Woodruff and, a forgotten generation. The challenges of educating syrian children in the middle of war. All that and more, on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by bnsf railway. And with the ongoing support of these institutions this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff President Trumps top diplomat is now in russia, at a moment of high tension. It centers on last weeks u. S. Military strike on syria, after the regime launched a chemical weapons attack on its own people. Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent Margaret Warner reports on this days events. Reporter secretary of state Rex Tillerson arrived in moscow this evening on the heels of some tough talk about syria at the group of seven meeting in italy. Russia has really aligned itself with the assad regime, the iranians and hezbollah. Is that a longterm alliance that serves russias interest . Or would russia prefer to realign with the United States, with other western countries and middle east countries who are seeking to resolve the Syrian Crisis . Reporter u. S. Russian tensions surged after last tuesdays chemical attack, which killed more than 80 people in syrias rebelheld idlib province. The u. S. Responded with Cruise Missile strikes on a Syrian Air Base thursday. Tillerson again today faulted russia for failing to enforce a deal it helped negotiate in 2013, to rid syria of chemical weapons. In a communique today, the g7 ministers said they were shocked and horrified by the attack, but, they decided against further actions for now. Speaking in moscow, russian president Vladimir Putin likened the allegations about syria to false u. S. Claims in 2003 that iraq had weapons of mass destruction. He said he expects more such incidents. translated we have intelligence from various sources, that similar provocations are being prepared in other regions of syria, including the Southern Suburbs of damascus, where they are planning to plant chemicals and blame the Syrian Government for using them. Reporter hours later, white house officials accused moscow of attempting to cover up syrias culpability for the attack with false narratives. They cited declassified intelligence that establishes syria was responsible, and disproves russian claims that the gas was released by a government strike on a rebel depot. A senior u. S. Official had said monday theres evidence russia knew ahead of time about the chemical attack, but White House PressSecretary Sean Spicer walked that back today. Theres no consensus in the Intelligence Community that there was involvement. Reporter at the same time, spicers own words proved a distraction for the white house. We didnt use chemical weapons in world war ii. You know, you had a someone who was as despicable as hitler, who didnt even sink to the. To using chemical weapons. Reporter when challenged, he acknowledged that hitler gassed millions of jews and others in death camps; and spicer later clarified his remarks in a statement, saying he was in no way trying to minimize the holocaust. Meantime, at the pentagon, defense secretary james mattis and central commands top general, joseph votel, reiterated that the u. S. Focus would be the fight against isis. Mattis was asked why the u. S. Acted after the chemical attack, but not after conventional strikes that kill syrian civilians. There is a limit to what we can do. We knew we could not stand passive on this, but its not a statement that we could enter fullfledged, fullbore into the most complex civil war on the planet. Reporter for the pbs newshour, im Margaret Warner. Woodruff in the days other news, north korea issued a fiery new warning to the United States. State tv threatened nuclear strikes on American Military bases in south korea and elsewhere, if the u. S. Makes any aggressive move. The report noted that a u. S. Aircraft Carrier Group is moving toward the region for military exercises with the south. translated the United Statess dispatching of its Nuclear Carrier task group in the waters off the peninsula proves that its reckless moves for invading north korea have reached a serious phase. If the u. S. Dares opt for military action, then north korea is ready to react to any mode of war desired by the u. S. Woodruff meanwhile, President Trump used twitter to send his own warning to pyongyang and to china. He tweeted north korea is looking for trouble. If china decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them. Democrats hoped for an upset today, in the first Congressional Election since President Trumps november victory. Its a race to fill the kansas seat vacated when representative mike pompeo became c. I. A. Director. Democrat James Thompson is challenging republican ron estes. The president tweeted his support for estes today. The state of texas must decide how to proceed after a federal judge ruled for a second time that a voter i. D. Law discriminates against minorities. In a previous ruling, the judge likened the law to a poll tax. A federal Appeals Court asked her to reexamine the case, but she reaffirmed her finding on monday. A separate court has found that texas racially gerrymandered several congressional districts. On wall street today, stocks struggled to make any headway. The Dow Jones Industrial average gave up six points to close at 20,651. The nasdaq fell 14 points, and the s p 500 slipped three. And in thailand, they have begun festivities to ring in the buddhist new year, starting with elephants spraying people with water. The animals marched through the countrys ancient capital today, dousing revelers and tourists alike. The tradition is said to wash away bad luck and usher in prosperity for the new year. Still to come on the newshour what happens to undocumented immigrants after deportation; why doctors now say men should get screened for Prostate Cancer; corporations versus consumers how Airline Ticket rules led to this paying customer being forced off a United Airlines plane, and much more. Woodruff attorney general Jeff Sessions today outlined the Trump Administrations tough approach on immigration during a visit to the u. S. Mexico border in nogales, arizona. He credited President Trump for a decline in Border Apprehensions and urged federal prosecutors to focus on smugglers, and immigrants who reenter the u. S. After deportation. For those that continue to seek improper and illegal entry into this country, be forewarned this is a new era. This is the trump era. The lawlessness, the abdication of the duty to enforce our laws, and the catch and release policies of the past are over. Woodruff and for more, we are joined from tucson by nancy montoya, Senior Reporter on immigration and border issues for arizona public media. Nancy montoya, welcome back to the program. Youve been covering border issues for many years. What struck you the most about what the attorney general had to say today . I think it was more what he didnt say, judy. One of the things that has been happening on a regular basis with the Trump Administration is officials come into the border, they spend a couple of hours, they talk to cbp, which is customs and border protection, they talk to border patrol, they talk to officials, but they never talk to community members, to some of the civil Rights Groups, to some of the human Rights Groups who have really been protesting a lot of the strategies and policies of the Trump Administration. So that was one of the things that really caught me off guard is that there was no conversation with those on the other side of the controversy. Woodruff what are you hearing from this administration that differs from Obama Administration policy . I think it is the types of people who they are targeting for deportation. Under the Obama Administration, yes, it was true, he was dubbed the deporter in chief for deporting more people than the past three administrations put together, but there was also a targeted group they were deporting, bum Obama Administration was deporting. Those were people with felonies. Those were people involved in drug trafficking, dangerous people, people who had committed murder or assault. Those were the people who were being targeted. Whats different here is that you are now considered illegal if you cross the border once, and youre considered to have broken the law. So one time will get you a possible prosecution. Two times where youre caught crossing the border illegally will get you a felony. And thats one of the biggest differences. Also anybody who is caught up in a net in any kind of a raid are eligible for deportation immediately. Woodruff and there was also, we noticeed, the march today seemed to be addressed to parents of children, parents who came across the border and had children worn in the u. S. , but the vulnerability that those parents still find themselves in. That was also one of the things that struck me as difficult to hear as someone who has lived and worked along the border for 3 years is 30 years. In many cases you have people that crossed the border 20, 30 years ago. They had their children here. They have grandchildren. And now they too, if they are not citizens and did not cross into this country legally, they are subject to deportation. That has already happened where u. S. Born children are being separated from their parents. Parents are being deported. There is no safety net anymore. You are. If you are here and you cross the border illegally, the Trump Administration is putting you on warning that you could be next. Woodruff one of the things the attorney general, nancy montoya, referred to was the administrations plan the hire 50 more Immigration Judges this year, 75 more next year. How much of a difference could that make in the processing of immigration cases . Thats very unclear, and theres actually two things to consider here first of all, the backlog with Immigration Court cases is about 500,000 people, a 500,000 people backlogged in the immigration system. Its unclear whether these 25 to 50 to 75 new judges will be handling only the new cases coming in or will they be spread out throughout the entire system . Thats still unclear. There is also a lot of worry that you wont get these judges up to speed. I know that attorney general sessions said were going to streamline the process, were going to push people through, but it still takes up to a year to get a new judge in place. An we still have no evidence that streamlining is going to mean faster. So in the meantime, you will be arresting more people and putting more people into the system, more people into private prisons and some of the public prisons, and further overloading an already overwhelmed Immigration Court system. Woodruff and just in a couple seconds, the status of the border wall that weve heard so much about . Border wall, no go. Mexico will in the pay will not pay for it. Congress needs to appropriate the money. So far they dont appear to be willing to do that. Woodruff well certainly see about that. Nancy montoya with arizona public media. Thank you. Thank you, judy. Woodruff so, part of what attorney general sessions called the trump era includes speeding up the deportation process. But what happens to those who are deported . Special correspondent Nick Schifrin traveled to mexico to answer that question. He begins in mexico city. Reporter in mexico citys airport, the recently deported arrive by the planeload. This is the country of their birth, but most have been gone so long, it feels foreign. translated you come back here, knowing nothing about your future. Reporter 52yearold felizio gonzalez was arrested last year in seattle for running a stop sign. Hes been living in the u. S. As an undocumented immigrant, installing carpets, for the last 20 years. translated i had a girlfriend i was living with, but now its all over. She stayed there, and i came back to mexico. Reporter gonzales, and every deportee arriving from the u. S. Is greeted by City Government workers and local aid groups. Rudy lopez leads an organization that provides basic, immediate assistance. He says he feels recent arrivals pain he was deported for traffic tickets and getting in a fight, a year and a half ago. His two American Children still live in las vegas. I fight because i dont like families is destroyed, you know . I miss my boy, i miss my daughter. Reporter is the government helping recent deportees . Really, really, its a little bit, the help. Our government is im sorry for the word its bleep . Really. Mexico, its got a lot of money, but not for everybody. Only for the governments. Reporter today, lopez is the deportees only source of help. He hands gonzales a little spending cash and leads him outside the airport. Gonzales carries only what u. S. Immigration allowed him to take a mesh bag, the clothes on his back. They lead him into mexico citys sprawling metro system. Gonzales is almost immediately lost. He gets off the metro. He hopes its the right stop. He looks for a bus to take him an hour out of town, to his exwifes house, but he hasnt talked to her in four years. translated it feels he decides shes a long shot, and there is only one remaining sanctuary. translated im going in to pray, to ask god for help all i can do is ask god to make it a little easier. Reporter why cant you help these people more . Its a huge challenge, i would say. Reporter Carlos Sada Solana is mexicos Deputy Foreign minister. He admits the government is overwhelmed by the recent arrivals. We still have to make it better, so that people feel really welcome and protected by the institutions of mexico, and also offering some alternatives for jobs, and that is what we are trying to improve. Reporter many people here blame President Trump. But his predecessor, president barack obama, was dubbed by his proimmigrant rights critics, the deporterinchief. And according to mexican statistics, the Trump Administration deported slightly fewer mexicans in february compared to last year. Mexico says what has changed is that the Trump Administration is moving undocumented mexicans through the deportation steps faster, and is deporting more undocumented mexicans from cities far from the mexican border. We are very concerned because it has extended the expedited removal, not only from the border area, to the whole territory of the United States, including alaska. And these could provoke also violations of human rights, not giving the due process to the people. Reporter 1,100 miles north, on the arizonamexico border, the two towns divided by a fence are both called nogales. The deportees in nogales, mexico arrive from the u. S. By the busload. The u. S. And mexico coordinates their arrival. They have just a few days to plan their next steps. This is my first day over here in mexico. I feel, like, weird because i dont know nothing about over here. Reporter for the last 15 years, 29yearold jose mesa lived in phoenix and worked as a caregiver. He says he was arrested for driving under the influence, and then deported. Is there a lot of fear in immigrant communities in the United States about getting deported today . Yeah. Basically, yeah, they got a lot of fear. If you walking over there, they can get you. The administration of trump is getting more worse. Reporter he says since the inauguration, immigration agents are more aggressive, and his neighbors are more prejudiced. They dont give you respect. I mean, they treat you like trash. Reporter nearby, the deported find sanctuary at the San Juan Bosco shelter. This has been housing recent arrivals for more than 30 years. Some will try and cross again. But others are preparing to travel south, to their homes in mexico. They say the border has gotten too difficult to cross. Jorge rivera uribe is only 19. His American Dream was to provide money for his two sisters, his wife, his daughter, and his mother, who has diabetes. translated i dont have money to take care of them. So i wanted to see if i could earn more money, to give them all a better life, so they dont have to suffer. Reporter in the u. S. He was building homes, making in one day what it takes a week to make in mexico. But the border is now much more dangerous. Last month, he tried to sneak into the u. S. Without paying the 500 charged by local drug cartels. They almost beat him to death. translated they told me, if they find me crossing again, theyll blow my head off. They dont know im alive. If they did, they would have come for me. Thats why i want to le