>> gabe gutierrez, thank you. >>> to the middle east now and the development late tonight. a breakthrough that could help save the ceasefire agreement which earlier today seemed on the verge of collapse. the talks now clearing the way for american hostages to be released. raf sanchez reports from tel aviv. >> reporter: tonight a breakthrough in crisis talks to keep the gaza ceasefire on track, ending a deadlock between israel and hamas over the fate of israeli hostage arbel yehud. the 29-year-old is a civilian and israel says she should have been released ahead of the four female soldiers who were freed yesterday. israel warning that until yehud's freedom is secured it won't allow thousands of palestinian civilians to return to northern gaza. the roads already clogged with families desperate to go home. but tonight israel says a last-minute deal will see yehud released on thursday along with soldier agam berger and a third unidentified hostage. three more hostages will be freed on saturday. and in return palestinian civilians can start heading back north tomorrow. and after

gabe gutierrez, nbc news, palm beach, florida. >>> the fbi has arrested a virginia man after finding a rifle and a stockpile of more than 150 homemade explosives, some of which they say were marked athletal. it is the largest seizure of finished explosive devices in the agency's history. brad stafford was charged with unlawful possession of an unregistered short-barrel rifle. according to a detention memo, prosecutors argued his release poses an extreme danger to the community and the people he lives with, which includes two young children. an attorney for spafford did not respond. >>> a warning to viewers, the video is disturbing. surveillance video captures the moment a 45-year-old man was looking at his phone on a platform when he was suddenly shoved onto the truck tracks as a train pulled into the station. the victim suffered a skull fracture and broken ribs. he is in critical but stable condition. the 23-year-old suspect is in custody and charged with attempted murder. >>> turning to puerto rico, where a huge power outage wiped out electricity for nearly the entire island, and i

gabe gutierrez, thank you. now to another deadly new years tragedy, and this one in hawaii. a massive fireworks explosion at a home in the honolulu area leaving three people dead and 20 others critically injured. honolulu's mayor in a statement said the blast appeared to invoe illegal fireworks. up next with the sugar bowl now postponed, how security is being ramped up at sporting events after today's attack. >>> the sugar bowl kickoff set for tonight in new orleans has been postponed until tomorrow afternoon. here is how the college bowls are stepping up security after today's deadly attack. >> police on high alert on major new years day events across the country. in california the rose paredes kicking off hours after the devastating attack in new orleans, tinging the celebration with a sense of unease. >> i feel the security is pretty well beefed up n a sense, but new orleans, i'm concerned. >> reporter: more than 1,000 law enforcement officers on scene to protect crowds that could reach 1 million. >> we have technology in place to sense bioterrorism events should that occ

gabe gutierrez is covering the transition tonight., house speaker mike johnson is hanging on after president-elect trump's complete and total endorsement. >> i am humbled and honored to have presidentrump's endorsement for speaker again. he's ping to avoid a repeat of the chaotic 22-day fight to replace kevin mccarthy last year. now after barely avoiding a government shutdown, johnson's speakership is in jeopardy. his majority in the house has been razor thin. one said he won't back him as speaker. that means johnson can only afford to lose one other republican vote. it is not clear whether trump's endorsement will prevent more defections. >> reit now, i don't believe he has votes on friday. >> he'll need a unified republican party to quickly deliver on an ambitious agenda. >> with big plans for tax cuts and an immigration crackdown there are other rifts within the gop. trump siding with elon musk supporting h-1b visas to come to the u.s. and others arguing it amounts to cheaper labor. >> the h-1b visa is a total and complete scam fro

. >> joining us is gabe gutierrez, and nbc news homeland security correspondent julia ainsley. julia, let's stat with you on this. what did we hear from the judge today about their decision? >> reporter: this judge was very quick and firm in his decision. this is an 85-year-old conservative judge appointed by ronald reagan who said that ever his four decades on the bench, this is the most blatantly unconstitutional executive order he has ever seen. of course, he was speaking of president trump's executive order that he issued just hours after taking office to end birthright citizenship so any child born to a mother who is not legally inside the united states or even if they're legally here but on a temporary visa, that that child would not be given u.s. citizenship unless the father of that child was a u.s. citizen or here legally and permanently as well. that really was something that we heard from 22 states and from pregnant mothers as well as aclu, a slew of lawsuits across the country. and they argue that that, of course, is in violation of the 14th amendment. something tha

our gabe gutierrez followed i.c.e. agents as they hit the streets of chicago as part of thcrackdown. >> reporter: tonight, president trump's promised crackdown on illegal immigration is under way. we get a firsthand look in chicago, riding along with i.c.e. agents at dawn. >> we are putting more resources towards enforcement now. >> reporter: the first stop, an apartment complex. >> no one answered the door. they're not allowed to go inside. so we're moving on. >> reporter: it can take a team of federal officers hours to make one arrest. >> i think on this team we're close to ten. >> reporter: close to ten. going after one suspect. that's a lot of manpower. >> yes, it is. >> reporter: we're heading to the northwest part of the city. yesterday they couldn't find one particular 25-year-old from mexico with a lengthy criminal history. but this morning a surveillance team has just seen him at work. when we arrive at a tire shop, 25-year-old christopher lara is arrested outside. i.c.e. says he has a criminal record includin

but i want to bring back our friends, senior widows correspondent gabe gutierrez, peter baker, white house correspondent, former north dakota senator and director of the university of chicago institute of politics. gabe, let's start with you. the prime minister says he is resigning not only as prime minister but this will be a status quo. he will stay in charge until the 24th of march? >> reporter: that is right, jose. our key ally to the north, prime minister trudeau stepping down as party leader and this has huge implications for the incoming trump administration. president-elect trump threatening that 25% tariff against canada and wanting to see real changes in the way canada treats its neighbor to the south and president-elect trump has mocked prime minister trudeau and trudeau has been a leader that has faced a lot of issues that are similar to what president biden has faced here at home, inflation, dismal poll numbers and president biden decided several months and now and it appears prime minister trudeau is suffering the same pressure. this populace backlash we have been seeing

gabe gutierrez at the white house, thanks. >>> and growing fallout from president trump's pardons for the january 6th defendants. two far righght leader convicted of seditious conspiracy walking free. we're also learning new details about the president's crackdown at the border. peter alexander is at the white house. >> reporter: they're the haunting images of the armed assault on the capitol four years ago that resulted in more than 1,100 convictions. tonight one of the most prominent, enrique tarrio, head of the far right proud boys, who was found guilty of seditious conspiracy, seen at miami airport after his release under president trump's sweeping pardons. tarrio earlier with this ominous warning. >> i'm happy that the president's focusing not on retribution and focusing on success. but i will tell you that i'm not going to play by those rules. the people who did this, they need to feel the heat. >> reporter: republican lisa murkowski tonight rebuking the decision to pardon violent offenders. >> you just blanket pardon all of them without consequence? i think that that sounds --

let me go now to gabe gutierrez, our senior white house correspondent. gabe, we understand not only has the president been briefed on what happened in new orleans, but he has been in touch with the mayor and with local leaders there as well, right? >> reporter: president biden has been briefed throughout the morning and is expected to continue to be briefed throughout the day. he's in wilmington, delaware, after attending the wedding of his niece. he has been briefed by senior fbi and homeland security officials and in speaking with the mayor, he offered full federal support. as you know, the role will be consoler in chief. we don't yet know if he will make public comments on his way from wilmington, delaware, to camp david, where he's expected to go later on today. we are right here in south florida. this is where president-elect trump spent the new year. he attended a black tie reception at his mar-a-lago estate last night. we have reached out to the trump transition to see whether they have any comment on the unfolding situation in new orleans. so far

well, let's on that note, turn to our senior white house correspondent, gabe gutierrez, because he is near president elect trump's home in south florida in mar-a-lago. gabe, have you heard anything from the trump transition team or from the president elect himself? well, hi there, kate. well, we've reached out to the trump transition team as this vote has unfolded. no response from them just yet. but the president elect so far today, he's right now currently at his golf course in west palm beach. we have not heard from him on camera. as garrett mentioned since new year's eve, when he threw his support behind speaker johnson. garrett is right. the president elect earlier this week, he really threw his support behind johnson in that key endorsement. and look, this is being seen as a key test of party unity. and with his vote failing, could be viewed as a major blow to president elect trump. but i think what it really serves as a reminder, kate, is just how narrow this majority is in the house of representatives and just how challenging all of this will be for the incoming trump administ

in addition to being in this country illegally, nbc's gabe gutierrez followed ice agents in chicago today you expect collateral arrests in these operations? yeah, you know, i definitely expect it to happen. i mean, we have the laws on the books and our officers are out there. in a statement, ice told nbc bay area quote, enforcement activity takes place around the clock. however, ice does not conduct raids or sweeps, nor does the agency operate roadblocks or checkpoints. the effects of the arrests and recent reported ice activity locally evident tonight in east san jose. you know, this intimidation, this tactic of how things are going, it's only affecting our economy. each pocket is going to get hurt. in san jose. jocelyn moran, nbc, bay area news. and as president trump ramps up efforts to carry out his campaign promises of mass deportations. san francisco is taking a stand. tomorrow, city leaders will gather on the steps of city hall to reassure migrants that san francisco will not cooperate with federal agents, targeting them at home, work or school. nbc bay area's thom jensen reports.

and as homan told gabe gutierrez, they're arresting some people who aren't criminals as well, because whoever's there when they make the arrest, if they can't show proper documentation, they they get them arrested as well. so now what comes next? just because someone is arrested doesn't mean they get deported. they may have the opportunity to appeal that. go before an immigration judge make a case for why they should stay here. they have to be detained. that can be incredibly expensive. ice is only funded for so many beds, and then they have to be deported. and as we've seen over the weekend, that can be easier said than done. >> vaughn hillyard, julia ainsley, thank you both so much. we really appreciate it. and here with me now, it's his first interview since leaving ice two weeks ago. former ice acting director p.j. lechleitner. p.j, thanks very much for being with us. >> thank you. >> for having me. because, you know, you have ground truth on all of this. first of all, how unusual is this? they've stepped it up, and this was a campaign promise. and secondly, i was going to ask you

gabe gutierrez for us just a few blocks from here. be, thank you. >>> breaking overnight, a move by the trump administration sparking some questions and some confusion as well. the white house has ordered a pause on nearly all federal grants potentially putting trillions of dollars on hold. but what does that mean? nbc's chief white house correspondent peter alexander has that part of the story. peter, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. this pause ordered by the budget for all grants and loans, according to a new memo sent to agencies obtained by nbc news. that could be trillions of dollars on hold, the document notes, and likely tens of billions in payments that americans receive. already this is sparking intense backlash from critics and confusion with fears it could impact those most in need who are now asking themselves when the cash flow will stop. this morning another sweeping action by president trump as he remakes the federal government in his first full week in office. >> thank you very much, everybody. >> repo

gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: president trump taking sweeping action on immigration. >> i will send troopsthe southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country. >> reporter: expected to sign ten declarations, calling an emergency at the state of the border, reinstating the remain in mexico policy, which mexico disagrees with. designated drug cartels, foreign terrorism, and trying to end birthright citizenship. the fourth amendment says anyone born in the u.s. is a system. >> we will begin returning millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. >> reporter: the administration has promised major enforcement operations soon, washington, d.c., philadelphia, los angeles, denver and chicago. >> we're doing everything to explore every option to protect our community members right now. >> reporter: just canceled in-person spanish services at the chicago church often attended by undocumented immigrants. why did you make the decision? >> people are scared right now. >> reporter: even some moderate democrats say they support deporting migrants with criminal record

nbc news senior white house correspondent gabe gutierrez has more. >> reporter: the nation's capitolightened security out of what police say is an abundance of caution though there is no specific threat. with a slew of major security events this month in d.c., the january 6th anniversary, former president carter's funeral, and the inauguration of president-elect donald trump, federal authorities are on high alert. >> one of anger and frustration -- >> reporter: while investigators have not yet determined a motive in the new orleans attack, they say the suspect had an isis flag on his truck as he carried it out. there are also mounting questions about the las vegas explosion outside a trump hotel. and in a sign of the growing danger, experts say the number of domestic terrorist attacks and plots against government targets alone motivated by political beliefs in past five years was nearly triple the previous 25 years combined. the fbi has also been warning the threat from home-grown violent extremists that are jihadist inspired is surging. >> since october 7th, though, that threat has

joining us now is nbc's gabe gutierrez in chicago. good morning. gabe, what's going on?hey there. >> ali, as you mentioned, we have just learned that president trump's border czar, as well as his deputy acting attorney general, are here on the ground observing those operations today. we don't yet know of any arrests so far, but it is significant that tom homan is here because, as you know, ali, he has repeatedly said in the months leading up to this that chicago would be ground zero for mass deportations. and as you can see right here, i want to put up some headlines from the chicago tribune today saying people are scared also. the tribune from yesterday, fear and chaos. so certainly immigrant communities here in chicago have been bracing for this. but as you said, ice agents have been busy across the country for the last several days. yesterday, ice says that it arrested nearly 300 people nationwide, more than 500 each of the days thursday and friday. now, ali, we should point out that under the biden administration, ice did make hundreds of arrests per day. however, th

gabe gutierrez in chicago for us.nks so much. >>> kristen welker is moderator of "meet the press." good morning. it has been a busy six days of trump's second term so far. so much coming at us including emptying the jails effectively of those convicts from january 6th and the attack on the capitol. but you've got some new reporting this morning on some of these nominees. pete hegseth getting by by the skin of his teeth with a tie-breaking vote from the vice president and three more controversial picks coming up this week. what are you hearing about the pressure the president and the white house is applying to congress to get those nominees through? >> willie, that's the exact right word, pressure. we are told -- and this is a joint report, garrett haake and myself, hearing from sources that there will be ramped up pressure on republican lawmakers to get behind the remaining nominees who are going to go before the senate this coming week. now it does come after that scare with pete hegseth who barely eked through. one

gabe gutierrez with that story. >> reporter: tonight, president trump taking sweeping action on immigration and i will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country. >> reporter: the in the executive orders, trump declaring a national emergency at the u.s.-mexico border, reinstating the remain in mexico policy, which requires asylum seekers to wait outside the u.s. while their cases are processed, designating drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations and trying to end birthright citizenship, those that's exacted to be fiercely challenged in court. the fourth amendment says anyone born in the u.s. is a citizen. >> we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. >> reporter: the trump administration has promised major enforcement operation soon. possible targets washinon, d.c., philadelphia, los angeles, denver, and chicago. >> we're doing everything we can to explore ever single options to protect our community members that are vulnerable right now. >> reporter: pastor tanya lozan

gabe gutierrez is tracking the effort. >> reporter: president trump's crackdown on illegal immigration is expanding. not just i.c.e. officers but other federal law enforcement agencies sweeping across the country. in colorado, targeting the venezuelan gang making nearly 50 arrests. and, the "washington post" citing four people, that quotas have been set nationwide. is that what you're hoping for? >> that's what we want to get, as many criminals as possible. so there's no number on it. >> reporter: tom homan is trump's border czar, he's in chicago overseeing a major operation even as the deportations spark international backlash. colombia's president turning away two u.s. aircraft saying a migrant is not a criminal and should be treated with the dignity a human being deserves. at the u.s. border, more troops arrive. the biden administration also arrested hundreds of migrants a day, but so far, the numbers under trump are higher. the start of what the white house calls an unprecedented mass deportation campaign. one change i.c.e. agents now allowed to make arrests in sensitive locations,

it is where we will begin tonight with gabe gutierrez. >> tonight a dramatic escalation of president trump's illegal immigration crackdown, the first of 1,500 extra troops touching down in el paso, texas to support border security, and for the first time migrants being deployed, not on charted flights like before, but on military aircraft. >> we are getting the bad, hard criminals out. murderers, people that have been as bad as you get. >> reporter: after a record 10 million illegal border crossings over the past four years, ice is ramping up round-ups of undocumented immigrants and making 538 arrests yesterday. doubling the daily average of september. cities including san francisco, salt lake city and atlanta. in newark, new jersey this surveillance video shows ice agents making arrests. city officials and immigrant advocates arrested three undocumented immigrants and briefly detaining an american citizen and military veteran as they asked for documentation. >> they were banging down bathroom doors to make sure nobody was hiding inside. >> reporter: ice does not call them raids and

it's where we begin tonight with gabe gutierrez. >> tonight, a dramatic escalation of president trump's illegal crackdown. the first of 1500 troops touching down in el paso, texas, to support border security. and for the first time, migrants being deported, not on charted flights like before. two flights landed in guatemala. >> we're getting the bad, hard criminals out. these are murderers. these are people that have been as bad as you get. >> reporter: after a record, 10 million border crossings orch the last four years. i.c.e. now rounding up arrests of undocumented immigrants, making 538 arsts yesterday doubling its daily average in september. cities like san ancisco, salt lake city and atlanta. in newark, new jersey, this video appears to show i.c.e. agents making arrests. city officials say i.c.e. agents raided this. and briefly detaining a military veteran, while asking him for documentation. >> they were scrambling up delivery ramps, banging down bathroom doors to make sure no one was hiding inside. >> reporter: i.c.e. doesn't call them raids but "targeted- enforcement operations

gabe gutierrez has more. >> reporter: the first legal roadblock for president trump's new agenda, a judge temporarily ending the attempt to end birthright citizenship. trump believes it's a magnet for illegal immigration. but the judge calling it a blatant unconstitutional order. >> they put it before a certain judge in seattle, i guess, rit? and there's no surprises with that judge. >> reporter: the legal showdown comes as the white hou says its promised crackdown already under way. the president is sending 1500 troops to the u.s.-mexico border. >> we have deployed active duty u.s. military and national guard troops to the border to assist in repelling the invasion. >> reporter: it's not the first time. the military says the mission is mostly logistical support. now the government is expanding the power of federal agencies to help with mass deportations. >> not only is it going to be i.c.e. engaging in these raids, but they're going to have support from law enforcement partners in fbi, atf, dea and u.s. marshals. >> reporter: the operations are not unique to the trump administration. >>

undocumented migrants, playing out in new york as we are learning of a quoto for arrest here is gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: new york city at the center of president trump's escalating crackdown on illegal immigration, arresting an alleged ring leader who they say is wanted for kidnapping and assault. the new homeland security secretary kristi noem in body armor overseeing the round up. president trump touting the ongoing arrests. >> we are throwing them the hell out of our country. >> reporter: two sources confirmed to nbc news ice agents told nbc to increase their arrest to 1,200 to 1,500 per day nationwide. one callining a quoto, adding agents may be penalized for not meeting it. across the country trump's portations are sparking fierce backlash. >> there is a real goal to stoke fear into the american people. >> reporter: and strong support. >> really happen that it is happening. >> reporter: after nbc news reported nearly half of undocumented immigrants had no prior record besides being in the country illegally. peter alexander asking the white house. >> reporter: is violent offenders no l

gabe gutierrez has more. >> reporter: in a marathon news conference at mar-a-lago president-elect trump not ruling out using economic or military coercion to retake the panama canal and acquire greenland. >> you are talking about panama and greenland. i can't assure you on either of those two. i can say that we need them for economic security. the panama canal was built for the military. >> trump saying the u.s. decision to return control in the 90s gave too much influence to china. >> china has taken it over. >> arguing the u.s. needs greenland for national security. >> you have russian ships all over the place. the people are going to vote for independence or to come into the united states. >> reporter: donald trump jr. visited greenland today, and the danish prime minister vowed his country's territory is not for sale. but his father laying out an aggressive foreign policy, expanding the u.s. influence and even wanting to change the name of the gulf of mexico. >> the gulf of america. what a beautiful name, and it is appropriate. it is appropriate. mexico has to stop allowing millions

nbc's gabe gutierrez asked president trump's border czar about that reporting. >> we want to get as my criminals as possible. so there's no number on it. they're to look for every public safety threat they can find. i think this office had several hundred on the list for today. so we'll see how it comeout. but i don't put a number on it t arrest as many public safety threats as you can. >> reporter: so you're saying, no quota, according to you. >> i don't have a quota. my instruction to them, arrest as many as you can. >> reporter: an interview with tom homan happened while he was overseeing a major operation in chicago with the goal of detaining suspected gang members and previously-convied criminals. similar operations were carried out in colorado, california, new york and other states. frances? >> alice barr for us, thank you. >>> the first major cease-fire, the crisis of the cease-fire between israel and hamas easing up. qatar announced an agreement has been reached to release israel hostage arbel yehud. president trump suggested egypt and jordan could be among the countries to acc

with us now nbc's gabe gutierrez in new york city, nbc's priscilla thompson in el paso, texas, and nbc'soriega in aurora, colorado. so, gabe, you're in new york. you were just in chicago where you did a ride along with ice. what were you seeing? what did you find? and who are the people that ice is arresting? >> hi there jose. good morning. well, according to the administration, they're going after the worst of the worst. essentially undocumented immigrants with lengthy criminal records. and we did see them. ice agents arrest one undocumented immigrant over the several hours we were with them. and we saw him booked and processed. this is something that the trump administration has said. however, according to a senior administration official, you know, on sunday there were 1200 arrests or so around the country. however, roughly half of them were undocumented immigrants without prior criminal records. besides being in the country illegally, which is a civil is a civil offense. so that is significant, jose, because we keep hearing that the priority is national security. threats are people w

gabe gutierrez now with the latest from the white house. >> reporter: tonight the first legal roadblock for president trump's new immigration agenda. a federal judge blocking the president's attempt to end birth right citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. the 14th amendment says that anyone born in the u.s. is a citizen. trump says it is a magnet for illegal immigration but the judge today calling the move a blatant violation. the legal showdown comes as the white house promised the immigration crackdown is underway. ice agents seen arrested migrants with criminal records in boston, while the president is sending 1,500 troops to the u.s./mexico border. >> i deployed active duty and national guard troops to the border to assist in rappelling the invasion. >> reporter: the military says the mission is logistical support. the first administration sent 5,9 hundred troops to the border. they will have report from the dea, fbi, u.s. marshals. >> reporter: ice arrested 308 undocumented immigrants on tuesday, but those are not unique to the trump administration. we saw that last

nbc's gabe gutierrez asked president trump's border czar about that reporting. >> we want to get as many criminals as possible. so there's no number on it. they're out for every public safety threat they can find. they had several hundred today. i don't put a number on it. arrest as many public safety threats as you can. >> reporter: no quota, according to you. >> i have no quota. arrest as many as you can. >> reporter: that interview with tom homan happened while he was overseeing a major operation in chicago with the goal of detaining suspected gang members and previously-convicted criminals. officials say similar operations were carried out in colorado, california, new york and other states, frances. back to you. >> alice, thank you. >>> new this morning, the u.s. air force says it will keep using a training video featuring the all-black tuskegee airmen along with a video about women pilots in world war ii. both were stopped to see if they were in compliance with president trump's diversity, equity and inclusion policies. >>> the first major crisis of the cease-fire between israel and

nbc news senior white house correspondent gabe gutierrez has more from yesterday's news conference. >> reporter: in a marathon news conference at mar-a-lago president-elect trump not ruling out using economic or military coercion to retake the panama canal and acquire greenland. >> you're talking about panama and greenland. no, i can't assure you on either of those two, but i can say this, we need them for economic security. the panama canal was built for our military. >> reporter: trump saying the u.s. decision to return control of the canal to panama in the '90s gave too much influence to china. >> china has basically taken it over. >> reporter: arguing the u.s. needs greenland for national security. >> you have russian ships all over the place. we're not letting that happen. the people are going to probably vote for independence or to come into the united states. >> reporter: protein vocative -- the provocative comments come. >> here as tourists, seeing it. >> reporter: but his father laying out an aggressive foreign policy expanding u.s. influence, even wanting to change the name

city on new year's eve, just after 3:00 this morning, i want to come back here to washington to gabe gutierrez, bececause, gabe, we understand now, just moments ago that president biden has been briefed on what happened. yeah, that's right. hallie, president biden has been briefed just a short time ago. the president waking up this morning in wilmington, delaware, after a last night. but we're just hearing from the white house that he was briefed early on this morning. certainly, it's still very early on in this investigation, but the white house has already been in contact with the mayor's office in new orleans. and the white house reiterates that the fbi is already on the ground, and president biden will be continued to be briefed throughout the day. certainly, there are a lot of outstanding questions at this point, hallie, a motive as local investigators and also the fbi looking into the motive behind this attack, the president keeping watch on it, as well as the national security council. hallie, gabe gutierrez, thank you very much. there in west palm beach, of course, covering the transit

news homeland security correspondent julia ainsley and nbc news senior white house correspondent gabe gutierrezwhite house press conference a little while ago, and caroline leavitt, gabe said that anybody who's who's coming to this country without the proper documentation is considered a criminal, according to this white house. she was asked whether there were other folks that were getting taken into custody who maybe weren't convicted of a crime or arrested for a crime, and she really broadened the scope here, widened the aperture, if you will, to say that it doesn't matter. anybody who's here without the documentation is a criminal, according to this white house. >> yeah. that's right, katie. and, you know, we had heard this type of argument before from administration officials. but caroline leavitt in that white house press briefing really crystallized it here, especially after a question from our own peter alexander. i'll get to that in a second. i just want to tell you where i am, katie. i'm here at the roosevelt hotel here in midtown manhattan. the line behind me is actually migrants wait

now, gabe gutierrez is joining us, who has been, you know, deeply involved in chicago now, new york today in the immigration crackdowns. gabe, we see the same volume of crackdowns. do we know yet today, as they were on sunday? >> well, we don't know quite yet. andrea, the total number of arrests today, that's all of course, still unfolding. newly confirmed homeland security secretary kristi noem here on the ground. and the arrests started early this morning before dawn, as they typically do. and as you mentioned, we saw one of these operations firsthand yesterday in chicago. now, i should tell you that according to three sources familiar with the planning, we are now learning that the trump administration plans to have three large scale operations like this each week. and so far, we've seen chicago this week, new york today, and then on thursday, aurora, colorado. and according to those officials as well, ice agents have been told that they would like to get 1200 to 1500 arrests nationwide per day. one of those officials, one of those sources, i should say, described it as a quota. anothe

gabe gutierrez has more. >> reporter: in a marathon news conference president-elect trump is not rulingng economic or military coercion to take the panama canal and acquire greenland. we need them for economic security. >> trump saying a u.s. decision to return control in the 90s gave too much influence to china and arguing the u.s. needs greenland for national security. >> you have russian ships all over the place. we are not letting that happen. >> reporter: the comments come as donald trump jr. visited greenland today, and the danish prime minister vowed the country is not for sale, but his father laying out an aggressive policy, even wanting to change the name of the gulf of mexico. >> the gulf of america. what a beautiful name. it is appropriate. it is appropriate. mexico, they have to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country. >> reporter: after mocking canada as the 51st state, trump is using the idea of economics to annex the u.s. ally. >> canada and the united states would really be something. you get rid of that artificially drawn line and take a look at what i

el sar de la frontera, designado por el presidente electo donald trump, tom homan, hablÓ con gabe gutiÉrrezon los familiares de esa persona deportada si tampoco tienen documentos, homan respondiÓ que serÁn llevados ante un juez de inmigraciÓn para que Él lo decida. >> it's not okay to be in this country legally it's not okay to buy our laws and across that border and see if there's no consequences for bilingual laws, then what the hell we doing. it means we will take the board through the board because it's no consequences. shut down immigration court because the judge is always don't mean anything more. no we're a system of laws a nation of laws where we're going to force those laws that people don't like it change the law, but again. >> en esta entrevista desde la frontera, homan dijo que el el dariÉn, que es el sector dear la selva panameÑa por la que han pasado miles de inmigrantes para llegar a estados unidos. al regresar estamos en venezuela con la toma de posesiÓn de nicolÁs maduro por tercer periodo consecutivo, a pesar de periodo consecutivo, a pesar de no haber mostrado ♪♪ ♪♪ ahor

here's nbc's gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: in a marathon news conference at mar-a-lago, president-elect trump t ruling out using economic or military coercion to retake the panama canal and acquire greenland. >> you're talking about panama and greenland. no, i can't assure you on either of those two. but i can say this. we need them for economic security. the panama canal was built for our military. >> reporter: trump saying a u.s. decision to return control of the canal to panama in the '90s gave too much influence to china. >> china's basically taken it over. >> reporter: and arguing the u.s. needs greenland for national security. >> you have russian ships all over the place. we're not letting that happen. the people are going to probably vote for independence or to come into the united states. >> reporter: the provocative comments come as donald trump jr. visisited grnland. the danish prime minister vowed his country's territory is not for sale. >> it looks like an incredible place. >> reporter: but his father laying out an aggressive foreign policy, expanding u.s. influence, even wa

here's gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: the nation's capital is under heightened security out of abundance of caution, though there is no specific threat. wiwith a sloh of major security vents, the january 6 anniversary, former president carter's funeral and the inauguration of president-elect trump, federal authorities are on high alert. >> the action was one of anger and frustration. >> reporter: while investigators have not yet determined a motive in the new orleans attack, they say the suspect had isis flag on his truck as he carried it out. there are also mounting questions about the las vegas explosion outside a trump hotel. and in a sign of the growing danger, experts say the number of domestic terrorist attacks and plots against government targets alone motivated by political believes in the past five years was nearly triple the previous 25 years combined. the fbi has also been warning the threat from home-grown, violent extremists that are jihadist inspired is surging. >> since october 7th, though, that threat has gone through a whole another level. >> reporter: add to that the un

here's gabe gutierrez. >> at the national fetal today, prayer and politics collided. >> the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. >> with president trump looking on the bishop delivered an unusually clinical sermon criticizing his deportation plan. >> i ask you to have mercy on those in our communities whose children fear their parents will be taken away. >> the president later responding. >> i didn't think it was a good service, no. >> tonight the backlash is growing after his sweeping executive actions on immigration. >> if i were to lose my parents due to deportation, my world would fall apart. >> at least 22 states are already suing over trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, connecticut's attorney general saying trump has zero respect for our constitution, which spelled out anyone worn in the u.s. is a citizen. >> it's absolutely ridiculous. we have good grounds, people have wanted to do this for decades. >> the president also halting the program that re-settles refugees in the u.s. including afghans, fleeing the taliban. >> th

nbc news's gabe gutierrez saw one enforcement operation in another major city, chicago, where agents arrested a man named christopher lara from mexico. he says he had a criminal record, including convictions for home invasion and aggravated battery. he does have serious charges and convictions, so i understand he has a daughter and that's unfortunate, but we still have a job to do and we still have to follow the law. now back here at home, we're seeing that this press conference is really getting ready to start. you can see former supervisor ahsha safai there with local union members. i'm also seeing the chief of police, bill scott, walk up here. i'm actually taking a look. he's making his way to the podium, and you can see marcus and laura. there is that picture. that image. it says, somos la resistencia, meaning we are the resistance. that is also the message that is being. the being reiterated here this morning, calling for unified calls from immigrant and migrant communities and their allies. we'll have more from this press conference, from our reporters on the scene, on our late

our senior white house correspondent gabe gutierrez in chicago with agents as an operation is under way. >>> plus, the president's showdown with colombia over deportations. >>> the new firings at the department of justice. multiple officials who helped prosecute donald trump dismissed. >>> plus, the president's expected executive orders impacting the u.s. military. >>> deepseek causing deep concern. china's new artificial intelligence app putting u.s. tech companies on notice and raising new concerns about security for americans using it. >>> the emotional reunions. four female israeli soldiers freed by hamas. the amer

hallie gabe gutierrez live for us down there in south florida. gabe, thank you very much. we'll check back in with you if we hear anything else from president biden or from the white house in the hours to come, let's go back now to former secret service special agent evie poumpouras, who is joining us now live. and evie, in the in the lingo of law enforcement, if you will, this is what you call a soft target, right? explain the difficulty in protecting these kinds of places, like what we're seeing and what we saw overnight in the french quarter. anytime you have an open area like this, multiple ways in and out, it's a soft target, you know, and as we're watching the video footage and i've been paying attention and jotting notes down, you don't really see any hardened security perimeter. you see those those those white and orange half boards. tho are actually called parade barricades. they do nothing. you can kick that over with your foot and it falls down. you see some bike rack again, it's easily movable. i understand that there was police presence. they had about 300 plu

he spoke with gabe gutierrez. >> we're going to take steps to secure the border. >> reporter: president-electr czar tom homan tells us mass deportation will include workplace roundups. >> are we talking around inauguration day, even on inauguration day? >> i'm not going to forecast what we're doing and where we're doing it, but you can count on work site enforcement coming back. >> reporter: will mass deportation hurt the economy? >> i think mass deportation, the results of mass deportation are more important to this country than anything. we're going to protect the national security of this country. >> reporter: i.c.e. agents told us they prioritize arresting undocumented immigrants with criminal records. critics ask, what about undocumented family members. will there be collateral arrests? >> yes, it's not okay to be in this country illegally. >> reporter: he's promising to close panama's darien gap, which migrants cross on the way to the u.s. >> i want to shut the darien gap down. >> would you work with the panama government, send the u.s. military to shut it down? >> we're always going to