Broken Borders; FBI Investigates Possible Terrorist Threat in Baltimore; Cheney and CIA Leak
LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, everybody. Tonight we're following two rapidly-developing stories. First, we're watching Hurricane Wilma in the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center now says Wilma could strengthen to a major hurricane within the next few days, and could then turn toward Florida. And tonight we're monitoring what is a badly-damaged dam in Taunton, Massachusetts, that the mayor now says could break at any time. A break would flood hundreds of homes and businesses with as much as six feet of water. At least 2,000 people have already been evacuated. We'll have the latest for you. But we begin tonight with what is nothing less than a remarkable reversal on the part of the Bush administration on the issues of border security and illegal immigration. A top government official who serves in an administration that has failed to establish border security or to enforce our national immigration laws made today's announcement. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff today declared he wants every single illegal alien caught in the United States to be deported without exception. Lisa Sylvester reports.</s>LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Two members of the president's cabinet made one thing clear, amnesty is not on the table for a comprehensive immigration bill.</s>MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Clearly, amnesty would be an affront to the rule of law, it would be an affront to those who are legal who are waiting their turn.</s>ELAIN CHAO, LABOR SECRETARY: There should not be a pathway to citizenship.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There should not be?</s>CHAO: There should not be an automatic pathway to citizenship.</s>SYLVESTER: Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff in his prepared statement articulated a hard line against non-Mexicans, who, because of a lack of detention space, have been allowed to stay in the United States. "Our goal at DHS is to completely eliminate the catch- and-release enforcement problem and return every single illegal entrant, no exception." The administration wants to pair tougher border and interior enforcement with a guest worker program. Under the plan, foreign workers would be matched with willing employers as long as Americans are not available to work. They could stay for three years with a three-year extension. Afterward, they would be required to go back to their home country. Illegal aliens already in the country would have to pay a fine and get back in line behind others waiting to enter. Immigration reform groups say the administration talks the game when it comes to enforcement, but the political will is not there.</s>MARK KRIKORIAN, CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES: It's clear that the enforcement talk is just that, it's spin in order to lull people into the -- into a sense of security that this immigration wave that they want to unleash won't cause problems when, in fact, it will.</s>SYLVESTER: And ultimately, the decision on what's in the final bill rests with Congress. Both the House and the Senate are leaning toward legislation that has new border enforcement measures and leaves off the guest worker idea. And that reflects the views shared by many constituents who want the broken borders fixed first before addressing bringing in guest workers. Lou.</s>DOBBS: That appears to be the direction of both the House and even the Senate, that border security must be established before any attempt at immigration reform. Lisa Sylvester. Thank you very much. It appears tonight that two leading senators with an immigration plan that has won widespread support among liberals have now joined forces with one of the country's most powerful business groups. Senators John McCain and Edward Kennedy and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce want to make it easier for illegal aliens who have broken the law to enter this country to stay in this country and to have the same rights as U.S. citizens. Today, at an event sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Senator McCain strongly criticized any suggestion that illegal aliens should be deported.</s>SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: As you've heard the opposing proposal, and I understand articulated by the administration today, is send them back before they can come back and work in this country. First all, somebody's going to have to explain to me how you do that. Is it some massive airlift?</s>DOBBS: Tonight, Congressman Tom Tancredo, one of the strongest critics of the administration's failed immigration policies, declared the Bush White House now admits at least there is a problem. Congressman Tancredo said - quote -- "It is no longer just the conservative base angry about illegal immigration. There's widespread discontent about our broken system from coast to coast." We also asked the Mexican Embassy to comment on Secretary Chertoff's testimony. But the Mexican Embassy would not reply to our calls. Later here in the broadcast, my guests will be Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, Senator John Cornyn of Texas. They've introduced what is the strongest and potentially most effective plan for border security and immigration reform. Our border crisis is the subject of our poll tonight. Do you believe that every illegal alien caught in this country should be deported, yes or no? Cast your vote at LOUDOBBS.com. We'll have the results later here in the broadcast. Turning now to a terrorist threat in Maryland today that closed a major tunnel in Baltimore and partially closed another. More than 100,000 people were delayed by the security alert which lasted nearly two hours. And tonight, we've learned that law enforcement agencies in Maryland are questioning a number of people about an alleged terrorist plot involving Egyptian citizens. Jeanne Meserve has the report. Jeanne?</s>JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Lou, also tonight, U.S. intelligence officials say they have serious questions about the credibility of the threat information which was received by U.S. government officials in a phone call from overseas. But the investigation is continuing. There have been no arrests, sources say, and no alleged terrorists have been found. But interviews are being conducted in the Baltimore area. According to sources, the alleged plot involved the shipment of explosives into Baltimore disguised as cocoa. They would be placed in a truck and driven into an unspecified Baltimore tunnel. The purported scheme involved a small group of Egyptians, officials say. It was specific enough for Maryland transit authorities to close one tunnel and restrict another for almost two hours, resulting in lengthy traffic delays. The Department of Homeland Security and FBI said they supported security measures taken by state and local officials out of an abundance of caution. That was a striking contrast to the disagreement over New York's decision to raise security on city transit systems almost two weeks ago. And there were claims today of good communication among state, federal and local officials, but there was one exception. Some Baltimore officials said they learned about the tunnel closures from television. Lou.</s>DOBBS: Jeanne Meserve. Thank you very much. In Washington tonight, the CIA White House leak investigation nears an end. And sources tell CNN that indictments are now expected. And those indictments could come as soon as tomorrow. And there are indications that special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation is centering on the possible role of Vice President Dick Cheney's office in the leak of the CIA agent's name. Dana Bash reports from the White House.</s>DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Vice President Cheney in the oval office smiled knowing the camera is pointed at him for a reason. Headlines suggesting federal investigators are focused on Mr. Cheney's office, even him personally, in their search for who leaked the name of a covert CIA operative. The "New York Times'" Judith Miller reported the special prosecutor not only asked about discussions with Cheney Chief of Staff Scooter Libby, but she said Mr. Fitzgerald asked whether Mr. Cheney had known what his chief aide was doing and saying. Miller said her answer was no. Sources familiar with the grand jury testimony of current and former Bush and Cheney aides tell CNN several were questioned about the vice president's role in rebutting criticism from former Ambassador Joe Wilson, which he says ended up outing his wife's covert identity. But experts urge caution.</s>KENDALL COFFEY, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: The fact that somebody is the subject of questions doesn't mean that they're a target of an investigation. All it means for sure is that the prosecutor is doing his job.</s>BASH: What Patrick Fitzgerald appears to be probing is motive. Before the war, the vice president asked for more information on a report Saddam Hussein tried to buy uranium from Africa. Without Cheney's knowledge, the CIA responded by dispatching Joe Wilson to find out. He came back saying the report was false. And in this column mentioning the vice president, Wilson accused the administration of ignoring his findings. The president still used the Africa connection in his case for war.</s>RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know Joe Wilson. I've never met Joe Wilson.</s>BASH: On NBC in 2003, Cheney denied knowledge of Wilson's report, or even reading it. Central to the investigation is whether the administration effort to distance Cheney from Wilson, instead steering reporters to the CIA, resulted in the disclosure of his wife's covert identity, which could be a crime.</s>BASH: And he was not under oath, but the vice president was interviewed by federal prosecutors in June of 2004, 16 months ago, Lou. And administration officials say that was the only time.</s>DOBBS: And the visibility, Dana, of both Scooter Libby and Karl Rove in recent days at the White House?</s>BASH: Well, officials here insist that Karl Rove is still very much active in all of the things that fall under his portfolio, which, as you know, is quite a lot -- quite a lot of things. In terms of public view, we haven't actually seen him very much. And as a matter of fact, he was supposed to go to outside events of the White House around town -- two of them last week -- that he didn't go to. He sent other people in his place.</s>DOBBS: Dana Bash. Thank you, from the White House. While the White House is preparing to deal with whatever political fallout results from the White House CIA leak investigation, it is simultaneously trying to stave off criticism of the president's Supreme Court nominee, Harriet Miers. Miers today went back to Capitol Hill, trying to win the support of skeptical senators. In a new attempt to win over disappointed and angry conservatives critical to the success of the nomination, the White House gave senators a questionnaire on abortion that Miers had completed back in 1989. But Miers' answers to that questionnaire may have angered many Democrats. Ed Henry reports from Capitol Hill.</s>ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator Arlen Specter is growing frustrated that Harriet Miers' nomination is getting bogged down.</s>SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (R-PA), CHAIRMAN OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: I'm becoming more and more concerned that Harriet Miers is being tried in the media. And there is one place to have this determined and that's in the Judiciary Committee hearing, and I intend to get that on the road just as soon as I can.</s>HENRY: The latest blowup over abortion. The White House gave Specter's committee documents, including a questionnaire Miers filled out in 1989 while running for the Dallas City Council in which she supported a constitutional ban on abortion. Some White House allies are circulating the document to convince restless Republicans she will support their agenda. That mission became more critical after Specter said Miers privately told him a key Supreme Court decision, the underpinning for legalized abortion, was rightly decided. Miers claims Specter misunderstood her, though the senator stands behind his version and refused a White House request for a correction.</s>SPECTER: It seemed to me that the best course is to accept her view and to defer getting into it any more deeply until the hearing.</s>HENRY: Even as Miers' allies try to shore up conservative support, they angered Democrats like Dianne Feinstein, who charged the questionnaire raises "very serious concerns about whether Miers will be biased on the abortion issue." (on camera): Democrat Chuck Schumer said that after all the back and forth, senators in both parties are more confused than ever about exactly where Harriet Miers stands on abortion. Ed Henry, CNN, Capitol Hill.</s>DOBBS: Coming up, Hurricane Wilma headed for possible weekend landfall in Florida. We'll have the latest for you on this dangerous storm. And a new assault on the U.S. middle class. Millions of U.S. technology jobs could be lost to cheap foreign labor at the request of American business. A special report coming up. And the store that wants to sell you everything now wants to be your banker as well. Why shoppers may one day be doing their banking, as well as their grocery shopping and just about everything else, at Wal-Mart. And why many people are up in arms.