>> norah: tonight, showdown at the southern border. >> it's a shame that this whole thing has become politicized. >> norah: president biden and former president trump travel to texas and blame each other for the immigration crisis, as thousands of migrants, not just from central and south america, but india, china, and africa, continue to cross into the u.s. every day. >> neither the wall nor this rugged, punishing terrain is enough to stop the determination of these asylum-seekers. >> norah: the "cbs evening news" starts now.

♪ ♪ good evening. i'm norah o'donnell, and thank you for being with us. we do want to begin tonight with the dueling visits at the southern border by the two frontrunners in this year's election, showcasing the record number of migrant crossings that are overwhelming resources along the border and in major cities across the country. president biden was in brownsville, texas, where he issued a political dare to donald trump to join him in pressing house republicans to help secure the border by passing the senate's bipartisan security bill. now, 325 miles away, trump was in eagle pass, where he took a much different approach, unleashing attacks on biden, democrats, and migrants, but not proposing a legislative solution. a record 2.4 million migrants were apprehended at the u.s.-mexican border in 2023, and immigration has become the top issue for many voters heading into the 2024 election. cbs's ed o'keefe is traveling with the president, and he will start us off tonight from texas.

>> reporter: the president and the former president who wants to replace him in the white house played the blame game today along the u.s.-mexico border. >> this is a biden invasion over the past three years. >> reporter: president biden said it was donald trump who urged house republicans to kill the bill that would have beefed up security at the border. >> it's time for the speakers and some of my republican friends in congress who are blocking this bill to show a little spine. >> reporter: after a record number of illegal crossings last year, president biden, who toured the border in brownsville, texas, is trying to show he is addressing an issue that more than 60% of voters call a very serious concern. just hours before the president's arrival here in brownsville, u.s. border patrol and texas state police say they stopped people on the other side of the border from bringing across drugs. but chris cabrera of the border patrol said that with illegal crossings into this part of texas down recently, the president has come too late. >> but i think the timing is a little off. i mean, if he would have come a year ago, two years ago, three years ago. >> reporter: trump, who visited eagle pass, more than 300 miles away, continued exploiting

a crisis that he couldn't solve either, hoping it'll put him back in the white house. allies say he is planning mass deportations and detention camps if elected. today, he sought to falsely connect president biden to the recent murder of a georgia nursing student by a venezuelan migrant who entered the country illegally in 2022. >> the monster that's charged in the death is an illegal alien migrant who was let into our country and released into our communities by crooked joe biden. >> reporter: the president, who didn't address trump's attacks, said they should work together. >> join me or i'll join you in telling the congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill. we can do it together. >> reporter: as president, trump severely restricted asylum and required migrants to await their court hearings in mexico. when president biden took office, he reversed those policies but is now considering employing an executive power used by trump to suspend asylum. the former president also met with texas governor greg abbott today, who is at war with the biden administration for implementing his own border crackdown, installing

national guard troops, and razor wire barriers in eagle pass. but we spoke to local resident adam rodriguez, who says concerns there are overblown. >> we've raised our kids here. you know, and there has never been any criminal element. you don't have to worry about walking down the street. >> reporter: notably, governor abbott's border crackdown suffered a legal setback just today, as a federal judge rejected a new texas law that would allow state police to arrest and prosecute people crossing the border illegally. critics call it a form of racial profiling. the governor says he will appeal the case all the way to the u.s. supreme court. norah? >> norah: a big issue. ed o'keefe, thank you. while the two leading presidential candidates are focusing on the border crisis in texas, we've learned that migrant crossings are shifting toward california, which has seen a sharp increase in recent months. cbs's adam yamaguchi reports from along the southern border in the golden state. >> reporter: these migrants are taking their first perilous steps on u.s. soil, as they navigate a steep and rocky maze

along california's southern border. for the last few minutes, we have seen at least 50 or so people come down. it's pretty rugged, punishing terrain here. they arrive by the dozens at this border camp, roughly 70 miles east of san diego. this entire region saw nearly 25,000 illegal crossings in january alone from countries around the world. so this woman is from brazil. she just came down the ridge here. and she was explaining to me that she was in tijuana and got injured. she was essentially caught in the crossfire between warring gangs and the police. despite the dangers, many are now choosing routes through california rather than cross at the texas border. >> it's better than the other border. >> reporter: better meaning easier? >> not easier. nothing easy about this. >> reporter: we met up with abdel taleb-ely and other migrants who were bused to san diego and released after being processed by border patrol. taleb-ely is from mauritania in africa. he is seeking asylum after leaving behind a wife, infant son, and a nursing career. so right now, a lot of americans

would say you shouldn't be here. >> they are right. this is their country. but i am just a guy looking for safety and security. >> reporter: we followed taleb-ely as he made his way to the san diego airport, and within hours, new york city. he is staying at this shelter for now. >> i used to sleep in my home next to my wife and my son and now i am sleeping next to a thousand men that i don't even know, like a homeless person. >> reporter: norah, this is the group of migrants that's come down from the mountains. neither the wall nor this rugged, punishing terrain is enough to stop the determination of these asylum-seekers. this is what policymakers and border officials are up against. >> norah: eye-opening. adam yamaguchi, thank you so much. let's go overseas now to gaza, where there is growing international outrage after more than 100 people were killed when israeli troops opened fire on civilians gathered around food aid trucks in gaza city. according to eyewitnesses,

many were killed in an ensuing stampede as people ran from the gunfire. cbs's imtiaz tyab reports tonight from israel. >> reporter: a truck once carrying life-saving aid now piled with the bodies of those who had come in desperation for help. eyewitnesses told cbs news israeli forces opened fire as people crowded around the convoy carrying basics like flour. israel's military released this heavily-edited drone video of what it says shows how many were killed in a stampede around the aid trucks but admitted to shooting down a smaller group of people, which it described as a "imminent threat." how do you define a threat? >> anybody approaching the forces, despite being warned not to, pose a threat. >> reporter: how do you account for the fact that we have seen people with gunshot wounds to their chests, to their arms? >> well, i can't confirm that. >> reporter: the injured were rushed to the few functioning hospitals in gaza city.

doctors told cbs news the majority of the dead were from gunshot wounds. "israeli tanks came out and then they opened fire," this man says. "this is my brother, who went to bring food for his children." this latest violence also led to a grim milestone. the hamas-run ministry of health says more than 30,000 palestinians, mainly women and children, have been killed since the start of the war between israel and hamas. that's about 1 in 70 people in gaza, half a million of which are also facing acute starvation, according to the u.n. with the pentagon now actively planning air drops of aid into gaza, which can't come soon enough. and tonight, president biden acknowledged the shootings would complicate the talks, while a hamas spokesman told cbs news they could not negotiate with israel while palestinians were being killed in what he described as cold blood. norah? >> norah: imtiaz tyab, thank you.

turning now to that massive wildfir in texas, which is now the largest in state history and has already burned more than 1 million acres. an 83-year-old grandmother was killed, homes and businesses have been destroyed, and thousands of cattle are likely dead. cbs's dave malkoff continues our reporting now with news on how the cold weather is now creating problems for first responders and those left without power. >> reporter: the massive smokehouse creek fire remains only 3% contained, as firefighters across the state fight for control. it is 1 of 5 major wildfires furiously scorching a path of destruction across the texas panhandle. >> we had to watch from 3 miles away as -- as our neighborhood burned. >> reporter: two people have now been killed, including 83-year-old joyce blankenship who was found inside her home north of amarillo. the panhandle is where the majority of cattle in texas are raised, and now thousands of livestock are feared dead.

>> i run to the door and i see, it looked like armageddon. >> reporter: this morning, first responders worked in snow and freezing temperatures. residents are now returning to what's left of their homes and lives. >> that was my front door. >> reporter: tyler mccain's family got out just hours before their home burned to the ground in fritch in the center of the panhandle. >> [crying] i want our house. >> you want your house? >> reporter: mccain posted his 3-year-old daughter's emotional reaction on social media. in a home offered to them by a stranger on facebook. >> we are in the airbnb until monday. after that, we gotta figure out what we're doing. but day by day, you know? >> reporter: while they are still assessing the damage here in fritch, these wildfires have now grown so large that a federal team is on its way to take over operations starting tomorrow morning. norah? >> norah: dave malkoff, thank you. for a look at how the weather will impact the fires in the days ahead, as well as a potentially historic blizzard on

the west coast, let's bring in meteorologist mike bettes. he is from our partners at the weather channel. good evening, mike. >> norah, good evening. unfortunately the weather is not helping matters across the lone star state. we know that dry and windy conditions will persist into the weekend. we have fire weather watches and red flag warnings extending from new mexico and texas, all the way into iowa through saturday. and here is the major factor in all of this: significant wind picking back up, especially this weekend, with winds maybe gusting as high as 50 miles per hour, again fanning those flames. we expect rapid spread of the fire to continue. the rain that's falling actually falls well to the east of where the smokehouse creek fire is burning here in the panhandle of texas. and then our attention turns to the west. we've got a monster winter storm that's crashing in right now, significant snow and rain, as well. some spots at high elevation, norah, could see 6 feet or more of snow, and blizzard warnings in effect across california and nevada. >> norah: mike bettes, thank you. now to some breaking news. alabama lawmakers in the state senate and house have passed

bills that they say give protections to clinics that provide in vitro fertilization services. now, this follows the state's supreme court ruling that gives embryos the same rights as children. the final bill is expected to head to the governor's desk next week for her signature. we want to turn now to a serious cyber attack on one of the nation's largest health care companies. for more than a week, the attack has disrupted prescription orders at pharmacies all over the country. and as cbs's nicole sganga reports, a lot of people are now scrambling to get their medicine. >> reporter: a cyber attack on the health care provider change healthcare is wreaking havoc nationwide, as hospitas and pharmacies can't get paid and patients can't get prescriptions. >> so, i mean, we have seen a lot of claims coming through as a rejected claim, where obviously insurance providers are not being able to pay because of this attack. >> reporter: the company discovered the hack on february 21st, disconnecting impacted systems immediately,

parent company unitedhealth stated in a federal filing. change healthcare says it processes 15 billion transactions annually, touching one in three u.s. patient records. >> i can tell you that this cyber attack has affected every hospital in the country, one way or another. >> reporter: john riggi is a national advisor at the american hospital association. >> it's not a data crime. it's not a white-collar crime. these are threats to life. >> reporter: in a since-deleted post on the dark web, a russian-speaking ransomware group known as blackcat claimed responsibility, alleging they stole more than six terabytes of data, including sensitive medical records. change healthcare says it's established workarounds for patients. for smaller hospitals, are we talking about months, weeks, days? >> the smaller, less-resourced hospitals, our safety net, critical access, rural hospitals, certainly do not operate with months of cash reserves. could be just a matter of days or a couple of weeks.

>> norah: and nicole is with us. what is the fbi doing? >> reporter: the fbi is investigating this malicious hack, and according to u.s. records, hundreds of breaches at hospitals and clinics nationwide are currently under investigation by various federal agencies, norah. >> norah: so frustrating for so many people. nicole sganga, thank you very much. well, now to a major breakup in the business world. weight watchers announced today that oprah winfrey is stepping down from its board of directors after nearly ten years. well, the company's stock fell sharply today on that news. cbs's nikki battiste has more on what this cold mean for the iconic brand. >> we all want to be healthier. but let's just get real: we also want to lose weight. >> reporter: oprah winfrey's weight has been in the public eye for decades. she's been on weight watchers' board since 2015, when she acquired a 10% stake in the company. >> i have never felt deprived. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: the weight loss company said wednesday winfrey is stepping away from its board. shares of weight watchers stock

dropped 20%. in december, winfrey said she was using a weight loss medication as a maintenance tool, and she was "done with shaming." >> i hiked up stone canyon today. all the way to the top. 2 miles straight up. >> reporter: in a statement, weight watchers said, "oprah has been an inspiring presence and passionate advocate for our members. we will dearly miss her presence on the board." what is happening today in our culture when it comes to weight health? >> it's always about separating the health issues from the weight and appearance issues. >> reporter: dr. melanie jay sat on a panel with winfrey last year. >> you still have to manage the medications long-term. you still have to make changes to your lifestyle. >> reporter: winfrey says she is donating all of her weight watchers stock to the national museum of african american history and culture. nikki battiste, cbs news, new york. >> norah: now this news, college basketball sensation

caitlin clark makes a big announcement about her future. we've got the exciting details. that's next. ext. the exciting d. that's next. ♪ ♪

(♪♪) there's two things a young man wanna be - a cowboy or a gangster. and a gangster's outta style. i got back to my roots... we come from a long line of cowboys. my grandfather, my great-grandfather, my aunt even rode horses.

when i see all of us out here on this ranch, i see how far our legacy can go. (♪♪) looking for a bladder leak pad that keeps you dry? all of the things that you're looking for in a pad, that is always discreet. look at how it absorbs all of the liquid. and locking it right on in! you feel no wetness. - oh my gosh! - totally absorbed! i got to get some always discreet! can neuriva support your brain health? mary, janet, hey!! (thinking: eddie, no frasier, frank... frank?) fred! how are you?! fred... fuel up to 7 brain health indicators, including your memory. join the neuriva brain health challenge. >> norah: tonight, a bombshell announcement in sports. iowa superstar caitlin clark says she is entering the wnba draft, giving up a fifth year of college eligibility granted during the covid pandemic. clark is just 18 points away from breaking the ncaa's all-time scoring record, held by "pistol" pete maravich.

in a post on instagram, clark thanked her teammates, her coaches, and the fans who "came out to support us across the country, especially the young kids." excited to see what she'll do. millions of students have had to put their college decisions on hold. we'll tell you why. that's next. hold. will tell you why. that's next. ♪ ♪ i needed more from my antidepressant. vraylar helped give it a lift. adding vraylar to an antidepressant is clinically proven to help relieve overall depression symptoms better than an antidepressant alone. and in vraylar clinical studies, most saw no substantial impact on weight. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. report unusual changes in behavior or suicidal thoughts. antidepressants can increase these in children and young adults. report fever, stiff muscles, or confusion, as these may be life-threatening, or uncontrolled muscle movements, which may be permanent. high blood sugar, which can lead to coma or death, weight gain,

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it cleans so well, you can replace multiple cleaning products. try dawn powerwash. >> norah: this is the time of the year when many high school seniors choose their college, but millions are in limbo, still waiting to hear how much financial aid they can expect. in tonight's "money watch," cbs's meg oliver reports on the chaos created by computer glitches. >> congratulations on your admission. another one. congratulations on your admission. >> reporter: high school senior jailyn james from new jersey is a three-sport athlete with good grades and six college acceptance letters. >> you've got quite a few. >> [laughs] yeah. >> reporter: jailyn will be the first in her family to attend college, but where she ends up depends on the amount of financial aid she receives from each school, offers she already should have. >> my mom will not let me commit without knowing my financial aid

because i don't want to come out of college with a bunch of debt. >> reporter: the delays are due to the u.s. department of education's overhaul of the free application for federal student aid, known as fafsa. the new form is now shorter and simpler, but computer glitches have led to a botched rollout. typically, forms are released october 1st. once submitted, the data is sent to colleges within 1 to 3 days, which is then used to calculate financial aid. but this year, the application forms came out three months late, and schools will not receive the data until the first half of march. how are universities responding? >> some universities are pushing, certainly, their priority deadlines for grants. state agencies are doing the same thing. we don't know yet whether institutions are going to be able to change their decision deadlines. >> reporter: pressure is mounting for jailyn. most of the schools she's applied to require a deposit may 1st. >> my biggest worry, i would

say, is there's not enough time. >> reporter: if there wasn't a delay, would you have already picked your college? >> oh, god, yes. >> reporter: students like jailyn can only hope the fafsa fumble doesn't delay their dream. meg oliver, cbs news, wayne, new jersey. >> norah: "heart of america" is next with a special birthday for a very special woman. ♪ ♪ >> announcer: this portion of the "cbs evening news" is sponsored by bayer, the makers of kerendia. ♪ ♪ the makers of karen dia. because knowing that your chronic kidney disease in type 2 diabetes could progress to dialysis is important. b is for belief that there may be more you can do. just remember that k is for kidneys and kerendia. for adults living with ckd in type 2 diabetes, kerendia is proven to reduce the risk of kidney failure, which can lead to dialysis. kerendia is a once-daily tablet that treats ckd differently than type 2 diabetes medications to help slow the progression of kidney damage and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events,

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>> norah: finally, tonight's "heart of america." meet birthday girl mary lea forsythe, who turns 100 years old today. the oklahoma centenarian is a rare leap year baby, born february 29, 1924, and because that date comes just around once every four years, today is actually her 25th birthday. she's celebrating in style, with a large gathering at a local church, but she admits to having a difficult time slimming down the guest list. her family includes two kids, four grandkids, and 11 great-grandkids. forsythe says the most special thing about her 100 years is being in her hometown of sand springs, oklahoma, where it all began. we got a chance to speak to her ahead of the big day. >> i've lived here all my life. i was born here

and traveled a long way all over the world. but it's home. and i love all these people. >> norah: well, happy 25th birthday to mary lea forsythe. she is tonight's "heart of america." and we checked. there are only 362,000 americans who have and norah, thank you. let's get right to the wenter storm, creating winter storm creating dangerous conditions. some parts of the sierra expecting 12 feet of snow over the next few days, making mountain travel dangerous, even impossible in some areas. >> we are going to play it safe, hunker down. ride it out to the other side. the bay area not spared from the storm. the light rain and wind today will give way to

stronger conditions over the weekend. this is cbs news bay area, with juliette goodrich. good evening. we will take you to the sierra in a live report in just a minute. first, a serious warning right now. if you or someone you know has not already made it up to the mountains, the advice now, don't go, stay home, they are warning people of the extremely dangerous conditions on the roads as a massive snowstorm pounds the area tonight. so, this is what it looks like up at tahoe city right now. the worst of the snow kicked in late this afternoon bringing blizzard-like conditions. they are expected to stick around for days. so, let's get straight to our first alert meteorologist paul heggen for some perspective on all of this snow, paul? >> reporter: it will be a long-lasting system. it is really starting to add up right now. this is the view as of a few minutes ago before we got the spinning internet wheel of death here from the camera on top of donner summit. you