BEFORE WE EVEN LOOK AT THE BATTLE IN WASHINGTON WHICH KATIE
WAS JUST MENTIONING, JOSTLING
BETWEEN POLITICIANS, WE BEGIN
WITH THE TOP STORY ON THE ACTUAL
PEOPLE, THE CHILDREN SUFFERING
UNDER DONALD TRUMP’S POLICY OF
SPLITTING FAMILIES AT THE
BORDER.
BORDER. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS
LYING ABOUT THE POLICY AND
DOWNPLAYING THE DELIBERATE CHILD
ABUSE THAT OPERATES AT THE CORE.
TONIGHT I CAN TELL THROUGH IS
NEWLY LEAKED AUDIO OBTAINED BY
THE NEWS OUTLET PRO PUBLICA AND
REVEALS HOW THIS POLICY WORKS.
HOW IT SOUNDS AS THESE CHILDREN
ARE SPLIT FROM THEIR PARENTS BY
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.
NOW WHEN WE GOT THERE IN THE
NEWSROOM TODAY, WE ALL TOOK A
LITTLE BIT OF A COLLECTIVE GASP
EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THE FACTS OF
THIS THING.
THIS THING. WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO HEAR IS
DISTURBING, EVEN GUT WRENCHING.
IT IS WHAT NO PARENT WOULD EVER
WANT TO IMAGINE AND WHAT FEW, I
THINK, WOULD WANT THE U.S. TO DO
DELIBERATELY TO CHILDREN.
IT IS HARD TO LISTEN TO AND THAT
GIVES YOU SOME SENSE OF
OBVIOUSLY HOW MUCH HARDER IT
WOULD BE TO LIVE THROUGH BUT IT
IS PART OF THE FACTS TONIGHT.
IN A WAY, IT MUST BE HEARD.
BECAUSE THERE IS BRAND NEW, AS I
SAY, WE JUST GOT IT, IT IS ALSO
SEEMS LIKE THE KIND OF
DOCUMENTARY AUDIO EVIDENCE THAT
MANY IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
DON’T WANT THE NATION TO HEAR.
>> THOSE ARE THE SOUNDS OF CHILDREN CRYING FOR THEIR
PARENTS IN WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE
THE FIRST MOMENTS OF THEIR
SEPARATION UNDER THE NEW TRUMP
ORDERS.
ORDERS. AND THEN YOU CAN HEAR AGAIN,
THERE IS WE’RE AIRING IT FOR THE
FIRST TIME WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A
U.S. BORDER AGENT MOCKING THE
SOUNDS OF THOSE CHILDREN.
>> THEN A CHILD THEY DESCRIBE AS 6 YEARS OLD IS HEARD STRUGGLING
TO UNDERSTAND HER NEW REALITY
UNDER THESE ORDERS.
SHE ASKS FOR HER AUNT TO COME
PICK HER UP.
>> YOU CAN LOEHR THE SOUNDS OF
THE OTHER CHILDREN CRYING AS
THIS 6-YEAR-OLD CONTINUES TO ASK
IF HER AUNTS CAN COME AND GET
HER AND SHE TELLS THIS AGENT
THAT IS DETAINING HER THAT SHE
HAS THAT PHONE NUMBER MEMORIZED.
>> THAT IS JUST A FEW MOMENTS OF
WHAT THIS TRUMP ORDER SOUNDS
LIKE IN THE MOMENTS IT’S
ENFORCED.
ENFORCED. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS AS A
MATTER OF HUMANITY, THAT MEANS
EVERYTHING YOU JUST HEARD IS A
HUMAN BEING.
HUMAN BEING. IT COULD BE YOUR CHILD OR YOUR
FRIEND’S CHILD OR YOUR FAMILY’S
CHILD.
CHILD. BY THAT STANDARD FOR ANY PERSON,
IT’S VERY HARD TO LISTEN TO.
WHO CAN DEFEND THIS IF THIS IS
WHAT THE POLICY SOUNDS LIKE?
THIS IS WHO.
>> IT’S VERY STRONGLY THE
DEMOCRATS’ FAULT.
DEMOCRATS’ FAULT. THEY’RE REALLY OBSTRUCTIONISTS
AND THEY ARE OBSTRUCTING.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IS SO SAD.
IT’S SO SAD.
IT CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF QUICKLY,
BEAUTIFULLY.
BEAUTIFULLY. >> THEY’RE NOT PUT IN JAIL, OF
COURSE.
COURSE. THEY’RE TAKEN CARE OF.
>> I’M I’M JOINED BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE MOST AND THE
PRESIDENT AND SEW OF UNIDOS AND
MARA GAY.
MARA GAY. HEATHER, YOUR REACTION?
>> I MEAN, THAT AUDIO IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO HEAR AND NOT FEEL
OUTRAGE AND GRIEF.
I THINK THIS IS A PLOEMENT AND
WE HAVE FLOWN SINCE DONALD TRUMP
CAME DOWN THE STAIRS CALLING
MEXICANS RAPISTS AND CRIMINALS,
WE’VE KNOWN THAT WE AS AMERICAN
CITIZENS WOULD BE ON WATCH.
AND WE WOULD HAVE TO HOLD THE
BACKBONE AND THE CHARACTER OF
THIS COUNTRY.
THIS COUNTRY. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
MOMENTS.
MOMENTS. I HAVE BEEN STOPPED IN AIRPORTS,
YOU KNOW, CONTACTED ONLINE,
PEOPLE MOSTLY WOMEN, NEED TO
KNOW WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK THAT’S THE MOST
IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT WE CAN
GIVE RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS A CHOICE GIVEN BY THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. MANY MEMBERS WHO ARE SAYING
WE’RE WORRIED ABOUT THIS BUT IT
IS ABSOLUTELY WITHIN THEIR POWER
TO PASS A BILL TONIGHT AND STOP
THIS.
THIS. AND THERE ARE AN UNPRECEDENTED
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
PLOEBLIZING INTO ACTION.
THERE WILL BE ACTIONS COMING,
YOU KNOW, WITH REGULARITY,
FAMILIES EVERY DAY FAMILIES IN
THIS COUNTRY GOING DOWN TO THE
BORDER TO STAND VIGIL AND TO SAY
THAT THIS IS NOT WHO WE WANT TO
BE.
BE. THIS IS A MOMENT FOR PLIRNZ TO
SHOW WHAT OUR VALUES ARE.
WE FEEL HELPLESS IS A STRONG
FEELING THAT PEOPLE KEEP
COMMUNICATING.
COMMUNICATING. I FEEL HELPLESS, WHAT CAN I DO?
>> YOU SAY ESPECIALLY WOMEN, WHY
IS THAT?
IS THAT? >> THIS IS A MOMENT OF AWAKENED
POLITICAL ACTIVISM FROM WOMEN
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
IT HAS BEEN SINCE THE ELECTIONS,
SINCE THE ELECTION OF TRUMP AND
THE WOMEN’S MARCH.
I’M ON THE BOARD OF AN
ORGANIZATION CALLED INDIVISIBLE
WHICH MOVED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
INTO ACTION.
INTO ACTION. YOU JUST ASK ANYONE THAT’S BEEN
PREDOMINANTLY WOMEN WHO HAVE
BEEN -- IT’S A RECORD NUMBER OF
WOMEN RUNNING FOR OFFICE THIS
YEAR.
YEAR. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU LISTEN TO
THOSE TAPES.
THOSE TAPES. YOU LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES.
YOU THINK ABOUT THE THING THAT
BECOMES AN OVERARCHING PURPOSE
THAT HAVE CHILDREN AND IS TO
KEEP YOUR CHILDREN SAFE.
THE PARENTS AND FAMILIES AND
AUNTS AND UNCLE THAT’S ALREADY
RISKED EVERYTHING FOR THEIR
CHILDREN TO BRING THEM TO THE
BORDERS AND BEG FOR ASYLUM, THE
IDEA THAT ALL OF THAT WOULD BE
FOR NOT AS THEY’VE BEEN RIPPED
FROM THEIR HANDS, IT JUST GOES
TO THE CORE, I THINK, OF OUR OWN
SHARED HUMANITY.
SHARED HUMANITY. AND THIS IS A MOMENT WHEN PEOPLE
ARE STANDING UP FOR EACH OTHER
AND OUR ADMINISTRATION, THIS
ADMINISTRATION IS DOING EXACTLY
WHAT IT PROMISED.
THIS IS A WHITE NATIONALIST
AGENDA.
AGENDA. THERE IS STEPHEN MILLER AND JEFF
SESSIONS SAYING WE’RE USING THIS
AS A DETERRENT FOR MORE PEOPLE
THAT ARE NOT PART OF OUR VISION
OF AMERICA COMING INTO THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. >> YOU SAY ALL THAT AND MARA,
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE LAW
AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
LAW IS ALWAYS RECOGNIZED,
OBVIOUSLY CHILDREN DIFFERENTLY,
IS THAT THEY’RE NOT ADULTS.
THEY DON’T HAVE THE SAME
RESPONSIBILITIES.
RESPONSIBILITIES. THEY’RE VULNERABLE.
THEY’RE VULNERABLE. THEY’RE TREATED DIFFERENTLY EVEN
WHETHER THEY DO THINGS WRONG IN
JUVENILE JUSTICE.
JUVENILE JUSTICE. BUT CERTAINLY WHETHER THEY ARE
INNOCENT INDIVIDUALS CAUGHT UP
IN.
IN. AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I DO
WANT TO PLAY A LITTLE MORE OF
THIS FOR YOU TO LISTEN TO AND
WE’LL TALK ABOUT.
HOW HEARTBREAKING IS IT TO
LISTEN TO A CHILD WHO IN THESE
NEWLY LEAKED TAPES OBVIOUSLY
DOESN’T EVEN UNDERSTAND THAT
THEY’RE NOW IN LONG TERM
DETENTION SEPARATED FROM THEIR
FAMILY.
FAMILY. TAKE A LISTEN TO A LITTLE MORE.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. I’M NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT IT
MADE ME EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL
EARLIER.
EARLIER. LOOK, IT’S ONE OF THE SADDEST
MOMENTS THAT WE’VE SEEN IN A
LONG TIME.
LONG TIME. I THINK IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT
THESE IMMIGRANTS THAT ARE
COMING.
COMING. IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT US.
WE DON’T HAVE A BORDER CRISIS.
I THINK WHAT WE HAVE IS A MORAL
CRISIS AS A COUNTRY.
AND I THINK YOU’RE RIGHT.
I MEAN I THINK WE -- THE
EDITORIAL BOARD, WE SAID THIS
BEFORE.
BEFORE. THERE IS JUST AS A REMINDER.
CALL CONGRESS.
CALL CONGRESS. REGISTER VOTERS.
REGISTER VOTERS. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE
VERY WELL AND THAT TRUMP’S
TWEETS HAVE DONE VERY WELL IS
CREATE THE SENSE OF
INESTABILITY.
INESTABILITY. AS THOUGH NO ONE IS REALLY IN
CHARGE.
CHARGE. AND AS THOUGH DECISIONS DON’T
MATTER.
MATTER. AND THAT THERE AREN’T REAL
PEOPLE AT STAKE.
THIS IS A REALITY SHOW.
AND I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF
AMERICANS WHO KNOW THIS IS WRONG
AND ARE DEEPLY, YOU KNOW, FEEL
VERY STRONGLY ABOUT ACTUALLY
SOMETHING BEING DONE ABOUT IT.
BUT THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS
RELYING ON THEIR INACTION AND ON
THEIR SENSE OF HELPLESSNESS.
I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GREAT
MOMENT TO DOUBLE DOWN ON CIVIC
PARTICIPATION AND ON ALL OF THE
WAYS THAT THE DEMOCRATIC
TRADITIONS THAT ARE UNDER
ATTACK.
ATTACK. AND THAT’S HOW YOU FIGHT BACK.
THAT’S HOW YOU FIGHT FOR THE
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN. >> JANET?
>> JANET? >> WELL, WHAT YOU’RE SEEING HERE
IS IN THAT AUDIO MANIFESTING THE
POLICY OF SEPARATING FAMILIES
THAT IS IMMORAL, INHUMANE, AND
INDEFENSIBLE.
INDEFENSIBLE. AND DESPITE PRESIDENT TRUMP’S
EFFORT TO SEW CONFUSION AND TO
OUTRIGHT LIE ABOUT IT, HE AND
ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS OWN
THIS POLICY AND OWN THE POWER TO
END IT.
END IT. AND WE NEED TO MAKE THAT VERY
CLEAR.
CLEAR. WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
WHAT WE’RE SEEING PLAY OUT HERE
IS TRUCHL P’S EFFORTS HAS HE
GOES TO THE HILL AND ENGAGES
CONGRESS REALLY CARRYING OUT A
STRATEGY THAT INTENDS TO HOLD
THESE CHILDREN AS HOSTAGE FOR
CONGRESS TO GIVE HIM WHAT HE
WANTS.
WANTS. THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE
BORDER WALL AND BILLIONS MORE
DOLLARS TO CREATE A MASS
DEPORTATION FORCE.
DEPORTATION FORCE. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUSH BACK
ON THIS.
ON THIS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
CONGRESS IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND
NOT FUNDING THESE POLICIES.
>> LET ME PLAY FOR YOU SECRETARY
NEILSON TODAY FOR YOUR RESPONSE.
>> WE TAKE ALLEGATIONS OF
MISTREATMENT SERIOUSLY.
MISTREATMENT SERIOUSLY. I WANT TO STRESS THIS POINT.
WE INVESTIGATE.
WE INVESTIGATE. WE HOLD THOSE ACCOUNTABLE WHEN
AND IF IT SHOULD OCCUR.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST
DETENTION STANDARDS IN THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. CLAIMING THE CHILDREN AND THEIR
PARENTS ARE TREATED INHUMANELY
IS NOT TRUE.
>> YOUR RESPONSE?
>> WELL, SHE ALSO SAID OVER THE
WEEKEND THAT CHILDREN WEREN’T
BEING SEPARATED FROM THEIR
PARENTS.
PARENTS. SESSIONS IS SAYING THIS IS
INSPIRED BIBLICALLY AND IT’S A
DETERENT.
DETERENT. THEY’RE NOT OWNING THE POLICY.
THE REALITY IS IT LANDS SQUARELY
AT THEIR FEET.
AND THEY HAVE THE POWER TO END
IT AND WE NEED TO KEEP THE
PUBLIC PRESSURE ON.
THERE ARE SUCH BLATANT LIES AND
LIES STACKED UP AGAINST THE
ADMINISTRATION SAYING IT IS A
DETERRENT.
DETERRENT. THEY SAY THIS IS A THING THEY’RE
REALLY DOING ON PURPOSE.
>> WE HEARD REPORTS FOR MONTHS
NOW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO
THIS.
THIS. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER
WAY, A SERIES OF ANTI-IMMIGRANT
STANCES TOOKT VAT THEIR BASE
WHICH YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER
DONALD TRUMP’S ENTIRE CAMPAIGN
IS REALLY ORGANIZED AROUND THIS
ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC THAT CON
FLATS ANYONE WHO CROSSES THE
BORDER WITH THE KIND OF CRIMINAL
WHO WOULD BE AN MFRMENT S 13
GANG RAPE.
GANG RAPE. THAT IS THE RHETORICAL MOVE HE
MAKES.
MAKES. PARTD OF HIS STRATEGY IS TO MAKE
US FEEL LIKE WE’RE HELPLESS.
THAT’S WHAT WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN
STOPPINGING ME ON THE STREET
HAVE SAID.
HAVE SAID. WE FEEL HELPLESS.
THERE IS A WEBSITE,
FAMILIESBELONGTOGETHER.ORG THAT
FAMILIESBELONGTOGETHER.ORG THAT HAS BEEN TRENDING FOR A WEEK
NOW.
NOW. I THINK LATER ON TODAY THERE IS
A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT A HUGE
ACTION THAT EVERY DAY AMERICANS
CAN TAKE PLACE -- CAN TAKE PART
ON JANUARY -- JUNE 30th.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS
LIKE THE MUSLIM BAN HERE IN NEW
YORK WHERE PEOPLE JUST WANTED TO
GO STRAIGHT TO THE AIRPORTS.
PEOPLE WANT TO GO TO THE SITE OF
THE PAIN AND BEAR WITNESS AS
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE.
AND ALSO JUST SAY THERE IS NOT
WHO WE WANT TO BE.
I THINK IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE REMEMBER WE DO HAVE THE
POWER AND THERE ARE GREAT
ORGANIZATIONS HELPING MAKE SURE