Elaina Christina hosts The Elaina Show on TikTok. The show offers a comedic look at life with a definitive New Jersey twist. Several of her posts have recently included a pint-sized dynamo in the form of her two-year-old niece‚ Giavanna (Gia). Being from New Jersey‚ Elaina never thought much of her own accent. That became a focus when fans commented on little Gia’s adorable New Jersey accent. After noticing the peculiar way her niece said “chawcolate‚” Elaina knew that her fans needed to hear the cuteness. Elaina recorded videos asking Gia to say certain words and phrases to give fans more of what they crave. The results are predictably hilarious. Image from TikTok. Elaina agreed to allow Gia to “do her makeup” during the recording. This‚ of course‚ added a completely new level of hilarity to the video. The first phrase Elaina asked Gia to repeat was‚ “I’m looking in a mirror.” Gia enunciated very clearly‚ “I’m looking in the mirwah.” During each exchange‚ Elaina fights to pronounce the phrases without her accent entaferring. Meanwhile‚ makeup was applied in an orderly manner. Image from TikTok. Phrases included‚ “Hey Nona‚ give me a meatball‚” “Hey‚ I’m walking here‚” “I’m going to the ball‚” and “I am a star.” Gia dutifully pronounced each phrase with her adorable New Jersey accent. The two had a lot of laughs‚ and the makeup session was a success. You can watch the entire video of Gia saying phrases here. Image from TikTok. A New Jersey Accent Is Very Distinctive In a second video‚ Elaina has Gia repeating words. “Caw-fee‚” “Wah-tah‚” “Tawk‚” “Wawk‚” “Cohl‚” and “Drawah” sound absolutely adorable when Gia says them. At the end of the video of words‚ as Elaina is laughing hysterically‚ her sister (Gia’s mom) enters the frame. You’ll have to watch below to see what she added to the video (it’s a perfect ending). Be sure to share this if you laughed at that poor innocent child (you know you did). @imelainachristina she was raised RIGHT. &; for the record it was very hard for me to say these words without my own accent #fyp #newjersey #newyork #italianamerican #babytok #babiesoftiktok ♬ original sound – The Elaina Show You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post 2-Yr-Old Shows Off Her Hilarious New Jersey Accent And It’s Too Adorable appeared first on InspireMore.

'I think everybody knows that is not right and there's no way that nobody else was involved in this criminal activity'

Our partner Rob Brezsny‚ who has a new book out‚ Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle‚ provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology‚ is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote […] The post Your Horoscope for the Week – ‘Free Will Astrology’ From Rob Brezsny appeared first on Good News Network.

With the Alabama Supreme Court’s recent decision on the status of embryos raising concerns about the future of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics in the state‚ it’s safe to say fertility is on a lot of people’s minds at the moment.According to the World Health Organization‚ around 1 in 6 adults around the world experience infertility. As a result‚ fertility has become a huge area of research – and a particularly important one for people hoping to find answers about their own‚ often being met with a lack of robust (or even the presence of misleading) information.So what does the latest science have to say about fertility?The semen microbiome and fertilityWe’ve already met the oral‚ gut‚ and skin microbiomes‚ but it turns out semen has one too‚ and it could play a part in male infertility. Researchers analyzing the semen of men being evaluated for their fertility or receiving a vasectomy consultation found one bacterium of particular interest: Lactobacillus iners.Men with abnormal sperm motility – a potential contributor to infertility – were found to have a higher abundance of these bacteria compared to those with normal sperm motility. This suggests that L. iners could negatively impact male fertility‚ though the authors acknowledge that there’s much more work to be done to fully explore such a link.A potential druggable target to increase female fertilityThere’s a tiny molecule with a big role in the decline of female fertility; nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) has a whole host of purposes throughout the body and decreases with age‚ but it’s of interest to fertility researchers because it promotes proper ovarian function. As it declines‚ so do the number and quality of eggs.What researchers didn’t know was what pushed NAD+ to decline in the first place‚ but they’ve now pinpointed it to an enzyme called CD38. According to the team‚ CD38 could be a druggable target to extend female fertility‚ which can also be linked to overall lifespan and health.Keto diet could improve PCOS-related infertilityThe ketogenic (keto) diet has been touted as having all sorts of health benefits. Scientists are still trying to figure out how many of those claims are true‚ and it’s no different when it comes to fertility.For example‚ a recent study investigating the keto diet and its impact on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – a hormone disorder that’s associated with infertility – reviewed a collection of clinical trials in which a small number of people with the condition went on the keto diet.They found that those who were on the diet for at least 45 days saw an improvement in their reproductive hormone levels. Whilst the authors acknowledge those hormones can influence fertility‚ they also caution that there’s still not a sufficient body of evidence to make any strong conclusions and that it warrants further investigation.Figuring out IVFIVF is one the most well-known fertility techniques available‚ but it’s not a process without flaws; it’s common for embryos to stop growing within days of fertilization. Some researchers think that in many such cases‚ this could come down to DNA duplication gone wrong in the very earliest stages of cell division. However‚ scientists have been working on ways to make IVF more successful‚ and earlier this year‚ a team from the University of California San Diego developed a new‚ non-invasive test that uses the liquid that embryos were grown in to check their quality – though it’s still got a way to go before it could reach fertility clinics. Plummeting fertility rateFertility isn’t just defined as the ability to conceive a child; in demography‚ it refers to the actual production of a child. This is measured in fertility rates‚ which have hit an all-time low in South Korea‚ with the total fertility rate – the average number of children born per woman – dropping to 0.72 by the end of 2023‚ beating the previous year’s record low of 0.778. But it’s not just happening in South Korea – the latest research suggests rates are dropping across the world. Why? The reasons are complex and can depend on the country‚ but globally‚ some of the attributed reasons include improved access to education and the workforce for women‚ access to contraceptives‚ and the rising cost of living and bringing up children.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice‚ diagnosis‚ or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.    

In the 1970s and 80s‚ geologists noticed unusual layers deposited in ancient rocks‚ dating to around 232-4 million years ago.In the Eastern Alps‚ one team investigated a layer of siliclastic sedimentation deposited in carbonate. Meanwhile‚ in the UK‚ geologist and forensic scientist Alastair Ruffell examined a layer of gray rock found inside the famous red stone found in the area. Both findings‚ and many since‚ suggested one thing: around 232 million years ago‚ the Earth left a dry spell and it began to rain. In fact‚ given that the gray sandstone and siliclastic sediment was deposited over a long‚ long time‚ it was evidence that right at the beginning of the age of the dinosaurs when their numbers and diversity exploded‚ there was an unusually wet period lasting 1-2 million years.In fact‚ since the discovery‚ there has been growing evidence that the wet period may have been the "trigger that enabled dinosaurs‚ and possibly the other members of the modern terrestrial fauna‚ to diversify and dominate the land".The period‚ known as the Carnian pluvial event‚ or even the Carnian crisis‚ has since been seen in rocks from around the world. The cause of the unusual amount of rainfall appears to be the result of a massive increase in humidity‚ possibly due to a gigantic volcanic eruption of the Wrangellia Large Igneous Province‚ running from south-central Alaska and along the coast of British Columbia.“The eruptions peaked in the Carnian‚" Jacopo Dal Corso‚ involved in research into the eruption‚ told Everything Dinosaur. "I was studying the geochemical signature of the eruptions a few years ago and identified some massive effects on the atmosphere worldwide.  The eruptions were so huge‚ they pumped vast amounts of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and there were spikes of global warming”. Pangea – the supercontinent on Earth at the time – was already prone to monsoons. They are caused when moisture-heavy air from the seas are blown towards land‚ where it cools and falls as heavy rains. As the seas heated during this period – reaching the temperature of hot soup‚ paleoenvironments researcher Paul Wignall told New Scientist – more moisture would have been above it‚ making for more monsoons and more heavy rainfall on land. The humid‚ wet period was not great for life. One study published in the Journal of the Geological Society paints it as a time when "volcanic eruptions generate acid rain and greenhouse gases‚ which in turn lead to extinctions by shock warming‚ stripping of vegetation and soils on land‚ and ocean anoxia and acidification".Species were wiped out by the event. But after it was over‚ there were clear winners. "In the wake of wide extinctions of plants and key herbivores on land‚ the dinosaurs were seemingly the main beneficiaries in the time of recovery‚ expanding rapidly in diversity‚ ecological impact (relative abundance) and regional distribution‚ from South America initially‚ to all continents‚" the team wrote in their paper. "It may have been one of the most important [rapid events] in the history of life in terms of its role in allowing not only the ‘age of dinosaurs’‚ but also the origins of most key clades that form the modern fauna of terrestrial tetrapods‚ namely the lissamphibians‚ turtles‚ crocodiles‚ lizards and mammals."An earlier version of this article was published in March 2023.

Just over five years ago‚ on 22 February 2019‚ an unmanned space probe was placed in orbit around the Moon. Named Beresheet and built by SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries‚ it was intended to be the first private spacecraft to perform a soft landing. Among the probe’s payload were tardigrades‚ renowed for their ability to survive in even the harshest climates.The mission ran into trouble from the start‚ with the failure of “star tracker” cameras intended to determine the spacecraft’s orientation and thus properly control its motors. Budgetary limitations had imposed a pared-down design‚ and while the command center was able to work around some problems‚ things got even trickier on 11 April‚ the day of the landing.On the way to the Moon the spacecraft had been travelling at high speed‚ and it needed to be slowed way down to make a soft landing. Unfortunately during the braking manoeuvre a gyroscope failed‚ blocking the primary engine. At an altitude of 150 m‚ Beresheet was still moving at 500 km/h‚ far too fast to be stopped in time. The impact was violent – the probe shattered and its remains were scattered over a distance of around a hundred metres. We know this because the site was photographed by NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) satellite on 22 April.Animals that can withstand (almost) anythingSo what happened to the tardigrades that were travelling on the probe? Given their remarkable abilities to survive situations that would kill pretty much any other animal‚ could they have contaminated the Moon? Worse‚ might they be able to reproduce and colonize it?Tardigrades are microscopic animals that measure less than a millimetre in length. All have neurons‚ a mouth opening at the end of a retractable proboscis‚ an intestine containing a microbiota and four pairs of non-articulated legs ending in claws‚ and most have two eyes. As small as they are‚ they share a common ancestor with arthropods such as insects and arachnids.Most tardigrades live in aquatic environments‚ but they can be found in any environment‚ even urban ones. Emmanuelle Delagoutte‚ a researcher at the CNRS‚ collects them in the mosses and lichens of the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. To be active‚ feed on microalgae such as chlorella‚ and move‚ grow and reproduce‚ tardigrades need to be surrounded by a film of water. They reproduce sexually or asexually via parthenogenesis (from an unfertilised egg) or even hermaphroditism‚ when an individual (which possesses both male and female gametes) self-fertilises. Once the egg has hatched‚ the active life of a tardigrade lasts from 3 to 30 months. A total of 1‚265 species have been described‚ including two fossils.Tardigrades are famous for their resistance to conditions that exist neither on Earth nor on the Moon. They can shut down their metabolism by losing up to 95% of their body water. Some species synthesise a sugar‚ trehalose‚ that acts as an antifreeze‚ while others synthesise proteins that are thought to incorporate cellular constituents into an amorphous “glassy” network that offers resistance and protection to each cell.During dehydration‚ the tardigrade’s body can shrink to half its normal size. The legs disappear‚ with only the claws still visible. This state‚ known as cryptobiosis‚ persists until conditions for active life become favourable again.Depending on the species of tardigrade‚ individuals need more or less time to dehydrate and not all specimens of the same species manage to return to active life. Dehydrated adults survive for a few minutes at temperatures as low as -272°C or as high as 150°C‚ and over the long term at high doses of gamma rays of 1‚000 or 4‚400 Gray (Gy). By way of comparison‚ a dose of 10 Gy is fatal for humans‚ and 40-50‚000 Gy sterilises all types of material. However‚ whatever the dose‚ radiation kills tardigrade eggs. What’s more‚ the protection afforded by cryptobiosis is not always clear-cut‚ as in the case of Milnesium tardigradum‚ where radiation affects both active and dehydrated animals in the same way.The species Milnesium tardigradum in its active state. E. Schokraie‚ U. Warnken‚ A. Hotz-Wagenblatt‚ M.A. Grohme‚ S. Hengherr‚ et al. (2012).‚ CC BYLunar life?So what happened to the tardigrades after they crashed on the Moon? Are any of them still viable‚ buried under the moon’s regolith‚ the dust that varies in depth from a few metres to several dozen metres?First of all‚ they have to have survived the impact. Laboratory tests have shown that frozen specimens of the Hypsibius dujardini species travelling at 3‚000 km/h in a vacuum were fatally damaged when they smashed into sand. However‚ they survived impacts of 2‚600 km/h or less – and their “hard landing” on the Moon‚ unwanted or not‚ was far slower.The Moon’s surface is not protected from solar particles and cosmic rays‚ particularly gamma rays‚ but here too‚ the tardigrades would be able to resist. In fact‚ Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber‚ professor at the University of Kiel in Germany‚ and his team have shown that the doses of gamma rays hitting the lunar surface were permanent but low compared with the doses mentioned above – 10 years’ exposure to Lunar gamma rays would correspond to a total dose of around 1 Gy.But then there’s the question of “life” on the Moon. The tardigrades would have to withstand a lack of water as well as temperatures ranging from -170 to -190°C during the lunar night and 100 to 120°C during the day. A lunar day or night lasts a long time‚ just under 15 Earth days. The probe itself wasn’t designed to withstand such extremes and even if it hadn’t crashed‚ it would have ceased all activity after just a few Earth days.Unfortunately for the tardigrades‚ they can’t overcome the lack of liquid water‚ oxygen and microalgae – they would never be able to reactivate‚ much less reproduce. Their colonising the Moon is thus impossible. Still‚ inactive specimens are on lunar soil and their presence raises ethical questions‚ as Matthew Silk‚ an ecologist at the University of Edinburgh‚ points out. Moreover‚ at a time when space exploration is taking off in all directions‚ contaminating other planets could mean that we would lose the opportunity to detect extraterrestrial life.The author thanks Emmanuelle Delagoutte and Cédric Hubas of the Muséum de Paris‚ and Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber of the University of Kiel‚ for their critical reading of the text and their advice.Laurent Palka‚ Maître de conférences‚ Muséum national d’histoire naturelle (MNHN)This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Cheese was just as popular in the ancient world as it is today – and then‚ just as now‚ its production required patience and time to mature into something tasty. However‚ archaeologists have found various cheeses that push the limits of what we would consider “matured”‚ having been preserved for centuries in various places. So while you may not want to eat these ancient specimens‚ it still raises an important question: what is the oldest cheese ever found?The answer‚ as with so many things‚ depends on how you define “cheese” and what standard of quantity you think needs to be present. Here are two examples to illustrate this.Contender 1: Ancient Egyptian Cheese BlobIn August 2018‚ archaeologists identified a substance that turned out to be one of the oldest cheeses ever discovered while excavating an Ancient Egyptian tomb. The tomb in question belonged to Ptahmes‚ a high-ranking official in the Egyptian city of Memphis‚ during the 13th century BCE.  Although Ptahmes’ tomb was first discovered back in 1885‚ it was soon lost again under the sands of the Egyptian desert south of Cairo in Saqqara‚ the “City of the Dead”. However‚ a few years after archaeologists rediscovered it in 2010‚ they came across a corner storage area that contained broken jars. One of these jars contained a “solidified whitish mass” as well as some sort of canvas material that may have been used to cover the jar.The researchers analyzed the substance using a technique called liquid chromatography after they processed it by first dissolving it and then purifying its protein constituents. Then‚ through the use of mass spectroscopy‚ the team was able to measure its different molecules and determine that it was a dairy product‚ made from cow milk mixed with that of either a goat or sheep.In Ancient Egypt‚ milk would need to be consumed quickly otherwise it would spoil. However‚ the Egyptians would also turn it into cheese or similar fermented products‚ like yogurt.This‚ then‚ represented a cheese glob that is over 3‚200 years old‚ which is pretty impressive. However‚ you would not want to eat it as it contained traces of a potentially deadly bacteria known to kill people and livestock - Brucella melitensis. This bacterium is still alive in the world today and can be caught by humans who consume unpasteurized dairy products.Contender 2: Croatian Cheesy BitsThe stuff recovered from the Ptahmes’ tomb is a tangible mass of ancient cheese. It is substantive and visible. But archaeologists have found evidence of far older specimens. However‚ there is a slight issue here – the evidence is only partial in comparison.In the same year that the archaeologists in Egypt analyzed Ptahmes’ glob‚ another team found traces of cheese production in what is now Croatia that dated back 7‚200 years ago.The discovery was made by an international team of researchers who examined the chemical fingerprints left by fatty acids on ancient pottery. They then compared their findings with historical evidence concerning agricultural practices at the time‚ which allowed them to conclude that they were looking at the outcome of an ancient cheese-making process.Fatty acids found on the inside of clay pots found within two New Stone Age (Neolithic) villages along the Dalmatian Coast. The researchers carefully examined the ratio of the heavier isotopes‚ carbon-13‚ to the lighter carbon-12 atoms contained in the traces. The concentrations of the two vary depending on whether you have milk or cheese present. In this instance‚ they were able to confirm fatty acids from cheese.So which would you say is the oldest cheese found? Regardless of which one satisfies your definition of “cheese” and the quantities needed to say you have an actual example of it‚ the fact that we can identify signs of this product in such ancient contexts is still remarkable. Over the centuries‚ our fascination with cheese has become “interesting” to the point that even today‚ we sometimes hoard the stuff in vaults.

Members of a pre-Roman culture in Italy were sometimes buried with animals including dogs and horses‚ though researchers are unable to explain why this was the case. After discovering several of these multi-species co-burials at a site in Verona‚ the authors of a new study speculate that the interred animals may have held some sort of religious significance‚ although they could also have been beloved pets.While excavating the Seminario Vescovile - which was occupied by the Cenomane culture between the third and first centuries BCE - archaeologists uncovered a total of 161 human skeletons. Of these‚ 16 were buried alongside either whole animals or animal parts‚ the majority of which were chickens‚ pigs or cows and therefore probably placed in the graves as food offerings to the dead.However‚ the researchers’ attention was grabbed by four burials that contained the remains of dogs and horses‚ neither of which were typically eaten by ancient Europeans. For instance‚ they found a baby girl that had been laid to rest with a complete dog skeleton‚ as well as a middle-aged woman whose bones were accompanied by an entire horse‚ multiple other horse parts and the skull of a dog.A young man was also interred alongside horse bones while a middle-aged man had a small dog for eternal company.In an attempt to understand this strange ancient practice‚ the study authors conducted genetic and isotopic analyses on the human skeletons‚ hoping to reconstruct the familial links and dietary customs of the buried individuals. Puzzlingly‚ however‚ they found that none of those who were buried with animals were closely related‚ thus ruling out the possibility of the tradition belonging to a certain family.Similarly‚ the researchers failed to identify any clear dietary or funerary patterns that would suggest a connection between these peculiar burials. “Overall‚ our results point to the unsuitability of simple‚ straightforward explanations for the observed funerary variability‚” they conclude.Faced with such a lack of concrete evidence‚ the study authors are forced to seek out explanations by analyzing the traditions and customs of other ancient practices. For example‚ they point out that the Gallo-Roman god Epona - whose name is derived from the Celtic word for horse - is often depicted alongside dead horses.“An association between the horse remains at [Seminario Vescovile] and the role of Epona as a guide who accompanies newly deceased souls to the afterlife is therefore an interesting possibility‚” write the researchers. At the same time‚ however‚ they note that the skeletons buried alongside horses also show signs of bone fractures‚ which could indicate that these people were horse riders and therefore laid to rest with their favorite steeds. Moving on to dogs‚ the authors state that this particular animal was regularly associated with the underworld by ancient cultures. “A link between dogs and the afterlife can be found throughout time and space‚ with examples from ancient Egypt‚ Scandinavia‚ Classical‚ and Gallo-Roman cultures‚” they write.The researchers therefore cautiously suggest that these canines may have been buried alongside humans for some religious or ritual purpose. However‚ lacking concrete evidence to support this argument‚ they also state that the dogs may simply have been beloved pets whose owners couldn’t bear to enter the afterlife without them.The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

With dueling presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump facing off on immigration and making separate appearances along the southern border‚ PBS NewsHour reporter Laura Barron-Lopez reported from the Biden stop on Thursday evening and made her feelings clear on the taxpayer-supported news program. Barron-Lopez portrayed the Democratic president as taking the immigration fight to his likely 2024 re-election rival Trump‚ although Biden repealed everything Trump did regarding the border upon taking office (a fact PBS skipped): Barron-Lopez: In his second visit to the Texas-Mexico border‚ President Biden met with Border Patrol and immigration officials in Brownsville‚ attempting to turn the tables on his likely 2024 rival‚ former President Donald Trump. Joe Biden‚ President of the United States: Here's what I would say to Mr. Trump. Instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation‚ join me‚ or I will join you in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill. We can do it together. You know and I know it's the toughest‚ most efficient‚ most effective border security bill this country has ever seen. Her spin on Trump entering the fray was far more negative. Barron-Lopez: Meanwhile‚ some 300 miles West along the Rio Grande in the town of Eagle Pass‚ Trump attacked Biden and again demonized migrants. Donald Trump‚ Former President of the United States (R) and Current U.S. Presidential Candidate: Now the United States is being overrun by the Biden migrant crime. It's a new form of vicious violation to our country. It's migrant crime. We call it Biden migrant crime. Barron-Lopez knew which party to blame for her PBS viewers. Barron-Lopez: The showdown here at the U.S.-Mexico border is set to be a defining battle of 2024‚ a fight guaranteed when Republicans killed a bipartisan deal designed to stem the flow of migrants and funnel billions to border security…. Apparently it was all quiet on the southern front‚ at least according to liberal activists with skin in the game. Barron-Lopez: With the Senate deal all but dead‚ sources have told NewsHour that President Biden is considering using his executive authority through a decades-old law to block some asylum seekers from entering the U.S. While state and federal authorities clash in Eagle Pass‚ becoming a national flash point‚ here in Brownsville‚ advocates say things are different. Astrid Dominguez‚ Executive Director‚ Good Neighbor Settlement House: We often hear that the border is chaotic‚ but it's orderly. It's not chaos. Laura Barron-Lopez: ….What would the impact be for migrants if the U.S. were to put in place more severe asylum restrictions? Astrid Dominguez: Seeking asylum‚ it's a right. And we want to make sure that‚ as a country‚ we're looking at solutions that allow them to seek asylum in a safe way and not putting them in danger. She assured NewsHour anchor Geoff Bennett that “overall‚ Geoff‚ crossings are low here right now in Texas.” Geoff Bennett: ….We heard Donald Trump with his criticisms of Joe Biden. How do Mr. Trump's stated concerns and contentions square up with the facts and with your reporting and what you're seeing there along the border today? Barron-Lopez: Geoff‚ Chris Cabrera of the Border Patrol union told me that there were only six apprehensions in Brownsville yesterday and that overall‚ across Texas‚ other entry points‚ other border towns may have slightly higher apprehensions‚ but that it's overall low. [Editor’s note: Because of Republican pressure to take action‚ perhaps?] But I want to point out‚ Geoff‚ and fact-check one of the things that the former president said today. He was talking about claiming that there was a migrant crime wave occurring. And the data just doesn't match up with that‚ Geoff. A Stanford study shows that immigrants are 60 percent less likely than native-born Americans to be incarcerated and that also‚ in sanctuary cities‚ each unit increase in the unauthorized immigration population actually represents a 5 percent decrease in violent crime. Does anyone truly think allowing all illegal immigrants to stay in the country would end violent crime‚ as Barron-Lopez’s dubious trend line would imply? Georgia recently provided sad evidence that isn’t the case. This segment was brought to you in part by BNSF Railway. A transcript is available‚ click “Expand.” PBS NewsHour 2/29/24 7:19:23 p.m. (ET) Laura Barron-Lopez: In his second visit to the Texas-Mexico border‚ President Biden met with Border Patrol and immigration officials in Brownsville‚ attempting to turn the tables on his likely 2024 rival‚ former President Donald Trump . Joe Biden‚ President of the United States: Here's what I would say to Mr. Trump. Instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation‚ join me‚ or I will join you in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill. We can do it together. You know and I know it's the toughest‚ most efficient‚ most effective border security bill this country has ever seen. Laura Barron-Lopez: Meanwhile‚ some 300 miles west along the Rio Grande‚ in the town of Eagle Pass‚ Trump attacked Biden and again demonized migrants. Donald Trump‚ Former President of the United States (R) and Current U.S. Presidential Candidate: Now the United States is being overrun by the Biden migrant crime. It's a new form of vicious violation to our country. It's migrant crime. We call it Biden migrant crime. Laura Barron-Lopez: The showdown here at the U.S.-Mexico border is set to be a defining battle of 2024‚ a fight guaranteed when Republicans killed a bipartisan deal designed to stem the flow of migrants and funnel billions to border security. What do you hope President Biden's trip accomplishes? Chris Cabrera‚ Vice President‚ National Border Patrol Council: You know‚ hopefully‚ he takes some good out of this trip‚ and‚ hopefully‚ when he meets with the Border Patrol agents‚ they give him an idea of what you could work from. Any time you want something done on the front line‚ you need to talk to the front-line workers. Laura Barron-Lopez: Chris Cabrera is the vice president of the National Border Patrol Council‚ a union representing 18‚000 agents nationwide. The union supported the bipartisan deal. Do you want it to still pass? Chris Cabrera: You know‚ that's the hope. But on top the — at the end of the day‚ anything will help. I know there's the power of the pen. There's executive action that he's done in the past with other issues. He has the power to put a stop to this today if he wanted to. Granted‚ Congress does have some fault in this. They have been kicking the can down the road for quite a few years‚ not one side or the other‚ but both sides. And if they're not going to do it‚ then either we get somebody in there that will or the president needs to take action like the last president did. Laura Barron-Lopez: With the Senate deal all but dead‚ sources have told "NewsHour" that President Biden is considering using his executive authority through a decades-old law to block some asylum seekers from entering the U.S. While state and federal authorities clash in Eagle Pass‚ becoming a national flash point‚ here in Brownsville‚ advocates say things are different. Astrid Dominguez‚ Executive Director‚ Good Neighbor Settlement House: We often hear that the border is chaotic‚ but it's orderly. It's not chaos. Laura Barron-Lopez: Astrid Dominguez is the executive director of Good Neighbor Settlement House‚ which is one of the groups that helps welcome asylum seekers in Brownsville. What would the impact be for migrants if the U.S. were to put in place more severe asylum restrictions? Astrid Dominguez: Seeking asylum‚ it's a right. And we want to make sure that‚ as a country‚ we're looking at solutions that allow them to seek asylum in a safe way and not putting them in danger. Laura Barron-Lopez: Despite the danger‚ some are still making the long journey with their children. Roxanna just arrived from Cuba. Roxanna‚ Asylum Seeker From Cuba (through interpreter): It was difficult because we had to travel with coyotes and we had a small child. Luria‚ Asylum Seeker From Venezuela (through interpreter): I cried a lot. It was terrifying. I'm 22 years old. I don't know how I did it‚ how I was able to flee with my son. It's something that I just don't know how I did it. But I accomplished it‚ and we're here‚ and that's the most important thing. Laura Barron-Lopez: Fleeing Venezuela through the Darien Gap‚ 22-year-old Luria was robbed twice before arriving for her appointment with Customs and Border Protection. Luria (through interpreter): I want a better life. I want a better future for my son‚ and I just want to start a new life. Laura Barron-Lopez: Geoff — Geoff‚ those migrants are arriving through the CBP One appointment system app that President Biden has urged asylum seekers to use‚ rather than cross regularly into the United States. But‚ overall‚ Geoff‚ crossings are low here right now in Texas. Geoff Bennett: And‚ Laura‚ let's return to what we heard today from the current and former presidents. We heard Donald Trump with his criticisms of Joe Biden . How do Mr. Trump's stated concerns and contentions square up with the facts and with your reporting and what you're seeing there along the border today? Laura Barron-Lopez: Geoff‚ Chris Cabrera of the Border Patrol union told me that there were only six apprehensions in Brownsville yesterday and that overall‚ across Texas‚ other entry points‚ other border towns may have slightly higher apprehensions‚ but that it's overall low. But I want to point out‚ Geoff‚ and fact-check one of the things that the former president said today. He was talking about claiming that there was a migrant crime wave occurring. And the data just doesn't match up with that‚ Geoff. A Stanford study shows that immigrants are 60 percent less likely than native-born Americans to be incarcerated and that also‚ in sanctuary cities‚ each unit increase in the unauthorized immigration population actually represents a 5 percent decrease in violent crime. Geoff Bennett: And President Biden today‚ he also called on Senate Republicans to pass that bipartisan border deal‚ but he said he might act alone. There's word of an executive order? Is that right? Tell us more about that. Laura Barron-Lopez: That's right‚ Geoff. An executive order could come in a matter of weeks. And that order‚ what's being considered right now would severely restrict asylum seekers. It would narrow who can claim asylum. And I was talking to immigration advocates today who have been in talks with the White House. And they're trying to convince President Biden to essentially go a different route with an executive order‚ declare an emergency declaration‚ and just send more resources border‚ rather than restrict asylum. It's important to note‚ Geoff‚ that asylum under current U.S. law is a right for migrants to claim whether they're presenting at a port of entry or between ports of entry. Geoff Bennett: In the meantime‚ Laura‚ there is this continuing dispute between Texas and the federal government over border security. Where does that stand right now? Laura Barron-Lopez: A federal judge today‚ Geoff‚ blocked a Texas law that would give police more authority to arrest migrants that they suspect may have entered into the U.S. illegally. And I was speaking with an immigration lawyer today who said that they expect Texas will ask for a stay‚ which would allow them to try to implement that law as legal proceedings move forward. But‚ of course‚ they're going to be battling with immigration lawyers and advocates who are trying to block this to take effect. And one thing that's important to note‚ Geoff‚ is that a lot of people can't always present at a port of entry when they're trying to come into the U.S. There's a lot of reasons why they actually present between ports of entry‚ as they're trying to flee violence. And I also spoke with a lifelong Texan today in Eagle Pass‚ Geoff. He's a business owner who's been really frustrated by Governor Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star‚ saying that‚ initially‚ he supported it‚ but that now he isn't really happy with what's been going on‚ because Governor — the governor has seized so much of the land and so much of the public property in Eagle Pass. Geoff Bennett: Laura Barron-Lopez on the U.S. southern border for us tonight. Laura‚ thank you.