[T.j. Holmes, Cnn Anchor:] Well we turn to our "Crime and Consequence" today, and we are talking about the case of Russian spying. Nine accused of spying, they were all in court today; their homes had been raided earlier this week. Bail hearings in federal courts in three cities Boston, New York, Alexandria, Virginia. They're all accused of taking part in a long-term spying mission against the U.S. And there's another suspect who is over in Cyprus. You see his picture there. He was the alleged paymaster who dealt with all the funding for this group. He's released on bail there. He was told not to leave the country and he was told he had to check in nightly. He didn't check in last night. Another suspect, Anna Chapman, now she is the Russian redhead, you've probably seen her pictures around here and there. She has already been denied bail. The Russian Foreign Ministry calls the accusations unfounded. CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance is live for us in Moscow with reaction. And just how strongly is Moscow how strongly are they responding right now to what they're seeing happen and being accused of literally spying on the U.S.?
[Matthew Chance, Cnn Senior International Correspondent:] Yes, well, at first they reacted pretty strongly saying that these were baseless allegations against these individuals, saying that they were intended to essentially, you know, kind of undermine the diplomatic political progress that has been made by the Obama administration and Moscow in rebuilding some of the political bridges between the two former Cold War enemies. But since then, they've been down playing the situation somewhat. There's not been many official comments and, you know, they're basically hoping that this is just going to go away and the countries can get on with rebuilding their relationship,
[T.j. Holmes:] And, Matthew, did I hear you right? They're not necessarily defending or not necessarily denying anything, but more so just trying to avoid the conversation right now?
[Chance:] Yes. I mean, it's interesting, they haven't categorically come out and said, you know, these people that you've arrested are definitely not spies for us. They left that a bit ambiguous. But what everyone is emphasizing here in terms of officials and analysts that we talked to is the timing of all this. They're not talking about, you know, what these people did. They're talking about why these people were arrested right now. And the theory here in Moscow is that this is all about hawks in the administration in Washington and the security establishments perhaps from the Cold War era that don't want to see President Obama rebuild its relationship, become closer to Moscow, but instead want to derail that. And this is a message is the speculation in Moscow from those security official hawks to the Obama administration.
[Holmes:] Well, fascinating story. Matthew Chance for us in Moscow we appreciate you today. Thanks so much. Well, we're coming up to the top of the hour. And we are coming up on a new rundown for you as well. People out there are frustrated, they saying the system is broken. President Obama is summing up the state of immigration reform in the country that way. He says it's time to move forward. But are Americans ready to follow the president on this one. Also, violating environmental laws, softening its safety rules and treating the government as a pest? Just some of the allegations being leveled at BP, and they don't even stem from the current Gulf disaster. Our Special Investigations Unit does some digging for us. Also, how many times have you heard the phrase, "Come on, it's just soccer"? Well, don't tell that to the rest of the world. We'll tell you why in today's "XYZ." But, first, the president's push for immigration reform today. The president spoke just a short time ago, gave a speech on immigration reform. Kind of laid out, not a big policy push some are saying, but at least laying out some of the things he'd like to see in there. He talked about it just a little while ago. And now, we'll see where it goes. He admitted that, in fact, yes, we're talking about it now because of what we saw happened in Arizona. We've seen more immigration stories in the headlines here lately. And maybe it's time now to act. Take a listen to the president from just a bit ago.
[Barack Obama, President Of The United States:] We need to do more. We should make it easier for the best and brightest to come and start businesses and develop products and create jobs. Our laws should respect families following the rules instead of splitting them apart. We need to provide farms, a legal way, to hire the workers they rely on, and a path for those workers to earn legal status. And we should stop punishing innocent young people for the actions of their parents by denying them the chance to stay here and earn an education and contribute their talents to build the country where they've grown up. The DREAM Act would do this.
[Holmes:] All right. So, how do Americans feel about immigration right now? Take a look at one of the latest CNN polls. We asked the question: what should the U.S. policy be focused on? Thirty-eight percent say it should be focused on allowing illegal immigrants to become citizens. While another 60 percent say the focus should be on deporting and barring illegal immigrants. Also, the controversial Arizona illegal immigration law 57 percent in our poll say they favor that Arizona law. Another 37 percent say they oppose it. Let me bring in CNN's Jessica Yellin, joining me now from New York, and GOP strategist Leslie Sanchez, joining me from D.C. Ladies, good to see you both. Jessica, let me start with you. Why immigration, why here, why now?
[Jessica Yellin, Cnn National Political Correspondent:] Well, there are actually three degrees. One, T.J., is because the president vowed that he would get it done in 2009. So, that deadline has already passed. That's what he said during the campaign. And a number of Hispanic groups have been outraged and agitating for action. So, there's one. Two, is the Arizona law as you point out, that goes into effect. It also goes into effect that it's passed. But it's not in effect yet. It goes into effect at the end of this month. And we're expecting when the federal government sues over that law, will be in the next few weeks, around the time it goes into effect. So, that's going to be a flash point and he wants to lay down a marker on where he stands before that lawsuit would go forward. And three, let's face it, because it's an election year, this is a huge issue. And they need to also lay in their ground work so that they can bring this forward as the campaigns progress in November.
[Holmes:] Well, Leslie, you heard her list there, and listed number three as politics. A lot would say that's would say that's the number one reason. What does the president get out of today's speech? What does he lose possibly moving forward to the midterms?
[Leslie Sanchez, Republican Strategist:] Very interesting, I think Jessica is right on point. That is the most important element that came out of this. This was a political speech for political purposes. He's certainly losing a lot of support among key Democratic Hispanic leaders, associations. There's a bipartisan coalition of Latinos with strong voices in this country who want to see immigration reform, from Republicans and Democrats. They're frustrated with the parties not working together. The president had to show leadership. The problem is, the president said this before. And I think there's a lot of distrust and a lot of wondering if the president is doing more political for political purposes than real results.
[Holmes:] Now, Leslie, you
[Sanchez:] The gamut
[Holmes:] Yes. It sounds like you said there, you believe that was solely a political speech. Did you not get any policy push out of this?
[Sanchez:] You know, the truth is, for people that have covered immigration for a long time and followed this president even through the campaign, this is more of the same. There wasn't anything really new here. The big differences that Jessica has alluded to are Arizona, the states who are in a position of crisis. They need reform. You're seeing more border patrol agents and resources there. But there is not the type of border enforcement push that I think a lot of conservatives would like to see. You talk about political gains and losers. If the president is sincere in moving these efforts forward, he will find allies among Republicans. We want to see something done.
[Holmes:] Go ahead, Jessica. Go ahead.
[Yellin:] T.J., both sides both sides are playing politics here and that's not surprising. I mean, as the president pointed out in his speech, there was a group of Republicans who came forward for comprehensive immigration reform before he was president, when George Bush was president, and they're nowhere to be found on the issue now. That's because it's become such a troubled issue in an election environment where both sides are so on edge. No one wants to really touch it. And because of the Arizona law, T.J., what we're going to see happen is more and more states try to take on this issue independently. And Democrats are calling on the president to show leadership nationally, so that there is a national policy and states aren't acting on their own. But, you know, you need both you need two to tango and he's trying to find a way for Republican to come to the table. Both sides are polarized. It's tough.
[Holmes:] Well, you mentioned, Arizona a lot of talk about Arizona and maybe being the impetus for the president kicking this off today. So, let's listen to the part the president had to say today about Arizona.
[Yellin:] Yes.
[Obama:] Into this breach, states like Arizona have decided to take matters into their own hands. Now, given the levels of frustration across the country, this is understandable. But it is also ill-conceived. And it's not just that the law Arizona passed is divisive although it has fanned the flames of an already contentious debate. Laws like Arizona's put huge pressures on local law enforcement to enforce rules that ultimately are unenforceable. It puts pressure on already hard-strapped state and local budgets. It makes it difficult for people here illegally to report crimes, driving a wedge between communities and law enforcement, making our streets more dangerous, and the jobs of our police officers more difficult.
[Holmes:] Well, Leslie, we showed our own poll a little earlier, 57 percent agree with the Arizona law. So, listening to this speech today, those Democrats and Republicans who are going to have to run for reelection here in a couple of months, who are the ones who heard the president today and say all right, I've got an issue to run on? And who are the ones saying, oh, Lord, I've got to talk about immigration now?
[Sanchez:] There's a little bit of that in both parties to be truthful about that. What the president did not say is it puts Arizona puts pressure on the federal government in the same way that a lot of state measures in 1994, the early part of the '90s did, that ultimately led to immigration reform of 1996. States are the incubators for ideas. They're looking for responses. Some will work, some will not. But ultimately, it's forcing the president's hand to take some sort of action. Is it the actions Republicans want? There's not enough on border enforcement, those dollars have actually been going down. While other areas of technology or boots on the ground, have gone up, for example. They're going to have to come up with a compromise. Republicans understand this is the hot a very hot controversial issue, but the controversial parts relate to status of the undocumented and citizenship. Is it going to be blanket amnesty? I don't think there's an appetite for that. But quite honestly, among Republicans or Democrat, but it's yet to be seen.
[Holmes:] And, Jessica, you uncover plenty, Democrats and Republicans up there on the Hill. Who do you think is going to be receptive to this debate right now?
[Yellin:] Well, the Democratic leadership will be receptive, and it's going to remain a polarized debate. I mean, there's not there's not a lot of evidence, T.J., that this is really going to move a legislation forward on the Hill. The best chances Dana Bash has been reporting the best chance Democrats have of passing anything would take to be talking piecemeal elements of a larger plan and just try to pass little elements like letting kids of immigrants go to college here, the DREAM Act or special program allowing agricultural workers who are here to stay. But to do a whole comprehensive package, no one really expects that to get done this year. The environment is just too difficult.
[Holmes:] And I'll let you wrap it up. I saw you nodding your head there, Leslie. I'll let you wrap it up and I'll let you both go.
[Sanchez:] Well, we've talked about the DREAM Act for a long time. I mean, even when you get into details like that, like allowing students to have access to in-state tuition, you know, if they're undocumented students, there's a lot of good students who have been here their whole lives and want that opportunity. But it goes down the slippery slope of now, do they now get access to federal financial aid and all those other areas in detail that have yet to be discussed. There's not an easy solution. The president is going to have to lay more political capital and probably a lot more speeches to show he's sincere in this effort.
[Holmes:] All right. Leslie Sanchez and our Jessica Yellin, ladies good to see you both. Thanks so much. Enjoy the rest of your day.
[Sanchez:] Thank you.
[Yellin:] Thank you.
[Holmes:] Well, BP, do you think they really needed another black eye? CNN has learned now the company is trying to close down a special unit created to address safety concerns more on that from our Special Investigation Unit. That's next. Stay here.