The next is a transcript of an interview with Mayors Francis Suarez of Miami, LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans, Andre Dickens of Atlanta and John Giles of Mesa, Arizona, that aired Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We're again now with 4 of our nation's mayors. Francis Suarez is the mayor of Miami and the top of the US Convention of Mayors. Latoya Cantrell is the mayor of New Orleans. Plus, we have now Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens with us, together with John Giles, the mayor of Mesa, Arizona. Good morning to all of you. And thanks a lot for being right here in individual. I wish to speak about simply what's creating, by way of the taking pictures in California. Nationwide, we're seeing this spike in violent crime, we're seeing reviews of an uptick in anti-semitism and hate crimes. All of you're from states the place there are pretty permissive gun legal guidelines. And I ponder, Mayor Suarez, how you place these items collectively? What's driving this?
MIAMI MAYOR FRANCIS SUAREZ: Yeah, it's- it is so many alternative elements which can be driving this. However you understand, one of many issues that we targeted lots on, at this mayoral convention that we simply ended, was psychological well being. And psychological well being is a large element of what is driving a whole lot of these, while you have a look at the foundation trigger, and also you return and also you type of peel again the layers of the onion. Mayors are very involved about it. We clearly had a panel, clearly on-on city crime. And positively a whole lot of these mayors have talked about, you understand, gun management of their cities. In our metropolis, you understand, we have- we're very blessed. We had an important yr, our murder degree went down, we have been in a position to have a knock on proverbial wooden, that we've not had any of those mass shootings that we have seen throughout the nation, which appear to be escalating by way of frequency, and by way of, you understand, the quantity of instances that we're seeing them, it is virtually each day, it looks like we're having one. So it is been- it has been powerful. It is one thing that mayors are grappling with throughout the nation. And we're focusing it on in a really complete approach.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You particularly this week, informed your fellow mayors that a few of that is pushed by no money bail insurance policies. Why do you say that? Are repeat offenders the issue?
MAYOR SUAREZ: Yeah, what I am specializing in is that the no money bail is creating lawlessness in a whole lot of our cities, what's occurring is, for instance, individuals get out immediately, they don't seem to be even, you understand, they do not even must put up bail. So that they're in a position to get out immediately. And so we're seeing somebody go into like a CVS, for instance, and take hundreds of dollars price of merchandise, which is inflicting a CVSs to shut, which hurts the you understand, the remainder of the town, however that is not significantly associated to, to the gun violence challenge. It is associated extra to petty crime, which is creating lawlessness in a few of our cities. However what we're doi- we're seeing within the metropolis of Miami is, you understand, we're funding our police, you understand, a whole lot of cities minimize into the defunding police motion. And we're seeing that as a bipartisan challenge. I mentioned it on the White Home, you understand, only a couple days in the past, and the President echoed what I mentioned about funding police and never defunding police. So I feel that could be a larger challenge, as we battle with how we resolve these points in our cities.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And President Biden put in $4 billion in grants that is obtainable for native regulation enforcement use in cities across the nation.
ATLANTA MAYOR ANDRE DICKENS: Yeah, you understand, as you talked about this challenge that is occurring proper now, in California, yet one more mass taking pictures in our nation, it continues to occur too regularly. And so it is simply too many weapons in America. It is too many weapons within the fingers on our streets and weapons plus anger equals unhealthy outcomes, equals violence. And so we have now to deliver again legal guidelines which can be smart, frequent sense gun legal guidelines to have the ability to cut back the quantity of entry that individuals must weapons. And so that you see one other mass taking pictures, and lives are misplaced. And my coronary heart goes out to the individuals of California experiencing that. And in order mayor Suarez talked about, we're speaking about psychological well being, and find out how to ensure that we have now anti-violence in our communities, we're using a "Treatment Violence," you understand, to deliver down the retaliation and ensure we have now therapeutic in our communities to attempt to use policing and non-policing ways to deliver down violence. Midnight Basketball, issues that, you understand, Summer season Youth Employment Program to assist assist our youth, however psychological well being and simply getting individuals the standard care that they want. So that they make smart selections, as a result of many of the violence that we're seeing in our communities is escalating disputes, individuals which can be unable to resolve a battle, that is simply escalated an excessive amount of. And other people aren't preventing or arguing anymore. They're taking their fingers of their pockets and pulling out a gun. And it will get too intense and somebody kills somebody. And that is the violence we're seeing in America. So we have now to take an entire of presidency method to have the ability to deliver down as violence, issues that we will do to assist our youth to assist our communities.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.
MAYOR ANDRE DICKENS: And as a number of the stuff that we're doing in Atlanta.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mayor Giles, you truly I am shocked once I noticed that Mesa has such an enormous inhabitants. I feel you are the most important metropolis on the desk, and it checked out that look to your police say says that you're certainly one of America's most secure giant cities.
MESA, ARIZ., MAYOR JOHN GILES: Proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: How do you qualify that and the way are you doing that? If that's, is reality.
MESA, ARIZ., MAYOR JOHN GILES: Effectively, a whole lot of the issues that these fellows had simply talked about. we're doubling down on our funding in our police division and we're shifting the paradigm. A couple of years in the past, we modified the title of our hearth division. It is now not the Mesa Hearth Division; it is now Mesa hearth and medical to higher replicate what we do. We have to do the identical in relation to policing that must be the police and psychological well being division. Final yr we diverted over three thousand 911 calls away from a police response to a psychological well being response. So once more, the-the significance of psychological well being is ubiquitous and all that we do, and it was mentioned at the- on the convention. It is- It has every thing to do with- with how we handle homelessness, it does every thing with how we do how we handle policing in our neighborhood.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mayor Cantrell, I wish to get you on that too, as a result of President Biden mentioned it isn't about defunding the police. It is about restraining the police. I ponder when you agree with that. I do know you could have had an issue in New Orleans with not having sufficient law enforcement officials lower than 1000 for 300,000 individuals.
MAYOR CANTRELL: Positive, and the factor is is that it is about retention and additionally it is about recruitment. Due to this second tranche of the American rescue plan dollars coming our approach with direct allocation. Oh, it has actually been a lifeline the place we're placing 80 million in public security throughout the board. One of many largest by way of a retention and incentive bundle to retain, we see it slowing down, that means attrition is declining, our officers are staying. And so we simply must proceed to offer the instruments and sources that our officers want to reply. Additionally, by way of the capability challenge you talked about. You already know, I've needed to put all commissioned officers that have been in particular ops, over 75, again on the road, as a result of my officers have been saying, 'Hey, we'd like assist out right here.' So I've to guard my officers to allow them to defend my metropolis. And so we're seeing an actual leads to regards to our redeployment technique on the bottom.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You- New Orleans has the very best per capita homicide price of any main metropolis. Why?
MAYOR CANTRELL: Why? Is as a result of one, coping with COVID-19, violence, everybody has weapons, the flexibility or the dearth of the flexibility to resolve a battle with out reaching and pulling a gun. Additionally, because it pertains to accountability, you understand, low lining offenses, you understand, when they do not get bail or they don't seem to be restrained, then we're simply seeing how these crimes escalate. Folks must be held accountable throughout the board. And we're seeing outcomes, I'd say. We're shifting in the precise route. However I let you know, we positively want to carry individuals accountable. You possibly can't battle crime, simply specializing in police. It is a few system, a legal justice system. It is in regards to the D.A., your judges, and it is about constructing in accountability. Everybody must be held accountable. And that is how we're specializing in it, holistic method within the metropolis of New Orleans, positively seeing a decline shifting in the precise route.
MARGARET BRENNAN: This challenge of crime in your metropolis is inflicting a whole lot of political issues, and you're the goal of a recall drive that is underway proper now. Plenty of allegations in opposition to you, as nicely in regard to monetary improprieties. How a lot of the accountability with the crime challenge do you- do you personally take?
MAYOR CANTRELL: Effectively, to start with, it's the New Orleans Police Division that's completely underneath my authority. And with that, ensuring that not solely I am listening to my officers, however getting them the sources that they should battle crime. And that's precisely what we're seeing on the bottom, the motivation packages, retaining officers, in addition to recruitment. And that is the main target.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And also you consider you may survive this recall effort?
MAYOR CANTRELL: Effectively, primarily based on what I see is that the residents of my metropolis positively respect continuity in management. And so with that, that speaks to holding progress shifting and alive underneath my management. Second, elected twice within the metropolis. 61% the primary time, 65% The second time. Continuity and management is what I am seeing by my individuals.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to get to all of you on plenty of points. However I do know one thing very intense has simply occurred in Atlanta. Mayor Dickens, I watched a press convention you held final evening, following the dying of a Georgia-based activist it changed into a riot. This stems as I perceive it from the taking pictures dying of an activist and the physique digicam from the policeman who's believed to have shot this particular person would not exist. What are you able to inform us by way of who's behind the violence that occurred yesterday?
MAYOR DICKENS: Yeah, earlier this week, a person that was protesting within the woods- plenty of of us are within the woods making an attempt to protest in opposition to the event of a public security coaching middle, which is for police and firefighters. A brand new state-of-the-art coaching middle that is going to permit us to do twenty first century policing, permit us to have a emergency car impediment course, and these items that police and hearth will have the ability to work collectively to have the ability to result in, you understand, security in our neighborhood. And so we're constructing it, however some of us do not wish to see something constructed that helps police in order that they name it 'cop metropolis.' And these people are within the woods protesting it, and sadly, they have been engaged by the Georgia State Patrol, requested him to have the ability to transfer out of the woods, a person shot on the Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia State Patrol officers shot again. And sadly, that particular person was killed and a patrol officer, the state patrol officer was shot within the stomach. And so now, that they had a protest final evening, and it was peaceable. However there have been some people inside that crowd that meant violence. That they had explosives. They burned down a police automotive, they broke home windows at companies. And so our police division, together with our state and federal companions, took swift motion inside two blocks and introduced that scenario underneath management. And the violence stopped and people six people have been arrested. And it must be famous that these people weren't Atlanta or Georgia residents. Most of them traveled into our metropolis to wreak havoc. And so, we like to help individuals after they're doing proper, peaceable protest is part of the American- our freedoms, however if you end up violent, we'll just remember to get held accountable.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I would like- I wish to decide you up on that time. While you say individuals from out of city, they're carrying explosives. Is that this an organized motion right here? Your native paper says that is having nationwide attain with response from teams starting from quote, 'environmental activists, radical anarchist and black revolutionaries.' Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Congresswoman, I am positive you understand, her blamed 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Antifa' and that she blamed Democrats. On the details, seven to 13 individuals have been charged with home terrorism. Is that this terrorism? Is that this crime? What is that this? Who's behind it?
MAYOR DICKENS: Yeah, I will not go so far as no matter that consultant mentioned. However what I'll say is that it's a crime, and that is why they have been charged with the crime. And these crimes--
MARGARET BRENNAN: Home terrorism--
MAYOR DICKENS: And the crimes vary from violence to home terrorism to assault battery and another issues. However sure, it's violent when somebody turns to burn down a police automotive or breakout home windows or have explosives on them. I do not get into the names. I do not know all of the organizations. I am going to let y'all determine who did it. I simply know they're arrested. And if they arrive into Atlanta, once more, to wreck havoc, they are going to be arrested once more.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However do you consider your metropolis is being focused by organized teams?
MAYOR DICKENS: In that regard? Sure, these people which can be protesting in opposition to cop metropolis, as they name it, it is actually a public security coaching middle. They do not wish to see the very issues that they requested for extra police coaching, we won't practice imaginary, we have now to do it in a facility that permits for police firefighters locally to coach collectively. And so that is bringing in regards to the change that we needed to see in 2020. And now whereas we're doing it, these people do not wish to see any sources go in direction of that coaching is so we will develop this coaching middle and people people must come to a halt.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mayor Giles, you're on the frontline of the migration surge and I feel it is so fascinating that you just're characterizing your metropolis as very secure. You already know, these problems with migration surges being uncontrolled and crime are sometimes conflated. How have been you doing that, by way of not having this overwhelm your native officers and regulation enforcement?
MAYOR GILES: Effectively, I want I may say it isn't overwhelming us. It's, and it has been for many years, and one of many issues I've loved about this convention over the previous couple of days is the place you are beginning to see extra biparti- bipartisan frustration, you are seeing the mayor of New York Metropolis and Chicago and in Atlanta, and Denver are all prime of their agendas now, is speaking in regards to the issues which can be being created of their communities because of the migration surge. I under no circumstances help or encourage the follow of a few of our border state governors in sending migrants to those giant northeastern cities, however I do must admit that it has elevated this challenge to a spot that it has not been beforehand. Border states have been complaining for many years about the necessity to handle immigration reform, the necessity to dedicate further sources to the border and we're doing the perfect we will. In our metropolis, the church teams, the nonprofits, which can be being put upon by the federal authorities to come back in and take up the slack, we're previous our sources. So hopefully, this newfound bipartisan frustration and becoming a member of of northeastern cities to this challenge will assist elevate it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And you've got the Tremendous Bowl popping out to Arizona quickly. I do know- I learn that you just plan to take the Homeland Safety Secretary round your metropolis.
MAYOR GILES: Completely. Mayor Gallego and I met with the, Secretary Mayorkas only a few days in the past have prolonged that invitation. We've very restricted sources so far as welcoming facilities and amenities to course of these migrants as they proceed in their- of their journeys on generally to the northeastern cities. We'd like the band aids to maintain coming from- from the federal authorities by way of amenities. However we additionally want to handle the underlying challenge of immigration reform.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mayor Suarez, I must get to you on this as nicely, as a result of South Florida has seen this inflow by boat Cubans specifically Haitians, Customs and Border Safety report a 400% enhance within the month of October alone. Are these new tighter laws from the Biden administration making any distinction?
MAYOR SUAREZ: It is arduous to say they have been simply imposed, however definitely, I feel the failure of getting an immigration answer, as Mayor Giles mentioned, is creating a form of- Miami and Florida turning into a border state and border metropolis. As you mentioned, we had the one largest enhance in public college enrollment yr over yr, this yr. And in order that simply to place that in context, about 14,000 new kids, if an enormous college has 2,000 kids, that is seven new faculties that we have now to create within the system. It clearly, as you mentioned, places a homeless- pressure on the homeless system in making an attempt to- to deal with the least, the final, and the misplaced in our cities. It places a pressure on our public hospital system, we have now one of many largest public hospitals within the nation that gives a whole lot of thousands and thousands of dollars of indigent care, places an incredible quantity of pressure on that system. So I feel cities throughout America, as Mayor Giles mentioned, are coming collectively in a bipartisan style. And we're asking for a long run answer. This downside needs to be fastened. There needs to be an articulated technique. A variety of the immigration is coming from this hemisphere, and it would not appear to be you understand, both celebration actually has targeted on fixing the issue versus, you understand, demonizing the opposite facet for his or her place. I feel that is what mayors do, is we give attention to fixing issues, not blaming someone else for it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper. And also you delivered that message right here in Washington this week. Mayors, thanks very a lot for coming to the desk.
MAYORS: Thanks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We'll be proper again.