month. >> bill: good story. really nice. before we go now we were kicking off the holiday season last week. the annual american christmas tree lighting with singer gavin degraw. >> dana: he was great. >> bill: rendition of the most wonderful time of the year and lit the tree, roll it. watch it. watch it. where are we going? oh, bingo. >> dana: did you do that on purpose? >> bill: absolutely. this is why you are in front of the camera and not behind it. a little trick of the trade there. >> dana: angie my sister thought the snow was real. it was real in our hearts indeed. "the faulkner focus" with sandra smith in for harris next. >> sandra:. top of the hour here. president-elect donald trump is moving forward with his plans to secure the southern borderward o secure the southern border despite some democrats' claims

they want to fix the crisis, others on the left are pushing president biden to resist trump's plans. hello and welcome i'm sandra smith in for harris. the trump team is already getting to work with one crucial border state. trump's incoming border czar tom homan with join governor abbott at the border later this week. abbott sounded optimistic. >> a tall task for president trump to find and locate these people and then to deport them or to jail them. listen, we have the right guy in charge of it, tom homan. he will be the border czar. he is working -- i've begun to work with him. we have had people who were antagonistic to texas securing the border. now we have allies, texas working collaboratively with the trump administration. >> sandra: peter doocy is live at the white house but first let's get to bill melugin live in eagle pass, texas. he has more on all this for us,

hi, bill. >> sandra, good morning to you. when tom homan gets to eagle pass tomorrow he will be face-to-face shaking hands with the texas soldiers and troopers trying so hard these last few years to securing their own border despite the biden administration policies at the federal level. homan will say hang in there, help is on the way. a new sheriff is coming to town. things in eagle pass remained active. look at the video shot by troopers right here yesterday as a large group of more than 200 crossed illegally, amongst that group were 60 unaccompanied migrant children. no parents, no guardians, being trafficked into the u.s. by cartels and human smugglers. some of them with little pieces of paper indicating they want to go to different parts of the u.s. to meet up with relatives or family members. some of the kids telling troopers some of the states we want to go to. texas, new york, california, missouri, washington, wisconsin,

many others, one two years old completely alone had one of those pieces of paper and talked to a trooper. [speaking spanish] >> just last week also right here in eagle pass, texas, troopers apprehended this group of men, all from afghanistan. all of these guys are what dhs calls special interest aliens due to national security concerns. it mains all of them should receive additional dhs vetting as they go through that process of being processed at the southern border. lastly take a look at this video given to us by texas troopers, what it shows is here in eagle

pass, texas, dps is running mass migration drills trying to prepare to deter any mass rush or migrant caravans that try to make a run at the border before president trump takes office. the idea being there ain't going to be a red carpet rolled out in the state of texas if you try to cross, you will be pushed back and you will be deterred. back out here live that's the whole idea with tom homan coming to visit. he wants texas to know we have your back. we'll be a partner in securing the border, not an adversary. we saw over recent years the razor wire behind us. biden administration was coming in and cutting it using bulldozers to get it out of the way. when tom homan comes tomorrow he will thank texas for putting in the razor wire and saying we're planning to put a whole lot more in. >> sandra: bill melugin in texas. democrats across the country are vowing to resist trump's plans for mass deportations of illegal immigrants. the aclu is urging president

biden to use the rest of his lame duck term to do just that. the group calling on biden to quote close detention facilities and halt ice's current expansion plans. democratic senator john fetterman apparently didn't get the resistance memo. >> one area where we lost ourselves was the border. i've been on this network months ago saying hey, you know, it can't be controversial for our party to have the pro-immigration but we need a secure border. we can't pretend that is not a significant issue and we have to address that. >> sandra: senior white house correspondent peter doocy has more for us. >> good morning and we're starting to get answers to questions that lingered for years about how exactly do trump officials when they come in think they can round up millions

potentially of illegal immigrants and send them back if democratic jurisdictions won't cooperate. the answer is that they are going to start to withhold funds from their jurisdictions. >> states who want to continue this sanctuary cities, you are on notice we should cut all your money off. i've never seen so many dangers to our country as i do now from a broken border, crazy immigration laws. these people care more about the illegal immigrant than they do the average american citizen and that's not just talk, that's reality after four years. >> as elected democrats try to retool the platform after november republican house sweep one is claiming to see history repeating itself. >> i think we're in very much to like 1798 with the alien and sedition acts. the only program was anti-immigrant hysteria and then

prosecution of political enemies and attacks on the other party and attempts to entrench the majority party. that didn't work out so well for the federalists. >> don't expect the trump team to be deterred by that. they don't see any national security or economic down side to closing the border. >> the border, the western hemisphere working with that team to get it under control. the cartels need to be on notice. mexico and our partners have to take some ownership here and then broadly in the western hemisphere we have the energy, the food supply, the critical minerals that we need to keep our economy the most powerful it is in the world. >> we are here this morning as peach and blossom, two turkeys see pardons from the outgoing president. there is still no word about any other pardons that this president might sign on his way out. sandra. >> sandra: peter doocy live at the white house for us.

thank you. democrats meanwhile promising pushback against trump's deportation plans. we didn't hear much about this. former president obama was dubbed deporter in chief. because he deported some 5.3 million illegals during his two terms. lisa mcclain of michigan, members of the house and armed services committees and incoming g.o.p. conference chair. that's more than trump. why the resistance this time? >> i have no idea but i will share with you times they are a changing. the american people sent a mandate to us, secure the border. and that's exactly what we are trying to do. americans want their communities back, right? the republicans were listening. i don't understand what the problem is. i don't understand what the issue is where we shouldn't put americans first. we should have a pro-immigration agenda of which we do. but immigration and border are

separate. we have got to secure the border and that's exactly what president trump intends to do with tom homan on day one of his presidency. >> sandra: what do you believe the first few days, weeks and months look like of the trump administration considering these big plans? >> well, i think it will look like the message, right? social media is out there. social media works. people understand right now that there is not going to be a red carpet welcoming illegal immigrants into this country. they know that. so we need to watch the searches right now. what it will start to do is what you see is one, an appreciation for the border patrol agents. supporting the border patrol agents, right? if people try to come illegally, they will be stopped at the border. that is exactly what we need to do. exactly what the american people are begging for.

>> sandra: certainly voters spoke out and this was one of the biggest issues of the election. meanwhile, congresswoman, federal officials declined to provide more details about a humanitarian flight that laken riley's convicted killer was granted tor jose ibarra from september 2023 shown during his murder trial in georgia. more than 1.4 illegal immigrants still remain in the u.s. after getting formal deportation orders from federal judges. of that 1.4 million, only about 13,000 are behind bars. your reaction. >> it's disgusting and we need to do better. one, that's why we need to secure our border, but two, we have so many violent criminals in our country. they haven't been vetted. we need to start cleaning up our streets for our american citizens. it starts with sending those

criminals back. it starts on day one to deport those violent criminals so we don't have anymore laken rileys, right? this is -- we didn't, th fostered, enabled and encouraged that behavior. that has absolutely got to stop. thank god we elected president trump because he is on the side of the american people and he is americans first, not illegal. if you want to come here, come here legally. thank you. >> sandra: president-elect trump has filled all his major cabinet level positions. some nominees are getting support from, wait for it, across the aisle. plus more fallout over the alleged transgender player on san jose state university women's volleyball team. >> helping this fight and making sure we save women's sports for the future of young women.

my nieces, my grandchildren is very important. >> sandra: as playoffs are set to begin we're waiting for a judge to make a ruling. lisa boothe is in "focus" next. (admiral) if you're a veteran, own a home, and need money for your family, call newday usa to use your valuable va home loan benefit. (vet 1) thank you, admiral. (admiral) it lets you borrow up to 100% of your home's value. (vet 2) thank you admiral. (admiral) with today's home values, that could mean more money for you and your family.

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>> sandra: president-elect trump has made all his picks for the major cabinet positions. senate will need to confirm nominations, several democrats have a willingness to work with republicans. >> i won't pre-hate. i have a conversation that i'm open to having part of that conversation. some i might enthusiastically vote yes to say hey, we'll engage in that conversation. >> could you see yourself supporting her or any of the other nominees? >> absolutely. what i would need to do is have a chance to sit down and talk with each one. are they willing to be independent and do the job they're being nominated to do and competenposition.

>> sandra: president-elect trapped congressman mike waltz to be the national security advisor and gave a warning to america's adversaries. >> jake sullivan and i have had discussions and met. for our adversaries that think this is a time of opportunity that they can play one administration off the other, they are wrong. and we are hand in glove. we are one team with the united states in this transition. >> sandra: bryan llenas is in west palm beach, florida for us. >> "fox news sunday" president-elect's nominee to be national security advisor congressman mike waltz said that now is the time to bring an abraham accord type of agreement to put an end to the israel slash hamas war and bring a reasonable end to the war in ukraine. a big part of that, he said, is to provide energy resources to

our european allies who are reliant on russia. to that end, reuters today reporting that president-elect trump, as soon as day one, would declare an energy emergency approving export permits for liquefied natural gas while increasing off shore drilling and drilling on federal lands. over the weekend, the president-elect finished picking his cabinet secretaries announcing project 2025 co-author russell vought as director of the office of management and budget. brook rollins is the agriculture secretary, the former director of trump's domestic policy. pro-union moderate republican as well was picked as his labor secretary, congresswoman lori chavez-deremer and hedge fund billionaire and former george soros advisor scott bessent is trump's pick as treasury secretary. republican senators are expressing confidence about these picks. that they will make it through

senate confirmation hearings and say that trump has a mandate from the american people to pick whoever he wants. >> i want to end the corporate capture of government. i want government agencies slimmed down. >> i think the president trump deserves the ability from the mandate from the american people to put people in positions who will do reform. >> i expect everybody coming into cabinet will listen to president trump and let him set the policy and execute according to that plan. >> a new cbs news poll this morning shows 59% of americans approve of president-elect trump's handling of his transition. they also have a net positive view of his cabinet picks so far even though many of them say they need to learn more about them. which is what the senate confirmation hearings are all about. >> sandra: amen to that. lisa boothe in "focus." looking forward to having you on the program today. >> always love seeing you, my friend. >> sandra: how do you think this is going so far?

>> look, i think that donald trump was elected with a diverse coalition of americans behind him. his cabinet and nominations are a reflection of that. if i'm being honest the vast majority of americans believed we were on the wrong track and wanted a change agent. donald trump was that change agent. i don't think things can get worse over the past four years under the biden administration. we had a department of defense that led 13 service members to their deaths. droned an aid worker and lift billions of weapons behind with the taliban or a department of health that forced the vaccines, covid vaccines in the arms of many americans who didn't need it with healthcare workers who had -- many of them had natural immunity or department of homeland security that allowed an invasion see southern border. i think i'll take the chance with these picks. >> sandra: how about fetter man

saying i won't pre-hate. do you think more democrats will be open to some of his picks? >> i hope so, sandra. i hope that these senators as well as the media recognizes that americans wanted this change and allow the process to go forward. i might actually swap senator federman like people with james langford who represents a state who went for donald trump by 66% saying he will hold these people, these nominees under heavy scrutiny. i also think we should apply a reasonable standard test to some of these nominees and the accusations thrown at them. pete hegseth. why did the police charge him? if tulsi gabbard is in agent of russia she is being called why is she serving as a lieutenant colonel in the army reserve? people might not like this nominees but be honest. not because you think gabbard is an agent of russia but maybe you don't like her position on

ukraine. no need to slander. if you don't like them keep it on policy and don't make up unreasonable lies that defy logic. >> sandra: senator amy klobuchar says she has this requirement before making any decisions. >> our job is to look at the f.b.i. background check and to ask some questions to make sure they are fulfilling the mission of the department. in this case, i am concerned with all these nominees. they have to get their background checks together and get qualified nominees and then we're interested in doing the work of the american people. >> sandra: she says she is concerned with all these nominees, background checks will be key. your thoughts, lisa. >> i'm concerned with the f.b.i. i'm concerned with an f.b.i. that weaponizeed democrat opposition research against donald trump with the steele dossier when this c.i.a. chalked it up to an internet rumor.

i have concerns with former intelligence officers, 51 who told us that hunter biden's laptop was russian disinformation when it wasn't. there is a lack of trust from donald trump with the f.b.i. now and totally reasonable and fair. i have a real lack of faith in the f.b.i. or the department of justice and f.b.i. that went after a wheelchair bound grandmother under the face act. not a lot of reasons to trust the f.b.i. over the way it's operated over the last few years and that's one area that needs drastic change. >> sandra: see how that works out. biological males participating in girls and women's sports. we have talked a lot about this. proved to be a major key cultural issue in this election cycle. san jose state university women's volleyball team is the center of controversy over an alleged transgender player, five women's volleyball teams forfeit

wins to san jose and the team has a playoff spot. first game said to be the winner of utah state versus boise state. it could change pending a ruling by a federal judge in colorado. a lawsuit against the mountain west conference says the inclusion of the alleged transgender athlete violates title ix regulations. they suspended one of the coaches for speaking out against the transgender player's participation. she joined "focus" on friday. >> after brook was speaking out for her rights and that they continued to treat the young women on the team and myself poorly for having our thoughts and opinions, they are also being silenced by the mountain west and they are holding their

scholarships and things over their head. >> it shouldn't be a controversy. men should not be allowed in women's sports period, end of story. it's ludicrous this conversation is happening across the country. it is important. this is a war on women. the whole point or part of title ix was to protect women in sports and education, give them the same opportunities as men before them. what's next? will they try to take away our right to vote? this is a war on women. we both played sports. i played field hockey in high school and hit in the head and knocked me to the knees by the woman. a hockey player who had teeth knocked out as a result of a man playing in women's sports. this isn't just an insane thing that is happening. it is also a dangerous one. so what is it going to take for people to wake up to come to their senses? will it take a female athlete dying on the field or on the

court? this is an issue where the vast majority of americans believe it is ludicrous. yet it is being treated -- the women who don't want it to happen are the ones being treated as the outsiders or misguided or wrong in the conversation. it is time for the media and left to come to the same conclusion as the vast majority of americans to disallow men in women's sports. >> sandra: when you asked me to put myself in their shoes, you can only imagine what it was like when no one else was standsing up for you. these girls have had to stand up and speak up loudly for themselves at a time when it was not popular and hard. final thought on the timing of all this. i keep thinking some of these girls, high school and college are short periods in your life waiting for a judge to work something out so you can safely participate. timing is sort of of the essence here. >> kudos to riley gaines.

i didn't make it as far as you. i tore my acl. don't call us, we'll call you from the recruiters. i'm proud of the girls for standing up. what does the media do if you stand up against this? labeled terrible things and meant to silence them. i'm proud of these young girls everywhere including some adults which have been largely absent from the conversation of standing up for these young girls. men shouldn't be allowed in women's sports. >> sandra: great to have you on. we know how good you were. >> it haunts me to this day. the what ifs. >> sandra: once an athlete always an athlete. it is thanksgiving week and that means it is time for an annual american tradition. just moments ago president biden pardoned two turkeys at the annual presidential ceremony.

>> president biden: they were -- they were listening to their favorite music, the song "living on a prayer." well, fellows, your prayer will be answered today. commitment today for productive members of society i here by pardon peach and blossom. >> sandra: moments ago at the white house. they won't make it to anyone's table on thursday. they hail from minnesota. after nearly 30 years today is the day we could hear from the infamous menendez brothers themselves after their conviction of murdering their parents. the latest whether they will end up free men. putin's strategy is becoming more aggressive as trump prepares to take office. general jack keane with this advice. >> i think it would be worthwhile for the trump administration, once they are in

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>> sandra: disturbing new details after houthi fighters funded by iran traveled from yemen to russia. they were promised jobs and citizenship. when they arrived russians there forced onto the front lines -- forced them onto the front lines of putin's war on ukraine. the group joins other foreign allies including 12,000 soldiers from north korea. trump's national security pick mike waltz made this comparison. >> one side escalating. the other side escalating. this needs to be within a broader framework to end the conflict. it is more like world war i trench warfare. president trump is incredibly

concerned about the carnage that is taking place there. we need to bring this to a responsible end. we need to restore deterrents, restore peace and get ahead of than responding to it. >> sandra: warnings from across the world. ukraine's foreign military commander-in-chief says we can believe the third world war has begun. poland's president says the threat is serious and real when it comes to global conflict. jennifer griffin is live at the pentagon for us. >> it is not clear that the yemeni military-age men being recruited by front companies for the russian military know they are being recruited to fight in ukraine. u.s. special envoy to yemen told the financial times that russia is pursuing the houthis in order to recruit mercenaries and weapons transfers. they are taking part in the

dialogue and the kind of weapons they're discussing are alarming and could be used to target u.s. warships in exchange for yemen's sending military recruits. hundreds of houthi fighters from yemen have reportedly been recruited by moscow in the shadowy operation to lure more foreign fighters to fight russia's war in you a cran and promised employment and russian citizenship. the yemeni fighters were forcibly sent to fight on russia's front line. they are facing casualties of 1200 troops a day. the houthis join the 12,000 soldiers from north korea already set. they have supplied them with drones. china is providing technology. the alarm was sounded in washington last week about north korea's increasing contact with

moscow. >> we should not ignore this sea change. it is transactional, symbiotic, each state is giving the other something that the other needs that makes the other's situation more dangerous and in parts more risk on the allies. >> the houthis have sent at least two official delegations to moscow this year, sandra. that according to the investigation by the f.t. u.s. diplomats have long said moscow has helped the houthis with missile targeting data that threatened u.s. warships and providing advanced anti-ship missiles in the future. >> sandra: jennifer griffin. thank you, live at the pentagon. for the first time in 30 years eric and lyle menendez will appear virtually in court to fight for their release. they are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole for the brutal 1989 murder of their parents.

>> it would not surprise me if the judge decides he needs more time so that he can properly assess and that he wants to give the new d.a., hockman, more time. a couple ways it can go. >> sandra: jonathon hunt has the latest for us. >> three decades than the sentences of life without the possibility of parole. today they will appear virtually at this same courthouse in what they hope is the next step toward gaining their freedom. their supporters and attorneys argue it is justified on the basis of new evidence of the alleged sexual abuse of the brothers by their father, jose menendez and what they say on new societal attitudes toward that kind of abuse. the resentencing and ultimate release of the mendez brothers

is supported by some members of the menendez family. here is one of them. >> i can tell you without a doubt that they are not the villains they have been portrayed as. they were boys, young, scared, and abused by their father in ways no child should ever experience. >> the counter argument to that possibly best expressed by john, an assistant d.a. in l.a. county and the best known cold case prosecutor in the country. he says whatever the evidence of molestation, even if everybody believes that the boys were indeed molested by their father, that did not give them the right to kill their parents in cold blood. listen to him. >> you don't get to execute your parents even if it is true, because previously they molested you. you can't do it.

>> there has been a social media campaign to get the brothers released. driven in large part young people posting on tiktok. if you want to hear more about the case against releasing the menendez brothers check out the fox nation documentary we've just posted. extensive comments from john, a fascinating argument and you will get a lot more of the legal ins and outs than you will on tiktok. the next step in the case today. the full resentencing hearing not due until december 11th. >> sandra: so many watching every detail from the courtroom. thank you. veteran political analyst says the liberal media was living in a blue bubble before trump's victory. now they are gearing up to cover his second term. plus democrats are playing the blame game after their election loss. one critic with this. >> they just very out of touch with the american people.

i don't see any real soul searching from them. they'll never get anywhere if they continue to delude themselves. >> sandra: many democrats trying to dig out of their depression are wondering what the future holds for their party.

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>> sandra: unlike many pundits appeared members of the media mark halperin predicted president-elect trump would prevail over harris. now the media are gearing up to cover a trump presidency. he said they'll have a tough time. >> you have to respect the fact that tens of millions of people will vote for him and be prepared for that. some people listened to me. most didn't. exacerbated by the dominant media which creates this fantasy world. all these things add up to a blue bubble that they just can't see. most people on the left if you say why do people like donald trump they are paralyzed. they can't answer the question. for some reason they can't appreciate that tens of millions of their fellow countrymen and women feel differently than they do. >> sandra: someone who understands those tens of millions of america erik johnson, the mayor of dallas. my switch to the g.o.p. should have been a wake-up call for democrats and told this to fox.

>> i didn't think i would be some anomaly that everyone needed to worry about. i thought it would be a harbinger of things to come. all the things that people have been asked for for generations from our cities that have been under democratic leadership and failed to deliver on those things. >> sandra: power panel leslie marshall and jessica patterson, chairwoman of the california republican party. leslie, ask you to question to mark's point. why do people like donald trump? can you answer that? >> yes, i can and many democrats do. i don't know what rock mark is living under. half the people in the country voted and half of them voted for donald trump and half of them voted for kamala harris and we've seen that cycle after cycle. every two years, every four years that's where our country is at. we're divided. why do people like donald trump? some people like him being a former businessman and the economic gains they think they

have or that they felt better with him as president with the economy. some people who were concerned about crime or immigration feel he will be different and feel he will be tougher on crime an immigration than joe biden or democrats or kamala harris. there are a plethora of reasons why they like him and why they don't. this is not -- this is not some huge, you know, rocket scientist class that we need to take at m.i.t. elections have consequences. one wins, one loses. the loser always says hum, what do i need to do differently next time? >> sandra: i don't think you can accuse him of living under a rock. it is a difficult question for some on the left not looking within to find out what happened and what they got wrong here. jessica, when it comes to donald trump and i'm looking forward to thanksgiving this thursday and thinking there will be conversations on dinner tables everywhere, all over this country. there does seem to be those folks who have a tough time understanding how someone, even

in their own family, can feel differently than they did. >> it is amazing how democrats and allies in the liberal media have kept their head in the sand. they wanted this election to be about issues that they believed they had the upper hand on when in reality people are mostly taking into consideration what was happening at the grocery store and gas station. we're seeing in the media the outrage and joe and mika would meet with president trump. the meltdowns happening on "the view" every day or watching individuals go to their tiktok and instagram stories. i don't any of this is helping people to look back and say what could we have done differently? >> sandra: good point. democrats are looking to dig out of the depression. they have a long road ahead of them many asking what went so wrong. how do we fix it? who is the party's leader now?

adam schiff with introspection but soften the blow with the president. >> i think the entire democratic party bears responsibility, myself included and the former president and they mounted an effective campaign. it was the status quo. too much to overcome. >> sandra: the election for a new chair for the democratic party could mean a seismic shift for the party. there is a lot of resentment right now directed at the kind of old guard politically when i. a changing of the guard. congresswoman abigail spanberger say it should be like this. they need to never use the word socialist or socialism ever again. it matters and we lost good members because of it.

senator slotkin says identity politics needs to go the way of the dod. the democrats know they have a political problem. their solution is to pour more progressive policy. will there be lesson learned? >> of course. we'll see a very different not just democratic party but see a very different outcome in the mid-terms. i shouldn't say so different. democrats have flipped quite a few seats in the house and see it going into the mid-terms. whether the economy or whether it's a political election, it is cyclical. in 2008 republicans had a come to jesus moment for their party. 2024 democrats are having the same and should. i think it is important. i always tell my kids, sandra, if somebody comes home and they didn't do well on a test, you can play the blame game but that's not really productive. i put that out there on social

media to congress people like torres and others. it doesn't -- it is good to look back in the sense that what did we do wrong and what can we do differently but very important to move forward and pointing fingers of blame doesn't help make the change that obviously our party needs to bring about. >> sandra: do you believe that there will be some real changes on the part of democrats in their party after this? >> it will be interesting to watch especially with the election as the new dnc chair. which direction does the party decide to go? we're seeing this progressive or regressive governors all over the country like newsom doubling down on their failed efforts. even in deep blue california we saw a shift of 72% of counties move towards trump in this election cycle. he was running against a california democrat. we saw london breed ousted. we saw a liberal d.a. in los angeles who was ousted. this is really interesting to watch. if the party goes in that

direction and then what their candidates end up doing as well. >> sandra: there is a lot of work to do for both parties. democrats to look back at what happened. pleasure to have you both on. we have the two turkeys have been pardoned, peach and blossom. that's done at the white house. great to see you both. happy thanksgiving to you both. thank you very much for watching "the faulkner focus." good to have you all here. i'm in for harris and back with john roberts at 1:00 eastern for america reports. "outnumbered" is here after the break. get a newday 100 va cash out loan at lower mortgage rates to pay off those high rate car loans.

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