Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, May 10, 2023

Episode Date: May 11, 2023

Tom reports live from Ciudad Juarez at the U.S.-Mexico border as a crowd of migrants battle the elements to apply for asylum in the U.S., officials battle misinformation and rumors about immigration policies, a Minnesota bar is charged in the death of a 20-year-old patron, Pakistan descends into chaos after the arrest of the country's former prime minister, Imran Kahn, and MTV News signs off after 36 years on the air.

Tonight, a special edition of Top Story live from the Mexican border. We're just one day away from the reversal of a major immigration policy, a record number of migrants crossing into the U.S. ahead of the lifting of Title 42 tomorrow night. 11,000 crossings reported in a single day, with warnings from top U.S. officials that things will only get worse. Tonight, we will break down exactly what this policy shift means, how the White House says it will track the influx of asylum.

and the struggles these migrants who are fleeing violence and corruption in their home countries are facing. From glitchy apps to mountains of misinformation and treacherous conditions along the way, we will have full team coverage on both sides of the border tonight. But this crisis spreading well beyond this country's southern limits, states of emergencies declared in Chicago and New York, with buses full of migrants arriving weekly, shelters already pushed to their limits, how cities across the country are dealing. with the surge. Also tonight, another major story we're following. Congressman George Santos

charged with fraud, money laundering, and theft, and lying to the House of Representatives, the embattled lawmaker turning himself into authorities on Long Island. But pleading, not guilty, and insisting, I will not resign, how much jail time he could face if convicted. Overseas violent protests erupting in Pakistan after a former prime minister was arrested on corruption charges. More than a thousand people arrested the warning from the U.S. Embassy tonight for any Americans on the ground there. Also breaking late today an FDA panel voting in favor of making birth control pills available over the counter how soon a final decision could be made and when those pills could hit pharmacy shelves. Plus the alarming moment a robotic camera came face to face with a giant

alligator in a storm dream and the wild underground chase that ensued. And end of an era, MTV News signing off after nearly four decades on the air. We'll take a look at the mold-breaking moments, the interviews with pop stars and presidents, and the major scoops that cemented MTV News' status as a cultural cornerstone. Top story starts right now. And good evening.

We are live tonight from Juarez, Mexico, where the wind is blowing very hard. a city just a short walk away from the U.S. border, and just one of many points of entry, now flooded with migrants. Just behind me, hundreds, if not a thousand migrants waiting here just outside an entry point on the border wall. They've been waiting under the blazing sun and under freezing overnight temperatures. And today, a red flag warning, as I mentioned, high winds blowing dust everywhere, entire families caked and sand, as you see happening right here. And today we noticed this, a giant hole cut in the

barbed wire fence right next to the border wall, essentially allowing migrants to cross into El Paso right in front of the border wall, likely done to stop migrants from hurting themselves as they wait to be processed, but also possibly sending a signal, maybe the wrong signal, that there is a way in. Over the last several days, we have seen droves of people just flocking to town after town, making last-ditch efforts to reach the U.S. 11,000 people crossing the border in the last 24 hours alone. and the reason this is all coming to ahead right now, a major policy change set to take effect in roughly 24 hours. The policy referred to as Title 42 was put in place by President Trump

during the COVID pandemic and allowed for the swift expulsion of migrants attempting across the border without hearing their asylum claims first. That rule which has been used to expel more than 2 million people now set to expire at 11.59 p.m. tomorrow. Massive amounts of misinformation spreading among the migrants, making their way north. Some telling our reporters they came here believing the border will be opened entirely tomorrow. But here's the reality. Though migrants can still seek asylum at the border, the Biden administration today announcing two new rules aimed at curbing the surge we are seeing right now. Starting tomorrow, migrants will be turned away if they have not

first applied for an appointment online or if they have not sought protection in another country they have passed through, such as Mexico. That happens at midnight. But NBC News also learning today that some migrants will be released into the U.S. without a set court date, with no real way of tracking where they go. A move that is drawing criticism from the president's critics. Our team is all over every angle of this story tonight with reporters spread all across the border. As many as 65,000 migrants now possibly right here in northern Mexico waiting to cross, and things are only expected to get worse from here. Tonight, long lines of migrants turning themselves in as time is running.

out on Title 42. Border officials urging those who crossed illegally to line up and get processed or face the consequences. How much confusion is there out there with Title 42 being lifted and the new Biden policy being enacted? They don't know who to believe. They don't know who to listen to. It's why some families insist on living outside the Sacred Heart Church in El Paso. This family is from Guatemala traveling with their three-month-old. You think that they're going to deporting? They tell me they believe being processed means being deported. They've risked too much to get here to be sent back. The Biden administration is demanding migrants schedule an appointment on the app,

CBP1, to appear at a port of entry to request asylum or risk immediate deportation. Critics say the app is difficult to navigate. What have you heard about the app? How has the app been working? Is it a disaster? No, CBP1 is a complete failure. I mean, it is a system that is more designed to dissuade people than help them. The number of migrants now breaking records even before Title 42 expires.

Yesterday, more than 11,000 illegal border crossings in just 24 hours. CBP processing centers overcapacity, all after this message from President Biden. It's going to be chaotic for a while. The confusion has brought many migrants right here to an unofficial access point on the Juarez El Pasoids. border. Men, women, and children are waiting in 90-degree heat with no shade hoping that they'll be allowed in to get processed. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas today with this blunt warning to migrants. Do not listen to the lies of the smugglers. This is what will happen to you. You will be returned. But NBC News now learning the Biden administration is set to make a major

change, preparing to direct border patrol agents to release migrants into the U.S. without an immigration court date and with no way to keep tabs on them, according to three sources familiar with the plans. Majorcas insist it's a fraction of the migrants who are being released and they're vetted. Among them, Juan Fernandez. He says he made the journey here from Venezuela, seeking political asylum. When he was given the opportunity to turn himself in to begin his asylum claims, he did it with the possibility of being deported still in the back of his mind.

You afraid that even though you followed what they were going to tell you, they were still going to deport you back to Venezuela? Yes, I'm afraid. Yes, with documents in hand, he says he will try to make his way here in the U.S. He says he didn't want to live in the shadows without documentation. Tonight, Republican lawmakers blasting President Biden. The Biden administration has failed the American people. He has failed our border patrol agents. He has failed our border communities.

and he has failed America with his open border policy. And as we said earlier, NBC News reporting that more than 11,000 migrants were caught crossing the southern border just on Tuesday as U.S. officials prepare for an even bigger surge of migrants and a challenging humanitarian crisis once Title 42 expires late Thursday. And right now we actually have some breaking news that has just come into our newsrooms. I want to bring in Homeland Security correspondent Julia Ainslie, who has this report, She's on the U.S. side of the border in El Paso, Texas. She joins Top Story tonight live. Julia, what have you just learned?

Tom, we are also learning about news at this hour that ICE is planning a new program for families who cross the border. In lieu of detaining them, which is something the Biden administration ended when they took office, they will now be placing them on the alternatives to detention program that will require the head. of the household to be on a GPS locator and under a curfew. This is something that we believe is to deter families from crossing as they are worried about people bringing children en masse when Title 42 lives. Julie, I'm not sure if you can still hear us. I know we're having some problems with your IFB, but I did want to ask you a follow-up question

if possible. I know you attended a roundtable with some Homeland Security officials, and you asked them about some of your new reporting that essentially migrants were coming in here. They were being processed, and then they were being let go without a clear court date? Yeah, that's right, Tom. I have you now. And that's right. We asked about that in the briefing today, and they said that there would be a memo coming out within hours.

In fact, it may have already gone to CBP that will direct them that when they are at a certain number of people over capacity in their migrant detention centers and processing centers, they can begin to release them on what they call parole. That means they have to report to an ICE office within 60 days, and this time they won't be on alternatives to detention. Like those geolocators I talked about for families, these people really won't have a way to be tracked. They won't even be put on an app that they've used in the past where they have to check in and routinely say where they are. In fact, I asked Ortiz about this, and he said, look, I wish we could put everyone on those programs, but the fact is they can't, they don't have the funding for it, and there are simply too many people coming across. So this is an effort to try to relieve some of the buildup and keep them from overcrowding. Someone I spoke to today, a DHS official said, look, it is a public health imperative that they start releasing people.

Julie, you know, you're one of our best source reporters at NBC News, and you have such great sources throughout Homeland Security. What's your sense of what's going to happen tomorrow at midnight, both in America and here on the border of Juarez? You know, it's interesting. I think we already are seeing the beginning of the surge. So many migrants I've talked to, and Tom, I know you've talked to them as well, don't necessarily know what Title 42 is. They don't know about this time where the clock is going to change and all of a sudden they can come in. All they know is they've been told to come to the border now. So it could be that while we're seeing numbers around 11,000 already, they could only get maybe as high as 14,000, not that 18,000 we already saw. But I think the key is going to be in the processing times and whether or not CBP is forced to release thousands.

Mayorkas today said there would only be a tiny fraction released in that manner we described. But if the numbers get too big, they could have to release more. And cities like this, where I am in El Paso, really could bear the brunt of that. They simply don't have enough federal funding coming in from FEMA. The shelters aren't set up for it. And then, of course, there could be other cities. In the interior of the country, they also would have a hard time absorbing those sheer numbers. So it's a matter of numbers and timing.

And I think that it's a matter of whether it gets to say just 2,000 more a day than what we're seeing, or whether it's significantly more than that. Yeah, we'll see exactly what that tiny fraction is. Okay, Julia Ainsley, with a lot of new and exclusive reporting for us here on Top Story. Julia, thank you. With the end of Title 42 looming, many migrants are still unclear what this will mean for them, right? Misinformation and rumors are circulating, leaving people without answers of what lies ahead. Guadvinagus tonight is at the border in San Diego with this story.

Tonight, as the end of Title 42 looms, the people most impacted, seemed to be the most in the dark about what it means for them. Well, the first is that they're going to open when Title 42 is lifted. Very confused. Because, in reality, as I've said, no, I don't have very clear about this theme. One migrant shaking his head in confusion when asked if he knew what Title 42 is. No, I have idea. Now, the U.S. government trying to step in.

Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, announcing a new campaign in Central and South America to combat misinformation. Smugglers have long been hard at work spreading false information that the border will be open after May 11th. It will not be. They are lying. Desperate migrants, hopeful they will get into the U.S. and be allowed to stay, but also uncertain about what to expect after Thursday. There are many people who arrive here who just don't know what it means to be waiting. for Border Patrol to process them. While a lot of rumors spread on social media, We provide noya rights.

Immigration attorney Nicole Ramos runs an organization using those popular platforms to educate migrants on policy. Rumors of CBP1. There are much rumors divulgated in the zone fronteeriza. In order to be considered to enter the U.S. to begin the asylum process, asylum seekers need to make an appointment.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration, rolling out a regulation that could disqualify those who cross into the U.S. illegally from claiming asylum. It presumes certain migrants are ineligible if they pass through other nations without seeking protection their first, as many do on their journey from Central and South America. If you're able to schedule an appointment through the CBP1 app, you can actually get an exception and still be able to apply for asylum. The problem here is that the CBP1 app doesn't work. really well.

As we have seen firsthand on the ground. It says, please choose, he has a Spanish, please choose date and time, but then it says there's no date and time available, come back tomorrow at 10 a.m. In these Mexican border cities, lack of clarity on immigration policy is replaced with optimism and a dream for a better life. Well, we have the, the the hope, the faith, that we're going to let us go ahead before the 11th.

Guad vanegas joins us from San Diego. Guad, quite a powerful report right there. I think it really explains what's happening on the border and with these migrants and the misinformation. I do want to ask, you've been reporting on both sides of the border recently. Are there any resources for these migrants to learn about the policy changes or learn what they can and can't do?

Well, Tom, a lot of NGOs have people. throughout Mexico and Latin America that go to the migrant shelters, they meet with the migrants at the points where they know they're going to cross and try to inform them. Some of these individuals will do it with flyers, others will just get engaging conversations. It's quite difficult because it's limited resources. And some of those that I've spoken to from the NGO groups tell me that when the migrants don't like what they're listening to, they often ignore them and decide to keep moving more thinking there's going to be a way to enter the United States, even if the policy they're hearing is not very favorable for them.

Tom. Guad, you know, one of the things that the Biden administration is enacting is that new app, the CBP1, it started in January. That's where migrants are supposed to register to file for asylum. What have you been hearing? Because I've been hearing mixed reviews about it. A lot of people are telling me it's incredibly difficult to use. Right, Tom. So people complained about the part where the profile was set up.

They said it was quite difficult to upload the photo. But nearly everyone who has used it told me that the point. where the appointment is made was the most difficult one because appointments weren't available and at some point it would time out. In fact, when we spoke to one of the individuals to ask him to do it in front of us, he started using his phone time and he was going super fast with his fingers. I asked him to slow down so we could record the process and he looks at him and he says, no, no, no, no, I have to go fast because it's going to kick me out. So then we just got information yesterday from the government saying that they are extending that to give them a

23-hour period without timing them out so they can do that appointment. And they're also adding more appointments. We're also informed that they're switching over to a new system that will facilitate that large volume. They add that the individuals that created the profile the earliest will have priority on those appointments. We'll see if these changes will help, Tom. Okay, Guad Vanegas for a squad, we really do appreciate it. I do want to note here how bad the weather is, at least today, besides the blazing temperature, the 90-degree heat, Just behind me here, you can see some more of the dust clouds that are forming over these migrants who have already traveled for months walking through jungles and deserts and rivers. And now they sit waiting here, and if the heat wasn't bad enough, there's now these dust clouds that are just caking them in sand.

Joining me now here on the border and continues his reporting here is Notetius Telemundo chief anchor, Julio Wackero. And Julio, you know, I first have to ask you about these conditions. It's pretty incredible what we're watching and witnessing here. and these people have to sleep out here, spending weeks and days here. It's remarkable. I mean, these people have been waiting here for days now, and they're just, they really don't know what's going to happen to them.

They're just expecting that authorities in the United States would let them in, but they're only hoping for that. They don't know that for certain, so the image is remarkable, Tom. You know, Julio, as we look behind us, a lot of these people, in many ways, are also your viewer sometimes, right? They're your audience. What are you hearing from these people as you, as you interact with them, as you talk to them about Title 42?

So there's a lot of confusion and uncertainty. I would say that most of them have heard something about Title 42. They've heard those two words, Title 42, but they don't really know what it means, how it affects their lives, and what will change once Title 42 is lifted. So a couple of weeks ago, we were here in Ciaduarez. Most migrants were saying that they wanted to wait after Title 42 is lifted for them to try and cross the border.

Now, most of them are saying that they want to cross before Title 42 is lifted because they think things are going to get worse after May 11th. So there's this mixed comments. They understand the nuance. They don't understand the nuances, but they understand that something is changing on Thursday at midnight. What are some of the stories you've heard? Because you've spent so many months and years really reporting on the border. And the uptick that's happened really since about 2014, what have you heard as far as the stories of desperation?

because more and more people, nearly 100% of them, are claiming asylum. We used to not hear that before. And the thing that I've noticed is that nearly everyone I'm speaking to is from Venezuela. Most of them are from Venezuela. Just a couple of weeks ago, again, we talked to a young woman called Angéin, and she was saying that she left Venezuela back in October. So she was traveling for around six to seven months. She crossed the Darien Gat, La Sélva del Darien in Panama.

She crossed Central America. She crossed Mexico. She was saying that the worst part was Mexico. She wasn't complaining about the Mexican people, but the Mexican authorities. And they're waiting here for them to be able to cross. They were so close to the United States, but not able to be in the United States. So, yes, these stories are remarkable. And today, young dad was telling me he was a father of two.

And he really reminded me how this is a story about policy and politics, Title 42. But at the end, these are human beings and people who are just looking for an opportunity. in the United States for a better life for the loved ones. Do you think they understand that they are in nearly every single way coming into this country illegally? They have been through so much you mentioned that. And when you talk to them right here, they will tell you, I have waited so long, I have risked my entire life to be here, I'm not turning back. But do they understand that there are laws and the laws are only going to get stronger? I would say most of them do understand that.

But they would also say that they hope that the U.S. government or President Biden, they blame, most of them blame everything on President Biden, and they hope that he will touch his heart and let them mean. That's basically what they would say. But they also understand that there's a whole process to it. And that's why they are waiting and not trying to cross between points of entry. Julio Bakero, who will continue his reporting with his team from Notisias Telemundo throughout the week here as well. We thank you so much for being here, especially in this dust storm. We really do appreciate it.

Thank you very much. This historic surge in migrants also impacting cities, thousands of miles from the southern border. Later in this broadcast, we'll take a look at how cities like New York and Chicago are also preparing for lifting of Title 42 as they declare states of emergency. But we do now want to turn to other news in our show and a major headline we've been following and battled Republican Congressman George Santos pleading not guilty to a 13-count federal indictment today, The freshman lawmaker facing charges, including money laundering and wire fraud. Santos speaking out during an impromptu press conference saying he will not resign in calling the case a witch hunt. NBC Stephanie Gosk has this.

Moments after pleading not guilty to 13 criminal charges, George Santos was on the federal courthouse steps. In a crush of reporters, defiant as ever. I'm going to fight the witchhood. I'm going to take care of clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that. The indictment accuses the freshman congressman of wire fraud, money laundering, stealing public funds, and lying to Congress about his finances. Federal prosecutors say Santos devised and executed a scheme to defraud supporters of his candidacy. Telling donors their money would be used for things like campaign ads, but instead paying off personal debts and buying clothes. Congressman, did you take campaign donations and use that money to buy expensive suits?

No, I did not. The government also accuses Santos of collecting tens of thousands of dollars in unemployment money from the state of New York during the pandemic, all the while making a salary of $120,000 in Florida. This is inaccurate information, and I will get to clear my name on this during the pandemic. It wasn't very clear. I don't understand where the government's getting their information, but I will present my fact. In the 22 midterms, Santos became the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress. But almost immediately after being sworn in, it was revealed that he had made up details about his education and work history. Santos eventually admitting he never graduated from college or worked for Wall Street firms Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. Well, I've been a terrible liar on those subjects. He said his mother survived 9-11.

I'm a son of two immigrants. I am the grandchild of Holocaust survivors. and the son of a 9-11 survivor. But immigration records show she hasn't been in the country since 1999. The federal government's case focused on accusations that he lied about money and campaign financing as well. Tonight, despite calls from his Republican colleagues in New York to resign. His conduct has been embarrassing and disgraceful. Santos says he is staying.

We'll go through his time of trial. We'll find out how they're optimistic. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pointing to other members of Congress who have faced criminal charges and kept their seats until court cases played out. I have to go back and vote tomorrow. That means George Santos is going back to Washington. One of the things George Santos said to us on the steps here earlier today is that he's going to run for re-election.

And then late today, Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he was not going to support him in that re-election campaign. Meanwhile, Santos has been released on a $500,000 bond. If he is convicted of these charges, he faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years, although it's unlikely he would get a sentence that long, Tom. Okay, Stephanie Gosk, for Stephanie, we appreciate it. Congressman Santos remaining defiant in the face of these criminal charges. But late today, with the Speaker wavering his support, I want to bring in Axios senior political reporter Eugene Scott to talk more about this.

And Eugene, we saw Santos at that press conference there refusing to resign. Speaker McCarthy just said he won't support Santos' re-election. Let's watch that. Santos said today he's running for re-election. Are you going to support him? I hope I'm not going to support him. You're not? I think he has another thing that's going to focus on his life than running for something.

Eugene, is that sort of where the line is for the GOP right now? Let him keep his seat and write out the term? I don't know that that's the line for the GOP, but that's certainly the lie for Speaker McCarthy. As you know, Santos has been faithful in his support of McCarthy from the time that, he was assuming, or pursuing, should I say, the speakership to the debt ceiling bill and to a number of other matters that McCarthy has had trouble getting support from his own party on. And so, as right now, he can rely on Santos. And it's believed that that is partly why the California Republican has not called for the New York Republicans to resign yet.

How nervous is the GOP that if Santos loses his seat or if he were to resign, that they would they would lose that and would flip to Democrats? That's a real concern. Before Santos, the sea was held by a New York Democrat, and there are Democrats in New York, including minority leader of the Democratic Party, Hakeem Jeffries, who are really focused on this seat and really trying to launch a plan to figure out

how they're going to get it back. It's believed that there's at least one New York State Senator who's going to even announce a campaign tomorrow in light of these charges. You know, Eugene, we are living in some. some strange political times right now, and I have to ask you, I mean, if there is a scenario where Santos does run again for re-election, do you see any scenario? I can't imagine this, but that he does get re-elected? Well, he has filed to run for re-election, and in the event

that somehow he gets off and these charges do not find him guilty, I'm sure he could come up with some type of narrative that could be appealing to some individuals. Is it enough for him to keep the seat? I'm not sure, but we have seen, you know, crazier things happen. He has a fundraising campaign since these charges came through, and it'll be interesting to see how many people have chosen to support them. Okay, all right, Eugene, we appreciate all your reporting for us here on Top Story. Now to another major headline in politics, just one day after that $5 million battery and defamation verdict against former President Trump, the woman who brought the lawsuit speaking out about

the decision today in an interview with NBC News. Laura Jarrett has more. I'm overwhelmed, overwhelmed with joy. Writer E. Jean Carroll reacting to the jury's quick verdict in her case against former President Trump. This is not about the money. This is about getting my name back. Carol sat down with Savannah Guthrie for her first television interview after the jury found Mr. Trump sexually abused her in a department store decades ago, though the jury stopped short of finding he raped her. There was a concept of the perfect victim. The perfect victim always. screams, always reports to the police. And yesterday, we demolished that old concept.

Mr. Trump's lawyer, Joe Takapina, has vowed to appeal while his client is on a social media tear. It's a disgrace. I don't even know who this woman is. What would you want to say to him now? I said it to Joe Takapina yesterday. He came over to congratulate me. He put out his hand, and I said, he did it. And you know it. The civil verdict carries no jail time, but the political fallout more complicated, as some 2024 presidential hopefuls refused to address it. That's something for Trump to respond to. So I've been pretty busy.

Former Vice President Pence appearing dismissive of the case in an exclusive interview with NBC's Dasha Burns. I just don't think it's where the American people are focused. Others striking a different tone. Do Americans believe that the allegations are true? Probably most of them do, just like the jury. did. Some will excuse it. I don't believe it's excusable and defensible. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said to still be mulling a White House bid going even further. His response yesterday to me

was ridiculous that he didn't even know the woman. Why do we keep making excuses and why don't we listen to his own words? Laura Jared joins us from our top story studios in New York. So Laura E. Jean Carroll's lawyer telling Savannah in that interview that she isn't concerned about Carol getting that $5 million. and damages, but Trump's lawyer saying they plan to appeal the case and won't have to pay Carol anything just yet. What's the outlook on when she could get that money? It's going to take a while. Remember, this isn't even the first time that she's actually sued him for defamation. She tried

back when he was president, and that case has been tied up on appeal for years now and hasn't moved forward at all. And so even though the jury has returned its verdict here, I predict the president's lawyers will try to drag this out as long as possible, Tom. Yeah, let's talk about the appeal in this case, though, Trump's lawyer, Joe Takapina, also indicated that the Access Hollywood tape should have never been shown. How strong is that as grounds for an appeal? You can understand why he wants to keep the tape out, right? Of course, his client is on that tape talking about the Access Hollywood event, not backing down from it, essentially doubling down on what he said in that tape. But in the eyes of the law, that's known as an admission, which means it comes in,

Tom. I don't see that being a strong ground for an appeal. Okay, we'll have to monitor all of that. Laura, we appreciate it. Still ahead tonight, lucky to be alive. The shocking video showing the moment a train slammed into a car in Texas, three people barely making it out in time. Plus the new recommendation from an FDA panel that would allow birth control to be available over-the-counter in the U.S. for the first time.

And storm-drained scare authorities investigating a blockage underground when their robocam was met with a five-foot alligator. We'll tell you what happened. Stay with us. Top Story, just getting started live from Juarez, Mexico, with complete coverage on the ongoing crisis at the border. A live look as a dust storm and migrants wait to be processed here in Juarez. You're watching Top Story. We're back down with the charges against a Minnesota bar in the death of a 20-year-old who was served alcohol the night he died. The potential prison time the bar's owner could now be facing and why legal experts say this case is so unusual. Stephen Rommel has the details. Tonight, a Minnesota bar is charged with a crime that could put the owner behind bars in connection with the death of a 20-year-old last December.

There was a big hole this holiday without having George at the table. Prosecutors say George Musser visited Brian's bar and grill in Stillwater on the night of December 23rd, where he was served out. alcohol without an ID check into the early morning hours. Musser, a student at the University of Wisconsin River Falls, then wandered out into the sub-zero temperatures that night in an extremely impaired state, eventually collapsing and dying from cold weather exposure. After a massive search, his body discovered in Baytown Township, more than two miles from the bar.

How do you move forward? I was the family supposed to celebrate Christmas. Loved ones and community members holding a candle. vigil for Musser, remembering him as a loving and generous son. He hugged everybody, told him he loved him. The criminal complaint says Musser's mother had alerted the bar two weeks earlier that her son was underage and had been getting drunk there and that the bar was known to other underage individuals as a place they could drink.

A manager allegedly said at the time that the bar knew about the problem. The bar charged with misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor crimes for serving Musser underage, which could carry more than a year in prison combined if the bar is convicted. It's very unusual for a bar to be charged criminally in the death of a patron. Usually it's whoever served that person directly, but it's not unheard of. Brian's Bar and Grill did not respond to our request for comments. Now the bar where he spent some of his final moments facing potential consequences for his death. The people, the representatives for this bar are due back.

back in court on June 8th, a lot of questions on what will happen because this is such an unusual case. Okay, Stephen Romo for us tonight, Stephen, we appreciate it. We want to take you back out live here to Juarez and show you something that is unfolding just behind us. So we've been telling you about the wild dust storm we're seeing. And about, I'd say, maybe a minute ago, we saw hundreds of migrants suddenly stand up. A lot of them were lying down, and they all sort of ran to that fence you can see out there in the distance. That's the border wall. On the other side of that wall is El Paso, and you can see the fence has now opened up.

Some migrants appear to be either calling other migrants or cheering. You can see a van, it's a border official van, it's coming in CBP, it's likely going to take some migrants. And from what we understand from our teams on the other side of the border that have witnessed this, they're going into the van and then likely taken to be processed where they can there file for their asylum claims and they'll be reviewed. But again, according to Julia Ainsley and some of our new reporting from NBC News, the migrants that are now coming in during this surge at the border. They are being processed and then released. We've seen this up close. We've spoken to Venezuelan migrants that have gone into be processed because they were told to and then later released. But this gives you the

situation and some of the chaotic nature here at the border. You have 90 degree heat. You have a dust storm and you have hundreds, if not a thousand migrants waiting to be processed, all waiting behind that border fence and that border wall hoping they get a chance and possibly staying here all night in these conditions. We're going to continue our coverage here on Top Story on the reversal of Title 42 and how the surge of migrants at the southern border is already impacting major American cities up north, the emergency declarations in places like New York and Chicago. You're watching a special edition of Top Story live from the Mexican border. We'll continue right after this break.

We are back now with a live look at the border here in Juarez, Mexico, extreme conditions on the border and extreme weather conditions as well. Hundreds, if not a thousand migrants waiting to be processed here. And the second time all day, so we're talking about nearly 15 to 16 hours that we've been out here reporting live. We've actually seen another CBP van come through. and or a sheriff's fan from the El Paso Police Department. We're trying to make it out, but with the thick clouds of dust, it is very hard to see. Essentially, we believe that the migrants that are lined up there,

who have been waiting so long, some for days, are now going to be picked up and processed, taken over into an El Paso. But as you can see, everyone is standing up now, because everyone is hoping that they allow more and more people into those vans. They've spent months walking across Central America through Mexico in many cases to reach this point. The harsh reality that they probably don't understand is that many of them will not be granted asylum,

and according to the Biden administration, most of them will be turned back, either to Mexico or to their home countries. As we continue our coverage from the border tonight, we want to bring you the ripple effects of what we're seeing just behind us here, right? The ripple effects of what happens when migrants are let in through the border

and then released. Other cities are getting busloads of those migrants. They're stretching local resources, multiple major urban centers declaring states of emergency and asking for federal help. Gabe Gutierrez has more. This is a place to come and stop, I think. I think it's like the place to stop before you go. Tonight, the migrant crisis is stretching far beyond the southern border,

from New York to Chicago to Philadelphia, and even Denver, where Colorado's governor is asking for the Department of Homeland Security to help inland states. As thousands of migrants are bussed from the southern border to cities around the country, the mayor of New York is sparring with the suburbs. The governor also declaring a state of emergency in the state, calling the situation a large-scale humanitarian crisis. She added, the city of New York alone is providing temporary housing for almost 37,000 migrants from the southern border,

a number that has spiked by more than 12,000 since January and by 1,500 in just the last week. Officials in two nearby counties say Mayor Eric Adams, planning to bus hundreds of single men to stay at local hotels. This is a renegade operation on the part of the mayor, and I cannot even begin to believe what's going on at this point. Those two counties also declaring states of emergency, attempting to block the hotels from accepting the migrants. This seems like the Wild West, and it's very frustrating.

Mayor Adams saying the program is part of the city's compassionate response, and adding it will provide migrants with temporary housing, access to services, and connections to local communities. they build a stable life. He previously blamed the Biden administration for the influx. The national government has turned its back on New York City. Two hours away in Philadelphia, community organizers are preparing for the next wave. There are human beings inside of those buses. There's no welcome structure at the border, and there's no coordination with local cities to be able to treat people in a human way, but we are ready on our own.

Philadelphia's mayor saying a bus with about 31 Venezuelan seeking asylum arrived this morning around 6 a.m., marking 20 buses total since November of last year. And chaotic scenes in Denver, migrants sleeping in a parking garage, but having to clear out for it to be used for basketball game parking, a local college sheltering some inside a church. There's nowhere else for these refugees to go. Denver's mayor reactivating its emergency operation center to deal with. the influx. While Chicago's mayor issues an emergency declaration saying the city is at a breaking point with more than 8,000 people bust in from other states since last year. This crisis is not only exhausting our city's resources, but it's flat out dangerous for the individuals and families who have been wrapped up in this political stunt. Recent plans to shelter migrants at a former

high school sparking backlash. I'm outraged and I don't understand why. I'm community was chosen. NBC Chicago is now reporting all seven temporary shelters in the city are full. Hundreds of migrants now waiting in the lobbies of police stations because they have nowhere else to go. We just don't want to be a burden, this man says. Not to the government, not to anyone. We want to work hard to be productive members of society. And Gabe Gutierrez joins us tonight from New York. Gabe, you know your report is so important because so many cities across America say they are stretched to the limit when it comes to migrants and the shelters where they're trying to house them. On top of the uncertainty these migrants are facing,

how are the conditions where they're staying in some cases? Well, Tom, it'll vary, of course, from place to place. But as one example, that man you just heard from, says that he's been at the police station in Chicago for 15 days now. He says there's no shower for them to use and the conditions there are unsanitary, he says. He also says he spent the first 13 days sleeping on the floor And for the last two days, he's been able to sleep on a mattress that was donated, Tom. Gabe Gutierrez for us. And Gabe, as we hear his reporting there, those conditions brutal to live under. But imagine living under this right here and living through this right here.

A dust storm, the blazing heat, and then the reality that we just saw unfold a few seconds ago, you saw those two vans that were taking some migrants to be processed. But they only could fill a certain amount. And so all these people are waiting in line now, hoping those vans come back. But in the span of 16 hours, say, maybe even longer than that, we have only seen a couple of vans come by to pick up migrants. So the reality is these people, likely, many of them, will have to be staying here another night if they have any desire to be processed. And even that is unclear at this point. Back over here, we want to turn to some other headlines that we've been tracking throughout the broadcast.

And we're going to start with a close call on some railroad tracks that were caught on camera near Dallas Tech. This new video showing the moment, two people, including a child, ran from their car just seconds before it was struck by a train, a third person barely making it out in time, but was okay. The vehicle was trapped into the crossing gate. It's unclear how that car ended up on the tracks. No one was hurt. An FDA panel has voted unanimously, right, to endorse the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the U.S. The decision would make the birth control pill available without a prescription. The move comes, of course, amid all the debate and the ongoing legal battles over women's reproductive rights across the country, a final decision expected this summer.

And in Florida, officials finding a five-foot alligator lurking inside of a storm drain, and this video is absolutely wild. Oviedo City public work crews have been investigating some potholes, right? When they stumbled upon a massive reptile tracking it with their camera for 10 minutes before it got stuck, that gator eventually crawling away, City officials hoping the video serves as a friendly reminder not to play in storm drains. Pretty scary there. Okay, we want to head overseas now. We turn to the deadly unrest in Pakistan following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on corruption charges. Josh Letterman has this one for us.

Violence and chaos tearing through Pakistan for a second day in a row over the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Plunging the nation of some 230 million people and its economy. into crisis. At least four people confirmed dead. Dozens more injured. Police saying well over a thousand people arrested, and tonight no signs that chaos is subsiding. Protesters, supporters of Khan, a former cricket star ousted from office last year, now Pakistan's most popular opposition figure, despite facing multiple corruption charges. It all started Tuesday when Khan was in court for a graft case. Then suddenly, arrested by paramilitary forces in connection with a different case. First, they ousted him from power, then they stopped him from campaigning around the

country, then they finally tried to assassinate him twice. And now they've arrested him. Pakistan's government alleging Khan gave favors to a real estate tycoon in exchange for land for university. Now, this is worst kind of corruption. And he did this. to gain personal benefits. But Khan's supporters say the military and the government are conspiring to keep him from returning to power. This supporter saying, for Khan, we're willing to lay down our lives. Security forces kept protesters far away from a court hearing today

where Khan was ordered detained for at least another eight days while he urges his supporters to keep up the fight. Khan's lawyer saying his client gave him this message to the nation. Even if they impose martial law, you have to stand your ground. In cities across Pakistan, police firing tear gas and water cannons at Khan's supporters. The radio Pakistan building set ablaze, while protesters set fires in the streets. This Karachi resident says transportation is shut down, students unable to get to school. He says it's total chaos across the country.

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad has canceled all consular appointment. this week and is restricting diplomats travel for their own safety. The State Department now warning Americans in Pakistan to avoid large gatherings and avoid traveling within the country if they can. Tom? All right, Josh Letterman, we appreciate it. Coming up, we'll have much more stories, including the AI tech race, the artificial intelligence technology just unveiled by Google that can do work-related tasks that humans are usually paid to do. Plus, we'll continue our reporting from the border, the intense situation here and Juarez as Title 42 is set to expire in a day.

You are watching a special edition of Top Story in Juarez, Mexico. We're back now with the latest in artificial intelligence. Google's top leaders taking to the stage today to unveil an array of new tools using AI. It comes less than a week after the White House asked key tech leaders to ensure safety, before rolling out new AI features. NBC's Jake Ward has the latest. As you may have heard, AI is having a very busy year. It's Google versus Microsoft, locked in an AI race.

And today, Google came out swinging. From Gmail and photos to maps, these are just a few examples of how AI can help you in moments that matter. The tech giant built on search announcing new tools, AI software to build presentations, analyze and enter data and write content. The kind of things humans are typically paid to do. We can see the true potential of AI as a collaborator.

Aparna Papu runs Google's workspace platform. Are the tools that you are building going to cost people their jobs? The tools that we're building are here to help people. Whether you're at work or at home in your personal lives, it's to help you get more done. But concerns are growing that the same tech companies that dominated data collection in the past will use it to dominate the market for AI in the future. We need to be especially vigilant about to make sure that incumbents are not using their existing dominance in ways that are unlawful or anti-competitive.

President Biden has warned top tech CEOs about AI's potential danger, and a Senate committee today announced an AI oversight hearing for next week. Should there be more regulatory input or maybe even democratic input into how you guys debut these products? First of all, I think that none of these things can supplant. human ingenuity or creativity or spontaneity or any of the things that are just what make us unique as human beings. But to a point about responsibility, it's important for society to play a role in this.

And so we look forward to engaging with the government in this. The world's biggest tech companies releasing products that could change all our lives in their fight to stay on top. Jake Ward, NBC News, Mountain View, California. And it's all changing so fast. All right, we thank Jake Ward for that report. coming up, MTV News, calling it quits. We'll look back at how the Renegade Network changed the way Gen Xers and millennials got informed

and the unforgettable moments from pop stars to presidential candidates, all put on the spot. Stay with us. Finally tonight, the end of an era. MTV News, shutting down after nearly four decades on air as Paramount Global slashes a quarter of its staff. Joe Fryer now takes a little, look back at the iconic coverage that cemented its place in broadcast news and pop culture history.

After 36 years, MTV News is signing off for good. It's shutting down as part of major layoffs at its parent company Paramount. The renegade media outlet launched in the 80s with music critic Kurt Loder as an alternative to traditional broadcast news. And quickly, it became a news source for Gen X and millennial audiences covering events that defined their generation. Kurt Cobain, the leader of one of Rock's most gifted and promising bands, Nirvana, is dead. That includes when they broke into programming in 1994 for a live report on the death of Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain, a man who meant so much to the MTV audience. They got our attention in between watching a Michael

Jackson video or a new SWV or TLC video. When Kurt Loder broke in and said we have breaking news, we stopped and we listened. Through the decades, MTV News was also known for its cutting-edge interviews with everyone from rappers. I'm just trying to show who I am. The pop stars. I'm really excited about this record. Rock stars. There seem to be a lot of black artists making very good videos that I'm surprised aren't used on MTV.

Even U.S. presidents. But I did do research. Creating a platform for young voters to talk to presidential candidates with their town halls and sparking this historic moment in pop culture with then President Bill Clinton. Mr. President, the world is dying to know. Boxes or briefs. Usually briefs. I can't believe she did that.

Those town halls were really ways to put the political stories in front of pop culture and bring politics and pop culture together. MTV News also sent reporters out on the campaign trail, including NBC's very own Jacob Soberaw. It's been super, super low turnout. and all that. The outlet also managed to make its young viewers part of huge moments in history on the ground in New York City following the terror attacks on September 11th. They could do as many bonds or as explosion or many taxes they want to. New York is still going to be here.

MTV News would eventually move away from its breaking headlines and rugged reporting, recently keeping its focus on music and entertainment. The second season of Stranger Things 2 just dropped. With award show coverage and interviews with A-list actors and musicians. I think that it's important to recognize that we're always going to want to understand news in new ways. And I do believe MTV at one point was that for us. It filled that void. While MTV News may be coming to an end, it undoubtedly left a lasting impact on an entire generation, the news and pop culture.

That's the news for now. Stay tuned for more music on MTV. Joe Fryer, NBC News. Joe Fryer for us tonight. We thank Joe for that story. And we thank you for watching this special edition. of Top Story from Juarez, Mexico. I'm Tom Yamas.

We'll stay here on the border in the coming days, and we hope you will watch us. Stay right there. There's more news still on the way.