at Air Force Base -- Lackland Air Force Base [11:15:00] -- here in Texas.
[11:15:00] And so, this is something that the government here in the United States has done before. This is the first time we are hearing about it
now, but overall, it's really nothing new -- Ivan.
WATSON: All right, Nick Valencia explaining some valuable context there from Texas, thank you.
Every two seconds last year one person somewhere in the world either left or lost their home. Joining the millions already displaced, we explore
that on this World Refugee Day coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WATSON: Welcome back. You are watching CNN, and this is CONNECT THE WORLD. I am Ivan Watson filling in for Becky Anderson. Welcome back.
Those heartrending scenes at the U.S. border that we've seen these last few days. And the political maneuvering thousands of miles away are not unique
to the Americas, as we well know. So much of the news over the past several weeks have been devoted to various refugee crises. Whether
Syrians, or Iraqis fleeing war and terror or young people from West Africa and elsewhere running from conflict and relentless poverty. Escape for
many is seen as the only option no matter what the cost. And the result is another record-breaking number of people displaced last year. More than 68
million in the latest U.N. figures released to mark World Refugee Day. In the Middle East, tiny Lebanon is shouldering the lions share. Ben Wedeman
is in Beirut with more on this. I mean, the burden that Lebanon has carried has been immense and it's gone on for years. Do you see any way
out for the enormous refugee population there, Ben?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Lebanon does host the largest per capita refugee population on earth. There's about 1.5 million
Syrian refugees here. About a million of them are Syrian coming from -- into this country since came 2011. The rest are mostly Palestinians who
have been here since 1948. And a lot of these refugees, the Syrian refugees in particular, is getting worse year by year according to the U.N.
in 2014.
[11:20:03] Forty-nine percent of the Syrian refugees lived below the poverty line. Last year it was 76 percent below the poverty line. Despite
that we have seen recently that some Syrian refugees are preparing to return. In fact, we were up in the northwestern part of the country where
we saw people packing up trucks ready to go back to their homes. We're expecting thousands to return in the next few days, this despite the fact
that much of their country is still wrecked by war -- Ivan.
WATSON: Let's talk about the children, for example. Do they have schools? Does the Lebanese state provide them? Is this coming from the help of the
UNHCR? Who is helping kind of absorb this huge homeless community?
WEDEMAN: Well, the international community has pitched in and tried to help through various U.N. agencies, NGOs and national aid agencies, so they
do provide funding for schools and what not. And in fact, the Lebanese state, the President of Lebanon recently said that Lebanon spent more than
$10 billion to support the refugees. In fact, Lebanese schools in many parts of the country have two shifts. In the morning there's a shift for
Lebanese students, in the afternoon it's for Syrian students.
But we were at one refugee camp, for instance, where the people there actually run a bakery, the profits for which they use to provide funding
for their own local school. So, a lot of different ways to try to support them. It is important to add that despite the burden on Lebanon, Lebanon,
unlike the United States, has never had an official policy that rips away children from their parents as they enter as is so often the case here, the
country illegally -- Ivan.
WATSON: It a good point there. Ben Wedeman, live from Beirut. Thank you very much.
It's a global problem, but the response is often anything but. In fact, just three countries received half of the world's new refugees last year,
and that's Turkey, Bangladesh and Uganda. Jan Egeland is Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council. The organization that released those
figures along with the United Nations. And it works across the globe to protect people who have been forced from their homes. Thank you for
joining the program, Mr. Egeland. You know, in a move that perhaps epitomizes the toughening approach to migration in Europe especially
Hungary's Parliament has just voted overwhelmingly to approve a law that criminalizes helping asylum-seekers and undocumented immigrants. Right
wing leader, Viktor Orban, ignoring appeals by the European Union and the U.N. and several NGOs to abandon it. What's your response to legislation
like and rhetoric that leads to this legislation, not only in Hungary but in other countries as well?
JAN EGELAND, SECRETARY-GENERAL, NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: It's very worrying what is happening now. We are living in a very cold period.
We're living in a period where European civilization is at stake. But it's not just there in Europe, the rhetoric we are getting it from decision
makers in Washington and so on is very negative. It's a basic sign of civilization that people who flee for their lives are taken in and
protected. I mean, it's can't walk on their can you go back there not just the last generation, baby Jesus fled to Egypt. It's a 2,000-year-old
tradition. And Hungary, that you mentioned, seemed to have completely forgotten that under communism, Hungarians fled, got asylum in countries
like my own, Norway. I remember well you Hungarians came here and of course, we gave them protection. So, really, we are going to fight this
because this is a battle of values.
WATSON: The Geneva Convention it guarantees right for all asylum seekers to make a case for asylum. Is that basically just an idea now? That it's
no longer legally binding for governments?
EGELAND: No, it's legally binding, and it's very important to understand that the Europeans and the North Americans were really champions of the
right of asylum after the second world war. We're Europeans. We Europeans were refugees and we found it very important to codify that in
international law.
[11:25:00] You don't have a right to migrate anywhere you want. But if you're persecuted you have a right to present your case for asylum. You
have a right to do that. And if you are persecuted you have a right to get protection until you can return home. You mention some very generous
countries. The three top ones plus Sudan. The four top ones took two thirds of all refugees worldwide. So, the other 190 nations from the
United States to Europe to China took one-third. This could be done if there's a responsibility sharing. We need to get back to that.
WATSON: You mention the generous countries. Let's talk about one that is arguably less so. The numbers of refugees the U.S. accepts has plummeted
it seems, since the start of the 2018 fiscal year last October. The U.S. resettled just 44 Syrian refugees. That's according to State Department
data. That's down from about 6,000 in the same timeframe last year. Most of whom were admitted before Trump's inauguration. And the refugee numbers
are down in general from about 45,000 in 2016, to fewer than 16,000 this fiscal year. Your response to those statistics.
EGELAND: What we lost, really, was a captain on our team for a moral and compassionate foreign policy, which is in accordance with the ideas of
Christian values, of humanistic values that both the United States and the Europeans are now not helping in this international responsibility sharing.
What we are talking about, you know, children, women, civilians, seeking protection is very worrisome. But we're not giving up. I mean, let's then
celebrate that poor countries are generous and maybe we could learn from them, Americans and Europeans should learn from Africans. I was in many
African countries and saw how generously they open their borders for what they call brothers and sisters who now need our protection.
WATSON: A potentially important lesson there. Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council, thank you very much for your thoughts.
Just ahead, as part of our coverage on World Refugee Day, we'll walk you through the day in the life of a Syrian refugee. Stay with us.
[11:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WATSON: You are watching CNN, and this is CONNECT THE WORLD. I am Ivan Watson filling in for Becky Anderson. Welcome back to the program.
The U.S. says it is walking away from the United Nations Human Rights Council. The controversy own move comes only a day after the U.N. called
Washington's separation of children from parents at the border unconscionable. The Trump administration claims the group is biased
against Israel and fails to hold human rights violators accountable. U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, did not hold back when announcing the
exit on Tuesday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKKI HALEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: For too long the Human Rights Counsel has been a protector of human rights abusers and a cesspool
of political bias. Regrettably, it is now clear that our call for reform was not heeded. Human rights abusers continue to serve on and be elected
to the council, the world's most inhumane regimes continue to escape scrutiny.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Let's bring in CNN's Oren Liebermann live in Jerusalem. Thanks for joining us, Oren. Not perhaps surprisingly, there are sharply
divergent views over there on this decision coming from Washington. The Israeli Prime Minister applauded the U.S. move and the Palestinian
Authority denounced it. Can you explain this?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of course, this is a move that very much where Israel and the U.S. see eye-to-eye. Israel has long denounced
the U.N. Human Rights Council for an anti-Israel bias. And there they're on the same page as the United States. The Trump administration had called
for reform at the Human Rights Council, accusing it have having an anti- Israel bias. Israel is the only country that a permanent item on the agenda of the Human Rights Council and they routinely passed resolutions
condemning Israel for its occupation of Palestinian territories. More so than many other nations combined. And it is that rational that Ambassador
Nikki Haley used when announcing the U.S. withdrawal from the Human Rights Council.
It is worth noting that this move isn't without precedent. Former President, George W. Bush, also refused to participate in the Human Rights
Council for this exact reason. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailing what he called a courageous decision to leave what he called the biased
organization. Meanwhile, Palestinian leaders saying this just further shows how much the U.S. is biased towards Israel. Saying it gives an
excuse or justification for the occupation and the continued violation of Palestinian rights. So, as you point out, Ivan, sharply divergent views
here.
It should also be noted, that there was only one more year for the U.S. term on the Human Rights Council, so the move is largely symbolic in that
sense. From the bigger picture, Ivan, it's the U.S. withdrawing from another international forum, whether it's the Human Rights Council, the
Transpacific Partnership, the Iran deal, the Paris Climate Accord. It's once again the U.S. going it alone.
WATSON: Yes, I think we are seeing a trend there. Oren, thank you very much, reporting live from Jerusalem.
Now back to the continuing controversy along the U.S./Mexican border where the U.S. government has drawn widespread criticism for splitting up migrant
families. The Trump administration says it is merely following the law. Our Michael Holmes takes a closer look at what the law is and how it
evolved and how it is being applied today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. immigration law is very complex, however there is no law that mandates the
separation of parents and children. So, how did we get here? Will first, there is a law against illegal entry into the United States. But what if
an entire family crosses illegally? A 1997 court ruling, called the Flores Settlement, limited the amount of time that migrant children be held in
detention for 20 days. After which they are required to be released to a parent or guardian or licensed facility.
[11:35:00] Then in 2008, a Bush administration anti-trafficking law required unaccompanied minors to be transferred out of immigration
detention within 72 hours. This law has come under scrutiny because of what been called catch and release. This is when undocumented immigrants
are released while they wait to appear before an immigration judge. Catch and release was also followed under the Obama administration.
The Trump administration saw catch and release as a loophole for illegal immigrants to enter the U.S. and stay. But under President Trump a new
zero-tolerance policy means that all adults found to have illegally crossed the border will be prosecuted. They are detained and separated from their
children as they await their day in court. The children temporarily sent to other detention centers. Michael Holmes, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON: As the debate over this zero-tolerance policy gets more intense, there is increasing anger at the U.S. capitol. Members of the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus confronted President Donald Trump as he left a meeting with House Republicans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quit separating the kids. They' separating the children. Mr. President, don't you have kids? Don't you have kids, Mr.
President?
WATSON: U.S. Congresswoman, Nanette Barragan participated in that protest. In a tweet, she accused President Trump of lying to the American people,
and she told him to end family separation. She joins us live. Congresswoman, thank you. President Trump tweeted today, quote, it's the
Democrats' fault. They won't give us the votes needed to pass good immigration legislation. They want open borders which breeds horrible
crime. Republicans want security, but I am working on something, it never ends, exclamation point.
Your response to the President's accusations.
REP. NANETTE BARRAGAN (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, the President is lying again. And that's the unfortunate part here, is he continues to lie to the
American people, which is why I told him to stop lying to the American people. There is no law that requires the separation of families. The
President alone caused this to happen. He could stop it from happening. As a matter of fact, we saw just breaking news that the Secretary of
Homeland Security was drafting an order. Well, we'd love to see that. That is the right thing to do. Stop the separation of families. We
thought it was important to confront him about it and to send a message, and the outrage that is happening across this country.
WATSON: Did you get any response from the President as you were kind of chanting things at him as he walked past?
BARRAGAN: No, he merely smiled and waved and moved right along.
WATSON: You know, the Trump administration is framing this, Congresswoman, as a law and order issue. That simply enforcing the law in a way that past
administrations did not and that's what is leading to the separation of families. How do you think the government is -- its record is so far when
it comes to implementing U.S. legal obligations when it comes to asylum seekers showing up on the border?
BARRAGAN: Well, the United States law provides that people can come here to claim asylum. They come to this country for refuge, for safety and safe
haven. Many of them are escaping violent conditions. I myself represented a woman and a child from Guatemala. They are already killed one of her
kids. They can come to this country, they can seek asylum and what we're seeing happening at the borders now, people being turned away. People not
getting the same level of really care that they should be getting when they are asylum seekers.
They are being locked up like they are criminals. And that's not what asylum laws are meant to do. These are meant to protect people and provide
a safe haven here in this country. And separating children and the parents is completely unacceptable. And we need to hear from our Republican
counterparts on this as well, that it's wrong. There's no legislation that is that needed to fix this problem. This can be solved today, right now,
if this President would just have the heart and stop this practice from happening.
WATSON: Congresswoman, President Trump appears to be stepping up his rhetoric against undocumented immigrants?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They send these people up, and they are not sending their finest. Does that sound familiar? Remember I made that speech and I was badly
criticized. Oh, it's so terrible what he said. Turned out I was 100 percent right. That's why I got elected.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: In those comments President Trump is apparently referring to a 2016 campaign speech where he called undocumented immigrants rapists and
said they were bringing crime and drugs into the U.S. Are you concerned that the President is returning to that sort of talk?
[11:40:00] BARRAGAN: I am concerned, but he has had an anti-immigration agenda from day one. Because my parents are immigrants. They came from
Mexico and their daughter became a member of the U.S. Congress. Just on Monday I went to go and look at some of these kids that are coming in
through the border, they are being separated from their families. These are good kids, and they just want an opportunity at the American dream and
want to be able to make it here. If you talk to people who run these facilities, they will tell you about the kids coming in.
And then I got to see some of the women that are being held right now waiting for asylum proceedings, some of them have not even had their
hearings. And they tell you the horrendous stories and the crime they are leaving and the gang violence they're fleeing, and in some cases, they
already killed some of their family members. And it's heartbreaking to see these moms being held in prisons and being treated like criminals. And
this President has been paining the picture that immigrants are criminals. They're not, they're good people. They're coming here for the American
dream. They're coming for safety. And that's what America is about.
WATSON: All right, representative Nanette Barragan, thank you for sharing your view from Capitol Hill.
BARRAGAN: Thank you for having me.
WATSON: Live from the CNN center, this is CONNECT THE WORD. Coming up, we'll show you how one artist illustrates his story from a refugee camp.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WATSON: On today's show we are marking World Refugee Day. There are more displaced people around the world than since records began. And it's
ordinary people who have been displaced. Left with no home and no foreseeable future. And yet they are often disparaged, viewed as an
inconvenience, simply a statistic. But refugees are teachers, they are artists, barbers, parents and sometimes they are all of them in one.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TEXT, SOURCE UNHCR: There are 25.4 million refugees around the world... More than 5 million are from Syria.
TEXT: Total population an estimated 80,000 Syrian refugees.
MOHAMED JOKHADAR, SYRIAN REFUGEE (through translator): When the revolution took place our situation in Homs became very bad. We kept moving from
place to place. We were trapped. If we stayed, we would have been destroyed. My name is Mohamed Jokhadar. I'm from Homs in Syria, I'm 32
years old.
Good morning.
(voice-over): I feel it's my duty to teach art to everyone.
[11:45:00] (on camera): Which do you want, this one or this one?
(voice-over): I teach my students the basics of art. Then I tried to get them to release their personalities through art. Ever since I was young
people always said in artists thinks differently than anyone else. Before the events in Syria took place, I used to paint everything. Beautiful
faces, smiling faces. Pieces that project hope, lovely pieces. After the events unfolded I began documenting the crimes and the situation we were
living in stories of asylum, displacement, shelling.
When I first got to Jordan I entered the Zaatari camp. And now I'm in my fifth year. You could say I felt safe here. But your country is still
your country. It's hard to look back at your home and where you used to live. My children grew up in the camp. They have no other life to compare
to. My daughter tells me we are from Syria, but she doesn't know where or what Syria is.
(on camera): Eat more.
(voice-over): I wish they could see the Syria I used to live in. The Syria that I know. But the current Syria I don't wish for them to see it.
Nobody wishes to see it.
The day after I entered the camp I bought this shop. I learned how to be a barber a long time ago. It's a means of earning a living. Nothing more
nothing less. I feel it's somewhat similar to art.
When I got here I wanted to paint. So, I designed a small corner in the shop. Young people started coming to me they were either just interested
in art or were talented and wanted to grow. I began giving them lessons, on my own account. I've always had an inclination towards art. It's
hereditary, with both me and my brother Tamer. He paints with coal.
To me, art is a message. As an artist, it's my duty to paint the truth. I paint killing, destruction, displacement -- everything. In this exact
moment where I am now my dream is to get our country back, but this is just a dream. We are never getting our country back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON: Beautifully produced report there.
Now remember, you can give help right now to people who need it most. To find out how to impact your world and make a difference, helping refugees
and others, head over to CNN.com/impact. That's CNN.com/impact. It's an incredible resource and you shouldn't miss it.
Live from CNN Center, this is CONNECT THE WORLD. We'll be right back after this short break.
[11:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WATSON: Shouting at the top of your lungs, leaping into the air, hugging anybody around you, it could only mean one thing, party after a big win at
the World Cup. All with Senegal becoming the first team from Africa to bag a win this tournament. The squad dancing after vanquishing Poland.
It's day seven of the World Cup and every game being played has a team from the Middle East taking on some football power houses. Right now, Saudi
Arabia's week is getting even worse. Currently down 1-0 down to Uruguay. And just before the show, the seemingly unstoppable Cristiano Ronaldo doing
what he does so very well, taking Portugal into the lead against Morocco. With an impressive header less than five minutes into the game. Morocco
now can't get out of its group, but others still can. In hours from now Iran where on top of Spain, set to duke it out. Soaking up all the sports
energy CNN's Mr. Fred Pleitgen. Who I think we now need to refer to as big F. Am I right? Big F, Morocco is the first team out of this tournament.
Tell me a little bit more about what is going on now.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, first of all that was always the precondition for me coming on your show, Ivan. So,
thank you for doing that. I have to say Morocco is unluckily. Because Morocco did play some very, very nice football in this tournament. First
of all, they were quite unlucky in their first game against Iran. But really over the course of that game, you know, even the Iranians would
concede that the Moroccans probably were the better squad. They got a really unlucky lone goal at the end of that game. And today, obviously up
against Ronaldo. That was going to be an uphill battle from the very beginning. But having watched that game, Ivan, I have to say the Moroccans
played really well.
They conceded that goal very early in the game with that unstoppable Ronaldo header. But they really four large parts of the game were actually
the better side I think. They really try to go on the attack. You could tell there was a sense of urgency. I was with some Moroccan fans earlier
today and they still were hoping that they might be able to pull something off. So, it really is an unlucky thing for the Moroccans, and certainly
something that is a bit sad for the tournament as a whole. Because this really was a very, very good team that played very modern, very fast
football.
Right now, as you've said, you had the Uruguayan's taking on the Saudis. In the Saudi's also a bit unlucky. They had a bit of an error from their
goalie. They conceded a goal to Suarez. So, there down 1-0. Still have a chance, but of course, Uruguay, a very, very good side -- Ivan.
WATSON: Fred, -- sorry big F -- you spent a lot of time reporting in Iran. That is a country that goes bananas over football. Are you getting any
words from friends, contacts in there, about how they are reacting with the upcoming game?
PLEITGEN: The Iranians also, Ivan, knew that they were going to have a big uphill battle. That group that there in was known as the group of death.
The Iranians obviously, you know, they were a team that had a lot of problems in the run-up to the World Cup. They obviously had the sanctions.
They didn't get cleats for their shoes from one of the main sponsors of the World Cup. So, they've had an uphill battle.
Then they had the African Champion. Obviously, they had Spain and Portugal in their group, very, very difficult. So, they understand it's going to be
a difficult World Cup for them. Then having gotten that first win has certainly uplifted the fan base. It's interesting that you ask about the
fans that we've been speaking to, the folks that we know in Iran and Iranians here. There's a lot of Iranians who came here to support their
team, and they understand that their team has very little chance of making it to the next round. But they know after that win that they got in the
first game against Morocco, if some how they managed to get a draw either against Spain or against Portugal, both very, very difficult things to do,
they might have a chance to advance to the next round. So, certainly, their dreams are still very much alive. And of course, Ivan, we know that
something that, you know, with all the political turmoil, with all the things that's have been going on, that have been going around them, it
would be so very important for that nation then -- Ivan.
WATSON: all right, Fred Pleitgen in front of Saint Basil's Cathedral, next to Red Square. Thanks so much for the update.
[11:55:00]
I'm Ivan Watson that was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you very much for watching.
END
