thanks, the news continues right here on cnn outfront. next, attorney general merrick garland and republicans go head-to-head, flashing over trump's conspiracy theories, including the former president's baseless claim but the fbi was trying to assassinate him. plus breaking news, we are now just hours away from the us, mexico border closing after biden issued strict new border the rules. but why now we're live at the border and hunter biden's laptop and his own words taking center stage in court today. let's go out front and good evening. i'm erin burnett outfront tonight. >> i will not be intimidated. those are the exact words of attorney general merrick garland, who came under withering fire from republicans today. >> these repeated attacks on the justice department are unprecedented, and they are unfounded. i will not be intimidated and the justice department will not be intimidated. we will continue to do our jobs free from political influence, and we will not back down from defending democracy they usually mild mannered garland, standing firm for five hours as he was confronted with one conspiracy theory after the next everyone designed to show garlanded president biden trying to use the doj to take down trump conspiracy theory. >> one, trump's claims that garland and biden were in cahoots with the manhattan da's his office in the hush money trial for trump garland, of course, would have none of that we do not control the matan manhattan district attorney and the fact of the matter is that in 2018, federal prosecutors with the doj declined to file charges against trump that decision in part because of the lingering concerns about michael cohen's credibility as a witness. and then came conspiracy theory number to trump's claims that the department of justice was trying to assassinate him during the fbi rate at mar-a-lago again, garland would have none of that i'm just saying that the allegation is not true firm, but calm words. >> and the allegation is not true. in fact, the language in the documents related to the 2022 search of mar-a-lago is standard and directly from the department manual, it's just paint with just every single case former fbi deputy operations chief robbed emiko told us that the language included his quote, standard language for every single operation bar, none with trump saying is just a disinformation campaign highlighting it for people who don't know but tonight, trump and his allies are turning the volume on a disinformation campaign to disparage the attorney general merrick garland, and to disparage the investigations into the former president, katelyn polantz is outfront live in washington to begin our coverage tonight. and caitlin, i mean, this was a five-hour intense hearing. garland standing firm, but one of the key race he's since he was there is because republicans want him to release audio of biden's interview with special counsel in the classified documents case. and so far we've got the transcript from the doj that's it. no audio and i know to begin, you've got some new reporting on this tonight. >> yeah. aaron. right now, there is a fight on capitol hill today between merrick garland, the attorney general, and the republicans who want this audio tape of joe biden sitting down for this interview over two days with special counsel robert hur, about the classified documents he had in his possession ended up not being charged but that's not where that fight is on its own. it also exists in court. there are more than a dozen media organizations, as well as to right? leaning groups. >> the heritage foundation and judicial watch, who are suing for that tape as well. >> and the justice department has had to explain in court, just like merrick garland was explaining today, their reasons for not wanting to hand over this tape. they say that there are privacy reasons some of those things include that it's very stressful for someone to sit for an interview. and if they want white house officials to cooperate with them in the future for future, just farm and investigations they need to offer them some level of privacy protection. also executive privilege, which merrick garland and the president apparently we discussed garland advise. yes, you could assert privilege and the president did over this tape. here's a little bit more about how america garland explained to congress today something he has also echoing in court is it your testimony that a white house official would voluntarily cooperate and a criminal investigation only if the justice department promises not to release the audio recordings. >> it doesn't make any sense the longtime experience. >> so the justice department has also reflected in the declaration that was filed under oath. is that witnesses want to protect the confidentiality of their communications with the prosecutors during these sensitive interviews. >> so aaron, that audio tape recording of biden sitting for the interview with special counsel robert hur. >> it is still classified according to the justice department. >> it's still in a secured facility protected, and it's ultimately going to be up to very likely the courts on whether it will be released publicly in some way. >> all right. kaelyn, poland's thank you very much. and obviously that recording central to this hearing today out front now, democratic congressman dan goldman, former assistant us attorney in the southern district of new york, which of course is part of the doj. so dan, i really appreciate your time and congressman, i want to get to caitlin reporting in just a moment about the tape, but first just what we saw today, the attorney general garland was defiant. he said, i will not be intimidated. do you think that's what this hearing was about? republicans trying to intimidate him republicans, have been trying to intimidate merrick garland and the department of justice for this entire congress, they created an entire subcommittee called the weaponization of the federal government. >> so they could weaponize congress in order to undermine the rule of law, undermine democracy, and undermine most importantly, every single investigation and now prosecution against donald trump. that's all. this is about. this is the republicans doing the bidding and the dirty work for donald trump they don't like the prosecutions against donald trump, but they have no problem about prosecutions against anyone else, including democrats, including hunter biden. it is hypocrisy proceed at its zenith and this was all that it's about and has been all that it's about this entire congress. >> and of course, just to put an emphasis on one thing you said there it is. of course, president biden's doj, which is currently bringing a case against hunter biden. so important to note in that context, i want to play something today, congressman, that happened between attorney general how garden guard, garland, and the chairman of the judiciary committee, jim jordan. and so in this exchange, they're talking about jack smith, who obviously is the special counsel prosecuting the two federal cases against trump. and here's part of their exchange did he ask for the job this is not a job. >> i don't think anybody asks for. it's not that is already know, but that's not the question i asked you. i said, did jack smith asieh asked me for the job? no. >> did did he convey through someone else that he wanted the job? >> i would be surprised if that were the case, but well, you don't know? no, i don't know so he may have i can only tell you what i know. i chose him because he had a record of impartial career experience as a prosecutor. that's why he was chosen so that entire line of questioning was obviously to make it look like jeff smith, jack smith had lobbied for the job and was given it as some part of some conspiracy to take down trump congressman, what was the real purpose of this hearing? >> well look i stands italy. the purposes that the judiciary committee is supposed to do oversight of the department of justice and the department of justice makes its budgetary requests through the judiciary committee. but of course, that's not what jim jordan and republicans want to use it for. the purpose of this hearing. as it is with just about everything related to the department of justice, is to undermine the confidence in the department of justice in the fbi to undermine the rule of law because donald trump has been charged with multiple different crimes in multiple different courts. >> that's the only reason that the republicans object to anything going on in merrick garland's department of justice or in the manhattan da's office, or in the atlanta, georgia da's office. and don't forget aaron. >> this the arguments you start hearing about the manhattan da trial that this is somehow politicized, that michael cohen is a terrible witness that michael cohen was the reason the southern district of new york didn't charge donald trump the fact of the matter is like our constitution requires and allows for donald trump's lawyer had three he days to cross-examine michael cohen he had ample opportunity to show that he was a non credible witness. >> the jury heard it. the jury heard all the other evidence, consider all the other evidence, and decided unanimously that he was guilty. this is how our criminal justice system works. and merrick garland is operating the department of justice in the true true, timeless fashion that our democratic values have been founded upon and, and also to add to that, of course, the doj did not bring that case, that they had nothing to do with that case was of course, brought by the manhattan da. >> i want to ask you what katelyn about caitlin is reporting congressman dough and that is about this audio tape republicans are focused on the audio tape of biden's interview with the special counsel in his classified documents case media organizations want this audio as well, including my own. here's one exchange where the republican congressman dan bishop tells garland that he thinks the audio is important because it will let people here biden's prison he's and his demeanor and evaluate as mental capacity. here's the exchange what demeanor evidence is, don't you, sir i'm sorry, i didn't mean or evidence. >> you know what that is. is that on the bench for decades? >> you i know what demeanor evidence. i know what demeanor evidence is, and i've not been shown any reason why audio evidence of demeanor would make a difference in any legislative purpose. and that's exactly what demeanor evidence is, witnessing observing a witness as they testified and what can be done by this committee is to observe the audio recording of the president testifying to see whether it comports with the transcript or whether it reveals things about his capacity or his veracity, or anything else that comes from his demeanor as he as he is interviewed congressman, do you think the audio should be released absolutely not. it is a preposterous proposition to say that congress has some legitimate legislative purpose to obtain in the audio when it has the substance of the interview in transcript form, they cannot enumerate any reason for congress not necessarily the media, which is a separate issue, or the special counsel who obviously had the audio and was the one who was evaluating his demeanor to make the decision the prosecutor and he had concerned about he had concerned about the president's mental capacity. >> so that's why people want to see your democratic colleague in the senate, mark warner, just told the associated press, i quote him, you've got to release the audio now there's there's no legal basis to release the audio the department of justice is absolutely correct. >> now, remember aaron joe biden voluntarily sat for five hours of an interview that is in direct contrast to donald trump, who refuse to sit for an interview with special counsel muller and. then he submitted written answers to questions and was known was asserted to be false and obstructed. justice because he lied in his written answers so when the attorney general says we want to encourage people to voluntarily cooperate, if congress is going to get hold of these videotapes. so that donald trump can use them as part of his campaign because that's really the only reason they want it, because they cannot establish a legitimate basis. >> just one night, don't go in. the reason everyone's asking for it. i think from the media perspective, the american public is because special counsel, her concluded that there were issues with biden's memory, right? i mean, that's the reason is that actually, counsel her well, special counsel, her said that he also said in the course of the interview that president biden has a photographic memory and ultimately you have the transcript. >> so if you have issues with his memory or with what he said, you have the traits, would you have the substance of it? the only reason for for the audio is for political partisan purposes to help donald trump. >> all right. what congressman goldmann, i appreciate your time and thank you for the conversation thank you. next, we have breaking news. president biden's new immigration crackdown is about to take effect. so shutting down the southern us border at midnight. >> but why now plus the jury and hunter biden's case hearing, the president's son and his own words speak out about the grip the drugs had on him i was a bloodhound on this set, like everywhere else i bought crack what was the jury looking as they saw heard? >> that and a chilling warning tonight from the head of the fbi about the number of threats facing america tonight make this a summer to share and hey, during the qia summer sticker sales event in a three row key is a renta the tech forward sportage the available all wheel drive celtics for, the iihs top safety pick plus telluride each one recommended by consumer reports this summer visit, your local kia dealer and say get 1.9% apr for 48 months plus 1,000 bonus cash especially tags 2024, sportage and sorrento vehicles for sandals jamaica saline how odd with rates from 199 per person per night. these its sandals.com or call 1800 sandals ocd is more than what you see on tv. and in the movies, it comes with unrelenting intrusive images, thoughts, and urges. if you have ocd and need help, you can get better with specialized treatment. go to note cd.com to learn more. >> sure. i'm a paid actor and this isn't a real company, but there's no way to fake arp work can help your business search talent all over the world with over 10,000 skills, you may not happen house more than 30% of the fortune 500 use upward because this is how we work now you've got better things to do than clean out clog gutters, falling, filter today, and never clean out clog gutters again, leaf filters technology keeps debris out of your gutters for good, guaranteed colleague 33 lee filter today or physically filter.com time making cocktails and more time making new memories introducing cartesian, premium cocktail the touch of a button shop for dad and get $50 las artesian.com slash dad at bus to credit. >> we know running a business takes everything you have, and only a certain kind of leader has what it takes every new challenges years to solve. and there's no such thing as off the clock you carry the weight of the problems for your resolved never wavers. no one else can do what you do. we know your drive. we know your determination you've come far enough to know successes for those who take it. this due credit funding. what's next now, adt professionally installs google nest products they're all set on the system. we should go with the most trusted name and home security as t a slow network is no network for business. that's why more choose comcast business. and now, we're introducing ultimate speed for business —our fastest plans yet. we're up to 12 times faster than verizon, at&t, and t-mobile. and existing customers could even get up to triple the speeds... at no additional cost. it's ultimate speed for ultimate business. don't miss out on our fastest speed plans yet! switch to comcast business and get started for $49.99 a month. plus, ask how to get up to an $800 prepaid card. call today! like a pro pain-free absorbing pro duties, celebrating freedom and legacy wednesday, june 19th, their ten on cnn breaking news and just a few hours, much of america's nearly 2000 mile border with mexico will close close. it is a dramatic move by president biden, who has just rolled out and you border policy already. there is bipartisan backlash why didn't you do this in 2021? why didn't you do this in 2022? why don't you do this in 2023? why don't you do this last month or the month before? >> it is extremely disappointing that this white house would choose to double down on the previous administrations harmful and flawed immigration can policies from both sides. >> now, biden says that he is taking action because the republican party refused to act i'm moving past republican unstructured, usually the executive authority is available me as president to do what i can on my own to address the border now it has been 118 days since the senate kill the bipartisan border bill that's what he's referring to. >> a bill that would have been the strictest border legislation in decades. and it was a deal made by one of the most conservative members of congress and democrats. that bill, of course they'll never made it out of the senate blocked because donald trump and republicans sayyed was bad for them politically but there's been a cost to waiting to close the border from then. there have been at least 406,000 crossings at the us border since that bill failed, stretching resources and cities across this nation. and it is why this has become a major concern among voters. now they're just five months to go until the election. so biden is now taking action despite previously saying that his hands were tied, that he he couldn't do anything via executive order and that he needed congress to do it all. the power that third day i got it off well tonight biden says he has the power and he's giving himself the power to shut the border. let's begin our coverage with rosa flores. she is outfront tonight at the southern border president joe biden announcing his toughest immigration policy, an executive order barring asylum when daily migrant apprehensions at the us southern border hit a seven-day average of 2,500. >> a move that could result in the deportation of some migrants in a matter of days, even hours. >> they choose to come without permission and against the law, there'll be restricted from receiving asylum and staying in the united states. >> the measure clamps down on unlawful crossings between ports of entry. and we'll take effect at midnight since migrant apprehensions at the us southern border are now about 4,000 per day. biden appearing to take a page from former president donald trump's hardline immigration playbook trump tried implementing a similar policy in 2018, the aclu let the challenge that caused courts to strike down and says it plans to sue the biden administration two, we do not believe that any provision, whether it's 212 f for any other provision, allows an administration to shut down the asylum system. >> biden administration officials defended the executive order saying and includes humanitarian exceptions for unaccompanied migrant children, for some medical emergencies and for victims of severe human trafficking the timing of the announcement, the number of migrant apprehensions, right now is very low extremely low raising eyebrows among advocates like sister norma pimentel, because migrant apprehensions on the us southern border have plummeted from nearly 250,000 in december to about 120,000 in may. a source familiar with the data told cnn. so why do this i would think is because of the fact that we're having an election