Employees Protest Wayfair's Furniture Sales For Migrant Camps; Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) Discusses Wayfair Employee Protests, Immigration, Legislation; Trump Speaks To And Answers Reporters' Questions.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Breaking news. You are looking at live pictures of hundreds of Wayfair employees walking off the job at company headquarters up in Boston, protesting the companies' sale of furniture to migrant detention facilities. More than 500 employees signed onto a letter to Wayfair's senior management. And they said this, quote, "The United States government and its contractors are responsible for the detention and mistreatment of hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking asylum in our country. We want that to end. We also want to be sure that Wayfair has no part in enabling, supporting or profiting from this practice." CNN's Politics And Business Correspondent, Cristina Alesci, is following the story for us. Tell us how Wayfair's management has responded here, Cristina.</s>CRISTINA ALESCI, CNN POLITICS & BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It's walking a very difficult line. I've seen this time after time with companies during this administration's controversial policies. Here is what happened. Wayfair essentially said yesterday that it was going to go through with the sale. Obviously, the sale of these beds to the migrant facilities had happened. There was no way to negate it. The company was very clear yesterday. It basically said that it won't determine whether or not to make a sale based on beliefs of certain employees, that it does not indicate support for the opinions or actions of groups or individuals who purchase from the company. But at the same time today, I broke the news that the company is donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross in an effort to alleviate the crisis at the border. This goes to show you that the company has to walk this line and say we're not taking a position. But at the same time, it is reacting to these employees and the outcry that came from lawmakers, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who called out Wayfair for this precise reason. So, it's a tricky way. It's a tricky situation for any company. But this is not the first time that companies have been in the middle of the immigration controversy with regards to this administration.</s>KEILAR: They're not taking a position, but they are foregoing profits. Cristina Alesci, thank you for that report. Let's bring in Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks, of New York. He is a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and also the Financial Services Committee. Congressman, we're watching these live pictures from Boston where you have Wayfair employees protesting. And now the company is giving money to the Red Cross, which really was one of the suggestions of the protesters, that they don't make profit off of this business deal. What do you think about this?</s>REP. GREGORY MEEKS (D-NY): I think what you're seeing all across America, Americans are better than what this administration has been. This administration has caused the problem that we have at the border because you're not talking about people trying to enter the country illegally. You're talking about individuals that are coming, presenting themselves at the border, in a legal way, and then this administration treats them in an inhumane way. Americans, as they see and witness this, they decide, they're talking up, speaking up. They don't want us in the United States to be in a situation where we're treating individuals who are seeking safe haven, to be treated in an inhumane manner, young people taken away from their parents. We've got to do better than that. We are better than that.</s>KEILAR: Democratic presidential candidate, Beto O'Rourke, is blaming President Trump for the deaths of migrants. Do you blame the president for the deaths?</s>MEEKS: What I say is that there's no question that this administration is implicit with the lack of treatment, the lack of facilities, the lack of medical assistance, the lack of the appropriate housing that has been given to these individuals who came into this country in an illegal way. It is clear from the former U.S. attorney general that they were trying to create a condition that was inhumane, thinking that that would prevent individuals from seeking refuge here. There's no question that, as a result of that and that kind of treatment, then there's an interconnection between this president and whatever takes place to those who want to enter this country illegally in crossing the border.</s>KEILAR: President Trump, as you have heard, has repeatedly blamed President Obama for this problem. Do you wish to see President Obama speak up?</s>MEEKS: President Trump -- not by my words, he is a conman. Ask Marco Rubio. Go back to Mitt Romney, go back to George W. Bush, before the Republican primary. That's who they all said he was, and who he is. So, he will do anything and say anything. I don't go by words of a conman because what they try to do is divert you. They talk and say anything. He's just trying to cater to a small base of individuals. Clearly, I would go in the humane treatment that was provided by President Obama, someone that did not tell, as the "Washington Post" has said, over 10,000 lies already, has not had individuals who are incarcerated and has not treated individuals in this inhumane way. I'll stand with Barack Obama anytime. I think that's why our allies, as well as Americans, now very concerned about what's going on at the border, because of the treatment and the policies of President Trump.</s>KEILAR: The House has passed this deal, which deals with the humanitarian element. You have a Republican Senate, a Republican president. They want more on border security. When you have this choice, children, migrants, their treatment, adding border security, maybe something you don't want as a Democrat, what's the answer? What do you choose?</s>MEEKS: You have to make sure that we do what you need to so that those who are trying to enter our borders are treated in a fair way. I would say to the Senate, my Republican colleagues and the president himself, we can't be hypocritical. Look, we praise, for example, Colombia, for taking in all those individuals who are refugees from Venezuela. They keep their borders open. They try to have -- they bring individuals in. You can look at all the refugees taken in, in countries like Jordan and Germany and our European all allies, hundreds of thousands. Yet, you have individuals trying to seek the same kind of asylum in the United States, the richest country in the world, we are treating them as if they are inhuman. There's something morally wrong with that. And I think that Americans are starting to open up their eyes to that. We will stand up to this administration. And those of us in Congress, we better make sure -- that's what I think that the compromise is. Yes, there are some things that I do not trust this president. Let me be clear about that. But I don't want anyone to say. I know we've got to make sure that we give the money that's necessary to the refugee agency because they run out of funding very shortly. We want to make sure that they're funded. And we don't want any of our humanitarian organizations to go unfunded so they can't do the jobs and the work that's necessary for them to do.</s>KEILAR: Congressman Gregory Meeks, thank you so much.</s>MEEKS: Thank you. Good to be with you.</s>KEILAR: We are getting word that President Trump is speaking before his G-20 trip. We'll bring you that tape soon from his departure. Also, police respond to a heartbreaking scene in the woods of Georgia.</s>TERRY ROPER, DEPUTY SHERIFF, FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: Oh, it's OK, Sweetheart. Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.</s>KEILAR: A newborn infant abandoned and tied inside of a plastic bag. I'll speak to the deputy who saved her life.