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CNN NEWSROOM

Hurricane Irma Gain Strength as it Approaches U.S.; Tensions with North Korea Never Rested; Trump Criticized for Rescinding DACA; North Korea Provokes More U.S. and its Allies; Rohingya Muslims Flee for Their Life; DACA Children Fights for Their Rights; Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Won Lawsuit Over French Magazine. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired September 6, 2017 - 03:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00] ROSEMARY CHURCH, HOST, CNN: Bracing for Irma. Dozens of Caribbean islands in the path of one of the most powerful hurricanes in recorded history.

North Korea promises what it called more gifts for the United States with new evidence, the regime could be preparing for another missile launch.

And the fight over DACA the next legal and political moves after the White House announces an end to a program that protected children of undocumented immigrants.

Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church and this is CNN Newsroom.

Hurricane Irma is now one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Atlantic and it's getting stronger. The category five storm is being called potentially catastrophic with sustained winds of almost 300 kilometers per hour. Right now Irma is drenching Antigua and Barbuda with rain and high winds.

Now this satellite image shows just what a monster Irma is. Look at this. The White House has issued emergency declarations for Florida and Puerto Rico and for the U.S. Virgin Islands where a 36 hour curfew has also just been imposed. Now residents of Puerto Rico are bracing for the storm boarding up doors and windows earlier, the governor spoke to CNN about those preparations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICARDO ANTONIO ROSSELLO, GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO: We have identified 460 shelters. We've worked with the municipalities to make sure that citizens are aware. This after noon we started a deployment strategy, emergency deployment strategy particularly for those areas that would feel severe flooding and would be hampered due to weak infrastructure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The U.S. National Hurricane Center says reparations should be rushed to completion lines wrapped around this store in Florida Tuesday, people stocking up on supplies just in case Irma collides with the states.

Now our George Howell is live in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He joins us now. Good to see you, George. What is the situation on the ground right now, and of course, what are authorities telling people they need to do at this time?

GEORGE HOWELL, HOST, CNN: Rosemary, good to be with you. So the winds are starting to pick up here in Puerto Rico. You do get a sense of what's to come. You can't see it out here in the dark. But I'm looking at the ocean. You can see that the waters quite choppy, getting more choppy hour by hour, as the storm moves closer and closer here to this U.S. territory.

You mentioned Barbuda so we understand that island is already starting to feel the eye of the storm so already feeling the impact there the U.S. Virgin Islands that territory. Also, the governor there has ordered a 36 hour curfew. And no flights out of that island until further notice.

And then up on deck San Juan, Puerto Rico this island, we understand that the governor here has declared a state of emergency, Rosemary, has activated the National Guard. This island will receive federal aid. That is important when you consider the backdrop you keep in mind this is an island that has been dealing with a great deal of debt $70 billion in debt.

So many are concerned about what it would look like Puerto Ricans to rebuild after something that quite frankly has not been seen on this island, has not been seen in the Atlantic. This is an unprecedented storm that is moving this way, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes. And of course, who would pay for that. That's a big question too, isn't it? So, George, how concerned are people right now about this approaching hurricane with its historic proportions and how prepared do they feel lay out, what they been telling you?

HOWELL: Right. So we do understand that there is a great deal of preparation. So just to the east on the eastern side of this island there's been a voluntary evacuation. Voluntary, but I do say that officials have been urging people strongly to seek higher ground to get the safer shelters that has been happening.

Also you touched on this, about some 456 shelters have been open throughout the island for people to the seek cover. Again we'll start to feel the effects here the conditions to deteriorate Wednesday afternoon right after noon right after 2 PM. We should start feeling the winds get stronger and stronger.

[03:05:02] As we understand it and our meteorologist can explain it better, but we may be to the southern side of the storm so the impact not quite as strong as it could have been. Had this been direct impact on this island.

But again, winds it stronger and stronger as we understand it in our meteorologist can explain it better, but we may be to the southern side of the storm so the impact not quite as strong as it could've been. Had this been direct impact on this island, but again these storms, they wobble they shift. It's still unclear exactly what will happen, so, Rosemary, it is a simply a matter of wait and see.

CHURCH: Yes, certainly very hard to predict the path. George Howell joining us there from Puerto Rico, where it is just after three in the morning. Do stay safe my friend. I appreciate that live report.

Well, meteorologist Pedram Javaheri is tracking Irma's path and he joins us now from the international weather center with all the details. Pedram, how bad is this going to be for those in Irma's path and of course, particularly those who live on the small islands.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, METEOROLOGIST, CNN: Yes. You know, it's so easy to see this satellite imagery, Rosemary, and conceptualize and visualize exactly how large the eye is in relation to some of these islands.

And in fact, these islands the vast majority of them have very little to no elevation gain within the terrain really are consisting entirely of each doing a low-lying stone cliffs of the very best. So, flat terrain storm surge upwards of say 5 to 10 meters and some areas forecast up to 20 meters so this is going to be devastation across this region.

In fact, going right over Barbuda in the last few hours across this region and a northern tip of this, I want to show you the wind observations really fascinating perspective I've seen. The storm produce a wind gust of 155 miles per hour which was about 290 kilometers per hour and then look at the eye, as it crosses the eye the winds literally die within six minutes from 1 o'clock in the morning to 1.06 in the morning, going from a category 5 to zero miles per hour.

That's what happens when you cross into an eye precisely what is happening across portions of Barbuda. Anguilla is the next in line. Population there of 15,000 people. They look to be directly in the path of one of the strongest storms we've ever observed in the Atlantic Ocean.

And you can see the forecast track by later Wednesday. We think it will skirl the northern tip of Puerto Rico as George is alluding to the eastern side or the right side of these storms is far worse as it relates to winds then the southern side.

And so that is essentially the best place you can be if you are to be one of category five would be in places around Puerto Rico because the storm will have the highest wind tracking to the north. And Turks and Caicos will be in direct path of the storm.

Eventually the Bahamas we think Cuba has the highest likelihood here on impact, and of course the storm surge which is one deadliest aspect of any tropical feature is going to be really life-threatening to say the least across some of these island that have very little elevation to work with.

But notice the track takes it out towards Cuba. We think that will be Saturday morning. Beyond this is where we have some of discrepancies on this but regardless, we are category 4 to 5 is a possibility across Cuba and that would put it in an area where especially it would be uninhabitable for weeks or months when it makes landfall.

And Rosemary, the track again once you go to Saturday. There a several variability between this, the least likelihood would be the western side of this into the Gulf, the best likelihood they're around say central Florida maybe even on the East Coast. And at this point it does not look like the United States could escape the storm system which is by virtue of house lining up.

CHURCH: Yes. It doesn't look that way and of course that's satellite picture of Irma just terrifying.

JAVAHERI: Yes, it is.

CHURCH: All right. Certainly packing a punch there. Pedram, thank you so much for taking the story up. We appreciate it.

JAVAHERI: Thank you.

CHURCH: We turn now to North Korea and it is leveling new threats at the United States, but a flurry of diplomatic activity is underway right now in a Russian city not far from the North Korean border.

CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is in Seoul, South Korea with the very latest, she joins us now live. So, Kristie, how much hope is there that these diplomatic efforts can ultimately contain the nuclear threat posed by North Korea?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, CNN: Rosemary, unfortunately, there is a deficit of given just a vast array of options that are out there from economic sanctions, fuel embargo, dialogue, military pressure, peace for freeze, and a complete lack of international agreement on which path to take forward in order to response and to deter North Korea especially after its latest nuclear test at the weekend.

Now a lot of this is being lashed out in Russia. The Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting an economic summit right now in Vladivostok. North Korea is of course high on the agenda there.

And after meeting with the leader of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, the Russian president said that only dialogue would yield progress against Pyongyang's nuclear program. Mr. Moon says if Kim Jong-un doesn't stop his provocations the situations on Korean Peninsula will become uncontrollable.

I mean, Mr. Putin is warning new U.S. sanctions against Pyongyang won't work and North Koreans would sooner eat grass than give up the nuclear program. But the U.S. is hoping for a vote next week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: If you look at North Korea now the reasons we're pushing for so many sanctions, you know, do we think more sanctions are going to work on North Korea? Not necessarily. [03:10:06] But what does it do? It cuts off the revenue that allows

them to build ballistic missiles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: Now North Korean U.N. ambassador has a harsh new warning for the U.S. on Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAN TAE-SONG, NORTH KOREAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: The recent self-defense measures by my country, DPRK, are a gift package addressed to none other than the U.S. The U.S. will receive more gift packages from my country as long as it relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on the DPRK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: Now meanwhile, the North Korean crisis is driving down stock prices. We got a quick check of the Asia-Pacific region it shows that markets are lower across the board. And in the United States the Dow fell from 234 points on Tuesday.

North Korea meanwhile could be getting ready to test launch another missile this weekend as the country celebrate its foundation day.

CNN's Ian Lee joins me here in Seoul for the latest. And Ian, I know you're closely watching events of Vladivostok in that regional economic summit where a number of the key players involved in the nuclear standoff are talking. What is the latest on South Korea's position when it comes to dealing with North Korea and how much common ground is there between South Korea and Russia?

IAN LEE, INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, Kristie, both presidents gave a press conference in which they express their views. We heard from Russian President Vladimir Putin saying that the countries involved in this crisis shouldn't get emotional, and they shouldn't try to back North Korea into a corner.

Russia has been talking about dialogue and they have said from the beginning that they don't believe sanctions are going to bring out a positive solution to this crisis. Saying that only dialogue, diplomacy is the way forward.

But President Moon, you know, he also said that he appreciates Russia's support for trying to bring about a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. He also said that, you know, he appreciates Russia's stance on this concept and he believes that together they can work to create a better future and in the future date maybe even bring in the North Koreans on economic progress and economic development in this region.

But this nuclear issue is the cloud hanging over this economic summit and when it comes down to what the path is for both leaders aren't really seeing eye to eye. We have the South Koreans who were talking about a strong show of military force. We had ongoing of these military exercises. And right now the South Korean Navy is carrying out those exercises.

And they've also talked about isolating North Korea. You know, the interesting things that Vladimir Putin did say was that he thinks that it could be impossible to solve this crisis.

STOUT: You know, there in Vladivostok is Prime Minister Abe and we're waiting for news to come out of any meeting involving Abe and President Moon, as well as the host of the summit, Vladimir Putin.

Now we leave it at that. Ian Lee reporting live from Seoul. Thank you. And still ahead this hour we will go live to CNN's Frederik Pleitgen. He is there in Vladivostok and he'll give us an on the ground update of the diplomatic efforts there.

But right now let's go back to Rosemary Church in Atlanta. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Thanks so much, Kristie. 'll talk to you soon.

America's DREAMers are at the mercy of Congress right now although President Trump seem to think of that decision only hours later. We'll explain. That's next. And we'll hear from one of the hundreds of thousands of DREAMers who now face an uncertain future.

We're back in just a moment.

[03:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. The U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to end the so-called DREAMers program. It protected some 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the country as children shielding them from deportation and authorizing them to work.

Thousands have protested the move across the country with students and one high school in Phoenix, Arizona staging a defiant walkout. Just hours after sending his attorney general allowed to make a stern announcement Trump tempered his decision, saying he would visit or revisit the issue if Congress can't fix it within six months.

House Speaker Paul Ryan issued an optimistic statement saying this. "It is my hope that the House and Senate with the president's leadership will be able to find consensus on a permanent legislative solution that includes ensuring that those who have done nothing wrong can still contribute as a valued part of this great country."

The democratic leaders slammed the decision one lawmaker saying this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH CROWLEY, (D) UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: It is increasing world that we're living in today that these young lives these cultural Americans and their lives would upended in this way. The notion or idea that after six months that DACA program will end that they somehow will have to deport themselves or be deported not knowing their homeland, not knowing their relatives not having visited there since they were brought here as young children or as babies. It's just immoral and unconscionable. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Our Jim Acosta has details now on what the president is on doing and who will be affected.

JIM ACOSTA, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN: With the young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children known as the DREAMers. It could be a nightmare. The Trump administration is terminating the Obama era policy that shielded the DREAMers from being deported.

The White House and Attorney General Jeff Sessions are fierce immigration hardliners in the Senate to make an announcement that sounded tailor-made for the president's political baits.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF SESSIONS, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL: To have a lawful system of immigration that serves the national interest. We cannot admit everyone who would like to come. It's just that simple. That would be an open borders policy and the American people have rightly rejected that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Instead the same president who claimed he loved the DREAMers...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We love the DREAMers. We love everybody.

We are going to deal DACA with heart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: ... released a statement, "My highest duty is to defend the American people and the Constitution of the United States of America. At the same time I do not favor punishing children. Most of whom are now adults for the actions of their parents. But we must also recognize that we are a nation of opportunity because we are a nation of laws."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Why is the president not some out and make this announcement himself today? Why did he leave it to his attorney general? It's his decision. These kids and their lives are on the line because of what he's doing.

(CROSSTALK)

SARAH HUCKABEE-SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It's in large part a big part of the legal process. This was being illegal. But I think just about every legal expert that you can find in the country. (END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Late in the day the president finally weighed in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, I have a great heart for the folks that we're talking about. A great love for that. And people think in terms of children but they're really young adults. I have a love for these people and hopefully now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly.

And I can tell you in speaking with members of Congress they want to be able to do something and do it right. And really we have no choice. We have to be able to do something and I think it's going to work out very well. And long-term it's going to be the right solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The White House is pressing Congress still has six months to pass it fixed to protect the nearly 800,000 DREAMers and that no immigrant in the program will be impacted before March.

[03:20:03] But for the president decide the DREAMer fix he wants something in return, such as the wall.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: You're saying that we're going to allow the DREAMers to stay in this country we want a wall? Is that accurate?

SANDERS: I don't think that the president has been shy about the fact that he wants a wall and certainly something that he feels is an important part of a responsible immigration reform package.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Democrats are already balking at that questioning the president's motives noting he pardoned Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio who was convicted in federal court for defying a judge's order to stop profiling Latinos. Not to mention Mr. Trump's past statements about Mexican immigrants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists and some I assume are good people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Here's opposition to the president's plan is coming in from all sides from a member of the president's own diversity Council.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAVIER PALOMAREZ, PRESIDENT AND CEO, U.S. HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: I am resigning right now from that council. I don't see the point in continuing to try to work with people that clearly don't see this issue the way I do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The former President Obama who said in a statement, "To target these young people is wrong because they have done nothing wrong. It is self-defeating because they want to start new businesses, staff or lab, serve in our military, and otherwise, contribute to the country we love. And it is cruel."

Now that it's in the hands of Congress the question is, do they have time to fix this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today they say we're up to six months. Calculations of six months is to March 5th, so we plenty of time, right? Not by Senate saying which we don't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The Trump administration is not offering much comfort to DREAMers who handed over their personal contact information to the Department of Homeland Security when they receive protection from deportation. Administration officials say that information could be used by immigration authorities if and when they start carrying out this policy.

Jim Acosta, CNN, the White House.

CHURCH: Some 800,000 DREAMers find themselves in legal limbo at the moment and my next guest is one of them. Ambar Pinto is a DREAMer and also an activist with United we dream. She joins me now. Ambar, thank you so much for being with us.

AMBAR PINTO, UNDOCUMENTED YOUNG IMMIGRANT: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: Now we know of course that you were 12 years old when your parents brought you to the United States from Bolivia. What was your reaction when you heard Attorney General Jeff Sessions formally announce the end of the DREAMer program called DACA and just how worried that you feel yourself and all the other young people affected by this decision?

PINTO: Yes, absolutely. Thank you for having me tonight. As an undocumented immigrant and a DACA beneficiary the announcement today was cruel. There was no necessity to this program has allowed over 800,000 immigrant just like myself to live a life without the protection. We can see that this administration sides with white supremacy once again, and to terrorize immigrant youth that myself and families and communities.

CHURCH: So what does this mean for you and all the other DREAMers, what advice are you giving and how do you plan to fight this decision?

PINTO: Yes, so DACA had been able to get me really from deportation most importantly and not just driver's license. The opportunity to pursue my career and get a job that pays me from what I'm worth and gives me access to healthcare which everything going individuals to have.

Not having DACA will mean that we will again be at risk of deportation, right, 800,000 youth people will be interrupted and their life had been there no more for five years. We, this white supremacy agency is trying to put people like me and my family back in the shadows.

But we're here to say we're going to take the street. We're going to have moments to heal together and come together but we will take back to streets and we will win like we have been done before.

CHURCH: Does it give you any hope at all knowing that Congress now has six months to come up with legislation that will fix DACA. And President Trump tweeted that if Congress can't do that he will revisit the issue?

PINTO: We know that Congress in the past hasn't been able to pass permanent legislative solution for undocumented immigrant families. If President Trump really wanted to protect people like myself he would have left the job -- he would have let the program intact while Congress would have worked into enacting something.

The fact that he just tweeted about this it's psychological abuse because you are messing the lives of 800,000 immigrant youth and not only themselves like me, but my family and my parents, my communities, my friends and my loved ones.

So we will fight. We will lobby. We would do everything that is in our power to ensure that Congress understands the importance and the time sensitive -- how time sensitive it is to act and pass a permanent solution.

[03:25:09] CHURCH: And Ambar, just finally, why do you think the Trump Administration is getting rid of DACA at this time?

PINTO: The administration has been running on a white supremacist agenda since they were trying to -- since election, since he was a nominee running to be a president. It was the promise that he made. And again, I don't know if he realized the impact that he had on the country on American youth like myself.

He's doing it as a promise, he's siding with white supremacy and he's allowing people like Jeff Sessions who has made a career out of criminalizing people like myself, immigrant youth and immigrants as a whole, right, as a whole community.

And that's the reason why he's making the decision, because again, once again, he wants to side white supremacy.

CHURCH: Ambar Pinto, thank you so much for sharing your perspective on this matter. We do appreciate it.

PINTO: Thank you so much for having me tonight. CHURCH: And another young DREAMer is already challenging the

president's moving court. Hours after announcement Martin Mattia Vidal (Ph) amended a lawsuit he filed last year. Now he argues the latest decision violates the U.S. Constitution.

Eight hundred thousand people will be affected by the end of the immigration program. A quarter of the DACA recipients live in California, New York, and Washington are among several states vowing to oppose the president's action in court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW CUOMO, GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK: President Trump is talking about DACA and rescinding DACA which is just feeding the beast of bigotry read meat. That's all this is about. And Danny's example and my father's example says you stand up and you fight this fight now because it's because it's easy but it's tough.

(APPLAUSE)

JAY INSLEE, GOVERNOR OF WASHINGTON STATE: Well, the president is pulling the rug out from underneath our young neighbors is inhuman, it's unconscionable and it really damages the American dream. These DREAMers are called the DREAMers for a reason. They came here through no fault of their own. They're building our businesses, they're going to college, they're graduating from high school, they're being good employees and it's wrong to pull these dreams away from them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And though President Trump has urge U.S. lawmakers to replace the program within six months Congress hasn't been able to pass any major legislation since he took office.

We'll take a short break but still to come on CNN Newsroom, adding insult to injury. DACA DREAMers left with little after hurricane Harvey and now wondering if their days in the U.S. are numbered.

Plus, South Korea's president visits Russia with the nuclear threat from Pyongyang high on the agenda. We will go to live to Vladivostok for the latest.

And we take you to the Korean demilitarized zone where a long time resident tells us she's the most concerned she's been in decades.

We are back in just a moment.

[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, HOST, CNN: A very warm welcome back to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

I want to update you on the main stores we've been following his hour.

North Korean state media say Sunday's nuclear test proves the country's will blow up the U.S. mainland and annihilate Americans. Spy satellites appear to show Pyongyang moving a large ballistic missile into position along the coast, analysts say another test launch could come anytime.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he will revisit a controversial immigration program if Congress does not fix it within six months. Earlier, his attorney general declared DACA unconstitutional and canceled the program, which protected 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children.

Hurricane Irma is soaking the Caribbean islands of Barbuda and Antigua with heavy rains right now and is expected to hit Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Wednesday. Irma is days away from a possible landfall in Florida. The people they are heeding a recommendation from the U.S. National Hurricane Center to complete preparations ahead of that monstrous storm.

Well, Irma is churning towards the U.S. less than two weeks after hurricane Harvey slammed the shore. Authorities in Texas have just updated the death toll from that storm to 57. Property damage could eventually go as high as $75 billion.

While victim struggled to recover some undocumented immigrants impacted by Harvey have been hit with another blow.

Our Ed Lavandera reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DIANA PLATAS, DREAMER: When I saw the water lines on our wall it brought tears to my eyes.

ED LAVANDERA, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: For days Diana Platas and her family have stuck most of their belongings in a pile of trash. Nearly 5 feet of floodwaters destroyed their Houston home.

PLATAS: When we open the cabinet there were cold water.

LAVANDERA: Then she says a second tragedy struck when the Trump administration announced it would start ending the DACA program. Platas a 19-year-old DREAMer couldn't believe it.

PLATAS: DACA is one of my only salvation i these moments because my parents are going to need my support, they are going to need my help in times like this. And losing it is going to be very devastating. It's going to be another emotional wreak for us.

LAVANDERA: Platas is the daughter of undocumented immigrants from Mexico brought to the U.S. at age 2. She's a college junior studying political science in hopes of becoming a lawyer. But that she cleans up the idea of being deported now haunts her.

PLATAS: This is my home is all I know. I don't know anything else.

LAVANDERA: There are tens of thousands of DREAMers in the Houston area making their mark in the aftermath of hurricane Harvey, some saving lives like Jesus Contreras, a paramedic who work six days straight rescuing flood victims. Alonzo Guian (Ph), a DREAMer volunteer drowned trying to rescue others after the storm.

And groups of DREAMers like Scarlet Velasquez (Ph) who came from Honduras at age 5 have spent days cleaning their neighbors flooded homes and starting to reveal.

White House officials say President Trump who promised to treat DREAMers with compassion wrestled with the decision. But Velasquez doesn't see the compassion when the fear of deportation to a country she scarcely remembers looms over her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm really grateful for just everyone that has been supportive and has said that, you know, has I guess they have our back. So at the end of the end it's OK. My only thing is that it's not over, yes, it might have been the DACA but we're still not going to stop fighting for it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's more than a punch that it got...

LAVANDERA: Artemio Muniz with the Texas Federation of Hispanic Republicans says the actions of DREAMers across Houston should motivate lawmakers to protect these immigrants.

ARTEMIO MUNIZ, CHAIRMAN, FEDERATION OF HISPANIC REPUBLICANS: These guys are working, they're contributing. They're not committing crimes and what else do you want in an American?

LAVANDERA: In her flooded out home Diana Platas did salvage a piece of cherished art work that now carries even greater significance.

PLATAS: It's a little promising like, you know, when they were going to grow up and we're not going to be there anymore but these are my hands and I'm going to leave my fingerprint everywhere in this house, so.

LAVANDERA: That's even more poignant than now.

PLATAS: Yes, it is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:35:01] LAVANDERA: Ed Lavandera, CNN, Houston.

CHURCH: Some tough stories to tell there. I want to shift to North Korea now and the nuclear tensions growing by the day of course. There is a new diplomatic push underway right now in Russia.

And CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is following the latest developments from Seoul in South Korea and the region and indeed the world right on the edge watching what North Korea has in store.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, CNN: Absolutely, Rosemary. North Koreans they're celebrating what they called foundation day this Saturday. And if history is any guide that is when to watch. It can be the day for a headline making display of their ever advanced military and nuclear technology.

Spy satellite show that Pyongyang is moving a large missile to the coast ahead a possible launch this weekend.

Meanwhile, the South Korean President, Moon Jae-in is meeting with Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia trying to find a peaceful solution to this nuclear crisis.

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen is there in Vladivostok and he joins us now live. And Fred, it's interesting to hear the language coming from Vladimir Putin, on one hand he's calling for dialogue, but now he's seeing from Vladivostok that the North Korean situation maybe, quote, "impossible to resolve."

So, does Putin believe that there is a solution to the standoff?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: It's interesting with the two leaders meeting, Kristie, you certainly have them seeing eye to eye on many parts of this crisis, but then also in some very fundamental point you know there are (TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY) obviously the North Koreans they want a very strong line towards the North Koreans.

They are saying that look at the bottom line they appreciate what the Russians are doing, but they also say the bottom line has to be North Korea is not allowed to have any nukes. That is certainly something that the Russians are saying as well, but the Russians are saying all of that needs to come through negotiations and the U.S. needs to be part of that, and obviously South Korea as well.

And you're right, Vladimir Putin did say that if there weren't any negotiations if this was not solve diplomatically then he believes that there is no solution or there may be no solution.

Here is what he had to say.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We understand that to resolve the Korean Peninsula easier just by introducing sections -- sanctions and pressure is not enough. I wish you not be emotional and push Korea in the corner. We should be cold-blooded and we should avoid steps to escalate the tension.

Without political and diplomatic levels this situation will not be -- it will be very difficult to resolve and I think even impossible to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: It's obviously, Kristie at this point and the South Koreans are trying to get all the nations here in this region to support them. Of course, Russia is very key in that. Also having a border with North Korea, also having some influence with North Korea as well. China also very important.

But of course to the South Koreans the U.S. is very important as well. And we have heard that they are talking about potentially purchasing additional weapons also putting additional American weapons into South Korea and that's where they clash with Moscow because that's something that the Russians certainly don't want. They don't want to additional U.S. assets here in the sphere.

And one of the things that we've been talking so much about around this nuclear crisis with North Korea but also vis-a-vis the Russians is that they are very averse to those missile interceptors. Those THAAD rockets that something the Russians keep talking about.

And really on the sidelines of this entire conflict that's been going on around the nuclear program of North Korea. The Russians have also said look if the U.S. is going to put more of these interceptors hearing to this theater. We might have to increase our missile presents as well. And that certainly would be an escalation on another front, that nobody at this point really wants, Kristie.

STOUT: There in Vladivostok, Fred, have you been hearing any talk of from the Russians of revival of the freeze for freeze program is that still on the table.

PLEITGEN: Yes. It certainly still on the table and the Russians have said that they do see eye to eye very much with the Chinese on that matter. Obviously, about Vladimir Putin just last night came back from that summit in China where both Russia and China reiterated that they believe that the only way forward is that freeze for freeze or double freeze as they like to call it way forward, that they've been pointing out with they say look, on the one hand, the U.S. should stop military maneuvers here in the Pacific area with its allies, or at least cuts down on them.

Also move some assets out of the area and in return North Korea should freeze both its ballistic missile, as well as the nuclear program. Of course they say it's a lot more complicated by than that. But of course those are just the nuts and bolts of everything.

But we've also heard of course, from a Nikki Haley, America's Ambassador to the United Nations calling that plan an insult, saying that would absolutely not happen while North Korea is pointing nuclear weapons could be pointing nuclear weapons at the United States.

[03:39:59] The Russians take a very different line. They say look, here in this region it's so important to try and solve this diplomatically because nobody here wants a nuclear stand up or even worse a nuclear armed conflict here in this region, Kristie.

STOUT: Fred Pleitgen reporting live for us from Vladivostok. Thank you, Fred.

South Koreans have double threats from the northern maybe for some of their neighbor it's just a few hundred meters away.

Our Paula Hancocks takes us to a small village in the Korean demilitarize zone where life is filled with curfews, checkpoints and constant propaganda.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Top class in a local village school today it's all about making felt back they're seeing could be anywhere in the world. It just so happen to be on North Korea's doorstep.

Taesung is the only South Korean village within the DMZ the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. North Korea sits about 500 meters away from this village at its closest points. So residents here really do feel any increase in tension far more than anybody in the rest of the country.

And another thing they have to deal with 24 hours a day some of the residents are telling me is this propaganda broadcast coming from North Korea. All of the hands I'm told have special sound proofing, very thick walls to try to give them some kind of respite from the 24/7 broadcast.

A 197 people living Taesung also known as freedom village mostly famers who need the South Korean military escort every time they go to their fields, one step too far and they're in the north.

Very few residents want to talk on camera saying the situation is too tense. Chu Yung Suk (Ph) who runs the one restaurant in the village tells me this is the most concern she's been in 38 years of living here.

"Although the North was threatening Guam," she says, "we still see this as quite negative." We lock outdoors at night now which we never did before. Only residents are allowed in checkpoints in the nightly curfew with midnight part of the daily routine.

As our regular evacuation drills to the village shelter soaked with gas masks and emergency supplies. The propaganda war between the two Koreas is not settled here. Each slide increasing the size of their flag poles over the years. North Korea is currently in the lead with the pole of 165 meters.

There have been two abductions of Taesung residents by North Korean soldiers over past decades but no one is thinking of leaving amidst the soldiers, the mines, the incessant propaganda music. This is still home.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Taesung village in the DMZ.

LEMON: There you have it a portrait of life on the doorstep of North Korea. Let's go back now to my colleague Rosemary Church in Atlanta.

CHURCH: Thanks so much, Kristie. I appreciate that.

Well, tens of thousands of desperate Rohingya Muslims are crossing the border into Bangladesh as the crisis in Myanmar escalate. The latest still to come.

Plus, Pope Francis comes with a message of peace to a country still deeply divided after half a century of civil war.

We're back in a moment.

[03:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Myanmar will allow Turkey to deliver a thousand tons of food and clothing to Rohingya Muslims who will fled violence in Rakhine State.

Now the country faces mounting international pressure for failing to help the ethnic Muslim minority. This is the view in Jakarta, Indonesia right now. A large group of Muslim demonstrators denouncing the violence against the Rohingya and we've seen same more protest in other cities over the last few days.

Now the U.N. is also calling on Myanmar to put an end to the escalating crisis that's causing the Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has that story.

NICK PATON WALSH, INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Desperate last dash to sanctuary and her families leaving towards homes and death behind. The Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar are stateless ethnic minority often called the most persecuted people on earth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): They are beating us shooting at us and hacking our people to death. Many women were rape and killed.

WALSH: Four hundred people have been killed says state media and the U.N. has declared nearly 125,000 Rohingya that fled across this border into neighboring Bangladesh in just 10 days after Myanmar soldiers and Rohingya militants escalated to what's fast becoming rules.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We were tortured by the military and their accomplishes. We have to flee to save our lives. Last Friday the military killed five people in our area. One of them was my son, they were tortured to death. Our house was set on fire. We lost everything there.

WALSH: We can't verify the stories ourselves and the office of Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi didn't reply to request for comment.

Exit journey only slightly less powerless than the help they leave behind. Many in Myanmar simply don't want them there so their homes are burned fleeing gun fire with their lives and families on their backs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We had to walk long way. We had to cross hills, mushes and muddy fields to make the journey to the Bangladesh border.

WALSH: But sometimes it's the crossing that kills them. Twelve children and eight women drowning when their boat was capsize but even then they didn't find solace. Bangladesh has forced a thousand to go back to Myanmar in just the last week. And staggering 20,000 are caught in limbo in a no man's land in the border without food or water.

Myanmar has the years being unfriendly to the Rohingya but the explosion violence comes from Myanmar soldiers doing what they say are clearance operations against quote, "extremist terrorists" who they blame for attacking other ethnicities.

In turn the Rohingya have admitted using their militants to attack police killing 12 a week ago, but in the defense of Rohingya rights. Mothers are force to flee but also to leave their sons behind to fight.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I sent my son to fight. I'm leaving him at the hand of the almighty Allah. We are ready to face any situation.

WALSH: An unwelcoming void ahead of them, ashes and agony behind.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN.

CHURCH: And Myanmar's de facto leader is breaking her silence on the fate of persecuted Rohingya Muslims. State counsel Aung San Suu Kyi hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday amid growing criticism. But in a phone call with Turkey's president she said her government was working to protect the rights of the ethnic minority. Ms. Suu Kyi also said a lot of misinformation was being spread to promote the interests of the terrorists.

The Nobel laureate has come under fire in recent days for failing to openly support the Rohingya.

Well, a little over two hours from now Pope Francis leaves Rome and heads to Columbia. His multicity visit comes at a crucial time. The country is sorting out its peace process with Marxist rebels.

The deal ended half a century of war but left the country visually divided.

John Allen is in Rome following the pope's visit. He is CNN's senior Vatican analyst and editor of Cracks an independent web site covering Catholicism. John, good to have you with us.

So, given the...

(CROSSTALK)

JOHN ALLEN, SENIOR VATICAN ANALYST, CNN: Hi, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So given the multitude of troubles plaguing the world right now why has Pope Francis chosen to tackle the problems facing Columbia? What's he hoping to achieve on this five day trip?

[03:50:01] ALLEN: Well, of course papal trips are planned well in advance, so it wasn't like he decided last week. There was something happening in Columbia that required his attention. In fact, Pope Francis has been an active supporter and even a participant in the long running peace process in Columbia for quite a while.

He engaged in some telephone diplomacy with President Juan Manuel Santos of Columbia in many points along the way. But the high wire act for him on this trip, Rosemary, you know, he wants to promote peace and national reconciliation. And yet, as you say right now Colombians are anything but reconciled.

In fact, this peace agreement with the two main rebel groups the FARC and now the ELN is bitterly controversial. Many Colombians believe it gives far too much weight to the guerillas basically impunity for their crimes over more than half a century. So the pope has to find a way while during the six days to get across that he's identifying himself with the peace process which I do believe most Columbians want, they want peace.

But without identifying himself with this particular deal with the Vatican doesn't want is of this trip ends up looking like no more than a victory lap for the Santos government. They want to make sure Colombians feel the Pope is listening to all sides in terms of where the country is at, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes, that is the very delicate balancing act, isn't it, because as you say the pope very invested in this peace deal since he did help it actually happen, didn't he. But it's not without its predicts as you mentioned, many believe the rebels got way too much out of this.

So how do appease both sides here and talk to us too about the significance of this papal visit.

ALLEN: Well, bear in mind, I mean, Francis history's first pope from Latin America and just as we all remember Saint Pope John Paul II who was Polish had an enormous impact on Eastern Europe in his day. I think Francis to some extent wants to play the same role in Latin America today.

He wants to be a game changer. He wants to be an agent of peace and progress. So I think he personally is enormously invested in this. Columbia is an overwhelmingly Catholic country. It's one of the most fervently Catholic most practicing Catholic countries on the continent. So I think people they are disposed to listen to it.

But I think that the trip for Francis on this trip is on the one hand, I think you will want to look, well recently have sleeves. Of course, he wears a white cassock but metaphorically rolls up his sleeves and get down to some political brass tacks, but he doesn't want to become identified too closely with one side or the other in the debates over this peace agreement.

I think he wants to leave Columbians believing that is on everybody's side and that as long as the end game is peace the vehicle for it is up to them to figure out, Rosemary.

CHURCH: yes, it will be a tough exercise indeed. John Allen, always a pleasure to chat with you. Many thanks.

And we'll take a very short break here. Back in a moment with more news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHURCH: Welcome back. Well, Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have one nail lawsuit against a French magazine over topless photos of Catherine published back in 2012.

[03:55:00] Our Melissa Bell has reaction now from the palace.

MELISSA BELL, INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: A statement from the palace says that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pleased with the settlement that's been awarded today and happy that the matter should be close.

This is a trial that has dragged on now for five years. These pictures were taken back in 2012 very controversially and had been published here in France. None of the United Kingdom publications that had been offered these pictures had chosen to show them and so it is this particular magazine that's been singled out, in the end paying damages well below the million and a half euros south by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

But well above what French courts tend to give out to these sort of cases and crucially on the criminal side the penalty the fine that's been slapped on the publishers of this particular magazine is as hefty as French law would allow that it's EUR45,000.

So, a strong signal really from the French judiciary that these sorts of publication these sorts of transgressions are what are very strict previously here in France will simply not be tolerated.

Melissa Bell, CNN, in Paris.