crackdown expected wet for immediate deportation in ten major cities sparking fear across the country. ford under fire reportedly selling two popular car models even though it knew it had major problems. thousands of complaints and dozens of injuries reported. >> i would not feel confident selling this car to somebody else and having them drive it. i don't know if i could sleep at night. >> more than a million of the cars still on the road. the price you pay, hotel guests shocked by the fees they've been charged now being investigated in all 50 states. where the wild things are, on the trail in chicago of an alligator on the loose. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening at louisiana coast as tropical storm named barry, strengthening and poised to make land fall saturday

possibly as a hurricane. parts of the new orleans area are under mandatory evacuation orders at this hour. the storm could dump as much as 20 inches of rain along with a storm surge that threatens historic flooding. our kerry sanders is in the storm zone tonight. >> reporter: tonight people in louisiana are heading out with mandatory evacuations ordered in low lying parishes. >> you're concerned if the levees give way, you could house could get swept away. >> i don't want that. i just want everything to be all over with. >> reporter: it's not tropical storm barry's winds officials are worried about. it's the water. with new orleans already reeling from over 9 inches of rain yesterday flooding the french quarter. plus the mississippi river is eight feet above normal. barry could since 1950. >> this will be the first time that we've had a hurricane make land fall in louisia

>> reporter: here in this parish, flood river to 19 feet is life threatening. it would cause the water to overtop which means the mighty mississippi would spill over this levy flooding homes. >> those who survived katrina know the danger. >> i stuck around a little bit too long during katrina and don't want to make that mistake again. >> reporter: tonight the national guard is deployed, officials urging residents to have three days of supplies on hand. >> you never know. even if it's a small one, something can happen. >> reporter: in a flood water can come up storm drains adding to the crisis. so, tonight they put these giant heavy sandbags on top of the storm drains to plug them up. lester, they're doing everything they can to tracking the storm. what are you seeing tonight? >> reporter: good , were keeping a close eye on tropical storm barry,

the outer bands of rain already making the way well inland. hurricane warnings are posted across south central louisiana and we are going to see this storm take that turn within the next 24 hours. it's moving west of five-miles-per-hour, winds up to 40-miles-per-hour. it does not look like it's going to turn into a hurricane. with tropical storm force winds, areas in louisiana do need to be mindful of the storm moving in. we could see 10 to 20 inches of rain across southeastern louisiana. >> far from there, severe turbulence sent passengers flying today during a flight to australia. dozens were injured and treated for injury. steve patterson has more. >> reporter: struck without warning. >> all of a sudden, bang, it dropped. it must have dropped a hundred feet or something because everyone went up to the ceiling. >> reporter: sudden severe turbulence tossing passengers from their seat injuring 35 people on board air canada

flight 33. the boeing 777 flying from vancouver to australia, the airline saying it encountered unforecasted and sudden turbulence about two hours west of hawaii. the turbulence so violent the plane was forced to make an emergency landing. the plane carrying 269 passengers and 15 crew members landed safely in honolulu. some posting pictures wearing neck braces and picturesf oxygen masks and food scattered on the ground. it's the latest in a string of turbulent flights. tonight the three dozen injured expected to fully recover. others happy to be back on solid ground. >> i had my seat belt on luckily. >> reporter: another reminder, always buckle up. steve patterson, nbc news. another breaking story we're following tonight. president trump just announced he is altering his controversial plan to include a question about citizenship on our hallie jackson has the details. >> reporter: president trump tonight still

determined to count how many people are legally living in this country. >> today i'm here to say we are not backing down on our effort to de citizenship status of the united states population. >> reporter: but it won't be a question on the 2020 census. instead, the president is retreating from that fight and instead directing federal agencies to give records they already have to the commerce department to try to more accurately determine the count. >> we will defend the right of the american people to know the full facts about the population, size of citizens and noncitizens in america. >> reporter: it comes two weeks after the supreme court delivered a temporary blow to the trump administration by refusing to allow the commerce department to include that controversial citizenship question on the 2020 census. >> these delays would have prevented us from completing the census on time. it's deeregrtable, but it from collecting the needed information. >> reporter: tetermines how many seats a state gets in the u.s. house

of representatives. the president's opponents have argued including that question on citizenships could make immigrants afraid to respond undercounting the number of people who live in those communities. while the president may claim victory, they describe it as a defeat for him. bottom line, the president is basically directing his administration to take steps that they already have the ability to do, just to take them more effectively. >> thank you. this evening federal authorities are preparing to begin a nationwide round up of 2,000 undocumented immigrants on sunday. as nbc's gabe gutierrez reports, the move is prompting waves of fear. two senior homeland security officials ll immigration and customs enforcement in at least ten majos angeles, chicago, atlanta, miami, and new york. i.c.e. won't comment on enforme

operations. across the country today, swift outrage, several protesters arrested in buffalo, new york. the president had postponed the round up but last week said it will begin fairly soon. >> they came in illegally and we're bringing them out legally. >> people are concerned. >> reporter: iba is an immigration attorney in atlanta. what are you telling your clients right now? >> we're saying things to them like don't answer your doors in the middle of the night. if they're an official from the government, they need to have a your home. o. >> reporter: stephanie lopez is a daca recipient who worries who will care for her younger siblings. >> it breaks my heart to hear him say or even think about not having his mom. >> reporter: w heard about these planned raids, what went through your head? >> it just creates a r and arrested this week could be put in detention centers in texas and pennsylvania while they await deportation. plans are still being finalized, lester. gabe, thanks.

lawyers for jeffrey epstein asked a federal judge today to release him on bond while he waits for his sex trafficking trial. they said the billionaire would put up his manhattan townhouse worth $77 million and his private jet as collateral. they propose that epstein be placed under house arrest with security guards. epstein has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. president trump today dropped one of his key proposals to lower the cost of prescription drugs, a promise that resonatmedication. >> reporter: it's a frequent promise of president trump. >> you'll be seeing drug pricesry substantially in the not too distant future and it's going to be beautiful. >> reporter: but today the white house abandoned its plan to lower drug prices by cutting payments to middlemen. just last february alex azar touted the idea as revolutionary. >> we are making the biggest transformation in how drugs are priced in america in history. >> reporter: what changed? the white house says

it's encouraged by continuing bipartisan conversations to reduce costs. it also claims prescription drug costs have declined for the first time in 46 years. not exactly. since the day president trump was sworn in, more than 10,000 drug prices have increased. only about 1,000 decreased according to a recent analysis. today's announcement is the latest blow to the president's efforts to lower drug costs.to require drug companies to list that is still in play is a proposal to bring the prices we pay in this country for some of our most expensive drugs more in line with the lower prices people pay in other countries. >> reporter: like many moms of children with diabetes, kourtney taylor wants prices lowered now.>> since chase has been diagnosed with type one in 2011 up to now, i know that the price of insulin has tripled. >> reporter: seemingly

endless price hikes for medicine that is life. anne thompson, nbc news, new york. now to the investigation for profit colleges by nbc news in the hechinger report. millions of americans have gone to these schools to earn a certificate hoping to get a job in a new field with higher pay. but we found students who say they have piled up debt and taxpayers are footing the bill. here's senior national correspondent kate snow. >> reporter: statements in the mailbox are a constant reminder. how much debt are you in right now? or> i owe right now as r: that's a lot of money. the wife and mom of three in oakland, massachusetts is still reeling financially from a decision she made nine years ago when she was a single mother. >> my dream was to have a better job for myself and my child. >> reporter: after seeing an idea like this one for salter

college in massachusetts, jessica met with an admissions officer about a certificate program for medical office administration. >> he was very nice, personable, made me feel comfortable, told me that their job helped hert rate waslleg get federal loans. >> does that money go straight to the school? >> yes. helped find her didn't work out, jessica says the college offered little assistance. her student debt is growing bigger. >> reporter: salter college is in this strip mall. no one from the school would speak to us. instead they referred us to their parent company, premier education group which operates about 20 different campuses of for-profit schools on the east coast. >> they target low-income students but charge them high tuitions because they're eligible for federal financial aid. >> reporter: yin ko who studies higher

education at the progressive century warns salter college is one of many for profit schools offering certificates in everything from culinary arts to massage therapy to dental assistants. >> they're paying high tuition, but they're not getting gains and earnings. >> reporter: premier education group received $65 million in federal funds in just one year for 10,000 students. the hechinger report showed students in>> when a st defaults it's a terrible result for a student. and in terms of higher education ecosystem, taxpayers are left holding the bag. >> reporter: this month premier settled a federal whistle blower lawsuit in which several company employees said the company misled students about job placement rates and falsified records to keep students and their tuition money flowing in. premier agreed to play $3.4 million though the company denies acting wrongly. in a statement, the company said its graduates find jobs the in their fields. premier added it makes no guarantees of

employment and programs past the overall official gainful requirements ofhe department of education. as employment assistance. although we did find some salter grads who found jobs i td,es says she learned just one valuable lesson. >> what do you think the certificate you got from salter is worth? >> nothing. nothing. >> reporter: lester, news late this afternoon the massachusetts attorney general announcing that premier education must cease operating in their state by the end of the year, also saying premier will provide more than $1.6 million in debt relief for students. >> what other options are there for folks who need a certificate to try to find a better paying job? >> community colleges are an option. they're less expensive and experts we spoke to said you can get a better job, a better paying job after getting a certificate from a community college. >> thank you. ahead for us as we continue the dangerous problem with two

popular car models and why ford sold them anyw. why ford sold them anyw. ay jardiance asks: while managing your type 2 diabetes- why think about your heart? lower a1c helps, of a fatal cardiovascular event. and that's why there's jardiance- the first type 2 diabetes pill that offers a lifesaving cardiovascular benefit for adults who also have known heart disease. it can significantly reduce my risk of dying from a cardiovascular event. and it lowers my a1c, with diet and exercise. jardiance can cause serious side effects including dehydration, genital yeast or urinary tract infections, and sudden kidney problems. ketoacidosis is a serious side effect that may be fatal. a rare, but life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this bacterial infection, ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction. do not take jardiance if you are on dialysis or have severe kidney problems. taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. so, now what do you think? while my a1c is important, there's so much more to think about.

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ford is at the center of an investigative report saying ford knowingly sold focus and fiestah defecti transmissions. what it means for more than a million drivers. >> reporter: for nearly a decade they've been two of ford's least expensive models. but the ford focus and fiesta were immediately plagued with transmission problems. now a detroit free press investigation has uncovered internal documents suggesting ford knew from the beginning the cars had defective transmissions. but emerging from the great recession and desperate to sell cars, ford rolled them out anyway even as company employees warned the cars were not road worthy. >> despite the warning, they went ahead and fast tracked development. so, there were red flags, caution, slow down, but they were

>> repor c s he's and jump into replaced two clutches in just five years. >> i would not feel confident selling this car to somebody else and hangdon't know if i could sleep at night if that happened. >> reporter: the paper found no deaths but 50 reports of related injuries. yet despite nearly 4,400 customer complaints, the government still hasn't launched an investigation or ordered a recall. in april ford warned shareholders it could cost billions to fix the cars and potentially more in class action lawsuits. in a statement, the company acknowledges transmission problems but says while we have addressed quality problems with the transmissions, vehicles in which it was installed were and remain safe. ford says fixing the problem has taken more time than expected. meanwhile 1.5 million fiesta and focus models remain on the road.

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we're back now with the price you pay. our miguel almaguer has details tonight on ons by deceiving hotel customers with hidden fees. >> reporter: a lot of americans say its happened to them, the hotel bill isn't what they expected when they booked online. with extra resort or urban destination fees added in. it may be disclosed in the fine print, but d.c.'s attorney general calls it deceptive and is now suing marriott over so-called drip pricing. resort fee is lumped in with taxes and other fees. we think that consumers want transparency. they want to know what the real price is. >> reporter: the fees range from 9 to $95 a night and often don't cover extra amenities. d.c.'s suit comes amid an investigation launched by all 50 state ags with

customers venting on twitter. when i arrived it was an extra $40 a night. i was charged in fort lauderdale weston beach resort, part of marriott. and particularly hilarious when the resort fees are at hotels that are clearly not resorts. d.c. accuses marriott of failing to disclose the fees for more than a decade. marriott declined to comment but did say we look forward to continuing our discussions with other state ags. >> reporter: now d.c. wants marriott to compensate affected customers and fully disclose all fees up front before customers book. other states could take action against marriott and hotel chains with similar practices. lester. thanks. a terrifying scene here in new york this afternoon as a cab driver lost control, jumped the curve, and crashed into a restaurant at lunchtime. officials said eight people were injured. up next, an illusive alligator. you know what's better than mopping? anything! at the end of a long day, it's the last thing i want to do.

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finally tonight an unlikely tenant has taken up residence in a chicago lagoon much to the delight of locals. kevin tibbles has more on alligator mania. >> reporter: chicago caught in the jaws of alligator love. >> he's a celebrity. >> reporter: the rock star reptile spotted this week in a local lagoon draws a curious crowd, now has its own twitter handle, tees, totes, and more. it's even singing chicago's song. ♪ my town the city's asked alligator bob to rescue the 5 foot long visitors. >> set to be caught before winter. even a name him was held. crock obama, ruth gator ginsburg. and the winner, chance, the snapper. meanwhile the paparazzi prowls the

pond. >> you're not going in to get him, are you? >> no, i'm not. you've got to be crazy. >> kevin tibbles nbc news chicago. florida will be looking really good around november. announcer: today on "steve." steve: marsai martin. announcer: award winning actress, record breaking producer. steve: when did you decide to become such a boss. -- boss? >> this is kind of just a lead by example, we can do whatever we want. announcer: and she's only 14. plus -- steve: it's time to check in on some of our most memorable guests. > i took yo announcer: put your hands together for your host, steve arvey!♪ stev