members of congress worked on it and were in support of it. independent experts, not me, people who analyze the economy for a living, they said over two decades the new law would grow our economy, shrink our deficits, in other words, it would help to solve big problems in a bipartisan way. no one was leapier than me. when it passed the senate, all right, send it over to the house, we've got the votes in the house. we have democrats and republicans who were prepared to vote for it in the house. it has now been 512 days, a year and a half, the only thing

that's been standing in the way is a simple yes or no vote in the house of representatives. just a yes or no vote. if they had allowed a vote on that kind of bill it would have passed. i would have signed it. it would be the law right now. these leaders right here try to make it happen. nancy pelosi kept saying, john boehner, let's just call the bill. see where it goes. there are republicans who worked hard on this bill, too, and they deserve credit. even though it wasn't popular in their party, they knew it was the right thing to do. but despite that the party leadership and the house of representatives would not let it come forward. and i cajoled, i called, and i met, i told john boehner, yeah, i'll wash your car, i'll walk your dog. whatever you need to do,

just--just call the bill. if the books hadn't been there, then we would have had to start over. but at least give it a shot. and he didn't do it. the fact that it has been waiting families have been suffering and businesses have been harmed, and we can't forward it any more. las vegas, i've come back to tell you that i'm not giving up. i will never give up. i will never give up. i will not give up. [ audience chanting ]

>> we're not giving up. we keep working on members of congress to make it a reality. and this morning i began to take some of those actions. i talked about what i could do based on talking to all the legal experts, talking to the office of legal council, and not everything that we want to do we can do. they told me what we could do, and i wasn't going to sit idly by and not do what i was authorized to do. first, we're providing more resources to law enforcement so they can send the flow of illegal crossings at our border and speed up the return of those who do cross over.

i want to repeat that. border security is important. second, we're making it easier for high-skilled immigrants, graduates, entrepreneurs, to stay and contribute to our economy. third. [applause] third, we're going to take steps to deal responsebly with millions of undocumented immigrants who are already here. [ cheers and applause ] as i did last night, i want to spend some extra time talking about the third step. this is the one that brings up the strongest passions on both sides. the truth is undocumented workers broke our immigration laws. they didn't follow the rules in terms of how they were supposed to come. i believe they should be held accountable. and some have proven to break other laws. some are dangerous. that's why over the past six years deportations of criminals

are up 80%. that's why we'll keep focusing enforcement resources on actual threats to our security. that means felons, not families. that means criminals, not children. it means gang members, not moms who are trying to put food on the table for their kids. [ cheers and applause ] what we're doing is what law enforcement do every day. we have limited resources so we'll prioritize who are the folks who should be subject to removal, and that means we got to make sure that we got clear rules in terms of how we're enforcing the law. but even as we focus on depor deporting criminals, the fact is millions of immigrants they live here. and they have been here for a

very long time. they're in every state, every race, and every nationality. i know a lot of people focus on the latino community, but the truth is that-- [ audience member shouting ] not everybody will qualify under this provision, that's the truth. that's the truth. that's why we're still going to have to pass the bill. that's why we still have to pass the bill. [ cheers and applause ]

listen, i heard you, and what i'm saying is we still have to pass the bill. this is a first step. it's not the only step. we still have to do more work. so i've heard you. i've heard you, young man. i've heard you, and i understand. i've heard you, but what i'm say something that this is just a first step. young man, i'm talking to a lot of people here. i've been respectful to you. i want you to be respectful to me. [ cheers and applause ] understand, not everybody who comes here is latino.

and what we have to do is to be honest. tracking down, rounding up, and deporting millions of people is not realistic. most undocumented immigrants are good, decent people who have been here for a long time.

they worship at our churches. so the fact is even republicans who say that they don't want to pass this bill. they're not serious, we've offered the following deal. if they have children, you pass a background check, you're going

to be able to apply to stay in this country temporarily without fear of deportation. let's be clear on what this de deal, this action does not apply to anyone who has come into this country recently. you can't show up for a week and then apply, you can't. borders mean something. it doesn't apply to anyone who may come illegally in the future. while i support a path to citizenship, and so do all these ledg legislators here, this grant does not give citizenship. all we're say something that we're not going to deport you

and separate you from your kids. now if you have taken responsibility, you've registe registered, undergone a background check, you're paying taxes, you've been here for five years, you have got roots in the community, you're not going to be deported. i know some critics call this action amnesty. it's not amnesty. amnesty really is the system we've got today. you got millions of people who are living here, but they're not obliged to pay their taxes, play by the rules, and then politicians confuse the issue to scare people at election time. they want to keep the system at is. people living in the shadows may be providing cheap labor, not subject to workers protections, and then you pretend you're tough on immigration. that's not the right way to do it. that's the real amnesty.

just talking, leaving the broken system the way it is. the bottom line is mass amnesty would be unfair. but mass deportation is impossible and contrary to our country's character. that's not who we are. that's not who we are. [applause] so what we are--what we are offering is accountability. it is at kibble. it's a common-sense middle ground approach. if you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and make it right with the law. if you're a critical, you're going to be deported. if you plan to enter the united states illegally, your chances of being caught and sent back are going up. for those who don't qualify under this rule, we're still going to need legislation. but the actions i've taken are not only lawful, they're the kinds of actions taken by every republican president and every democratic president for the past half century.

ronald reagan took action to keep families together. the first president bush took action to shield about 40% of undocumented immigrants at the time. this isn't something that i'm doing as if it's never been done. this kind of thing has been done before. so when members of congress question my authority to make our immigration system work better, i have a simple answer: pass the bill. pass the bill. [cheers and applause] pass the bill. nobody is stopping them from passing a bill. [ chanting pass a bill ]

>> you know, i got to admit these days i don't always listen to all the commentary, but i understand that some of them are already saying that my action sabotage their ability to pass a bill and make immigration work better. why? why? i didn't dissolve parliament. that's not how the system works. you know, i didn't steal away that various clerks in the senate and the house, you don't need me to call a vote to pass a bill. pass a bill. because the actions i've taken are only a temporary first step.

i don't have the authority to do some really important reforms. we should be creating new programs for farm workers. we should be adding visas to the high tech sector. the house could still pass a bipartisan bill before the end of the year. they're scheduled to be in for another four weeks. call a session and pass the bill. and i will request they pass a more permanent solution. i will give everybody credit. i'll be happy to have john boehner, mitch mcconnell, along side harry reid and nanny pelosi and all these folks,

we'll have a nice signing ceremony. so i just want to emphasize this issue. because i hear some people say, well, we're in favor of immigration reform, but we don't think that it should be done without congress. well, congress, go ahead and do it. and meanwhile, washington should not let disagreements over one issue be a deal breaker on every issue. that's not how democracy workers. congress should not shut down the government again over this. americans are tired of gridlock. we're ready to move forward. and we just want sensible, common sense approaches to problems. now this debate deserves more than usual politics. this is about something bigger. this is about who we are. who do we want to be?

america is not a nation that accepts the hypocrisy of workers who mow our lawns, make our beds, clean out bed pans with no chance ever to get right with the law. we're a nation that gives people a chance and take responsibility, and then create a better future for their kids. america is not a nation that tolerates the ripping of children from their parents' arms. we should work to help keep them together. [applause] america attracts talent from all around the world. we educate the world's young people at our universities. and then we just send them home even if they are wanting to start a business, or if they have some specialized skill. we just send them home, and then

they compete against us. we should encourage the brightest and the best to come here and stay here. you look at silicon valley, 40% of the companies that we take for granted, they were started by immigrants. that's what this issue is all about. that's why it deserves reasoned and thoughtful and compassionate debate. that's why we have to focus not on our fears, we have to focus on our hopes. every day we receive thousands, tens of thousands of letters and e-mails at the white house. as you can imagine for the past few days a lot of them have been about immigration. this come from good, decent people on both sides of the debate. i want everybody here to understand there are folks who are good, decent people who are

worried about immigration. they're worried that it will change the fabric of our country. they're worried about immigrants take jobs from hard-working americans, and they're worried because they're feeling economic stress, and they feel as if maybe they're the ones paying taxes, and nobody else is taking responsibility. so they've urged me not to act. i hear them, and i understand them. but you know, i've gotten a lot of letters and e-mails reminding me why we have to act, from american family members of hard-working immigrants, who are afraid their families will be torn apart. from deep dreamers who were willing to step out of the shadows and willing to live without fear, even though it was a big risk for them. from republicans who don't agree with me on anything but they're tired of their party refusing to

reform. one republican wrote me this. he said he supported my decision, and i'm quoting, i believe the human being created in the very image of almighty god is the greatest resource we have in this country. [applause] we're not a nation that kicks out strifers and dreamers who want to come here for the american dream. we are a nation who make them welcome. we make them earn it, but we welcome them in as fellow human beings, fellow children of god. we harness their talent to make the future brighter for everybody. we didn't raise the statue of liberty with letter back t to--with her back to the world. we did it with her light shining as a beacon to the world.

whether we were italians, irish, germans crossing the atlantic, whether we crossed the rio grand or flew here from around the world, immigrants made this country what it is, it's what makes it special. whether we fled famine, war, persecution, whether we have the right documents, connections or skills, whether we were wealthy or poor, we all shared one thing, that was hope that america would be the place where we could finally build a better life for ourselves, and for our children, and for future generations. hope that america is the place where we could make it. that's what makes us americans. it's not what we look like. it's not what our last name is. it's not where we come from. it's not how we pray. what makes us american is a shared commitment to an ideal that all of us are created

equal. all of us have a chance to make our lives what we will. for generations--for generations america by choice and americans by birth have come together to renew that common creed and move this country forward that brought us to this moment. that is the legacy that we now have to deliver to the next generation. thank you, nevada, god bless you. god bless the united states of america. [music] >> essentially, the executive action that brings relief, provides relief from depore rations from 5 million undocumented immigrants.

let's bring in mike viqueira. you've followed this president for a while now. based on the tone and tenor of that speech, it seems to me, and you've been following longer than i have. we've been washing him awhile now. he feels in stride with this action. >> i tell you, tony, i had the exact same thought. there has been talk over the last several months that the president was exhausted, sick of it all, tired the game in washington, i have not seen the president this passionate, both in his speech last night and what we're seeing in las vegas in quite some time, including springsteen to walk him off the stage "land of hope and dreams." it really does have a campaign feel to it, and the president speaking in broad terms there invoking the value o of the american dream, of course, it has created and ignited a political firestorm here in washington and elsewhere, but

really the question now is what can republicans in congress do to stop him at this point? and it appears that their choices are somewhat limited. we learned today that the funding for what the president wants to do for i.c.e. and other immigration programs is to pay for it by a fee. in other words, congress is cut out of it. they can't insert any language to cut often funding to implement what the president wants to do. what are you left with? you're left with kicking up your feet, kicking up a lot of dust, there is still talk of shutting down the government. g.o.p. leaders do not want to do that. they want to get out of town in the holidays. the question is will conservatives be pep with that? republicans around the country and the state and local level are taking matters in their own hands. the incoming governor elect said they're going to sue as are the

governors of indiana, wisconsin, north carolina and a couple other states say they're planning to take the president to court, and there are sheriffs around the country who say the same thing. that's a dubious proposition as well. the courts are reluctant to get into legislative and political squalls emanatin squabbles emanating from washington. >> the idea of states, and you probably know this, mike, the idea of states suing the president, the states have to have standing, that's the key, standing to bring action against the president, which means that the states have to show in some way, shape or form that they're being aggrieved, right, by the action of the president? >> that's why you see some legal scholars quoted as saying it would be more likely for an individual to get that standing to show harm, show harm because of what the president, or as a

result of what the president is proposing. we should add about i this venue, not only las vegas, but thno mistake he is any nevada. nevada has the highest percentage of students who have parents who are in this country illegally of any state in the country. it's also number one in total as a percentage of the state population. total undocumented immigrants, and total number of workers who are undocumented. there are political overtones to this, no question about it. obviously nevada, one of the states where the latino population is rising rapidly. but if you look at the statistics where the latino population is rising most rapidly is in conservative areas in the southeast. this is an elect toral issue, a voting issue. republican leaders when they were wiped out in the 2012 election before this last

midterm put out their manifesto and said we've got to pass immigration reform. party leadership here in washington, not with standing the conservative grassroots, understanding they need to do something, the president sending a critical policy message in nevada today. >> mike, stay with us. we want to bring in ray suarez, in washington for us, and al jazeera political correspondent michael shure from los angeles. let's listen to speaker boehner and responding to the president's speech last night, and then a question for the panel. >> the president repeatedly suggested that he was going to unilaterally change immigration law, and he created an environment where the members would not trust him, and trying to find a way to work together was virtually impossible. i warned the president over and

over that his actions were making it impossible for me to do what he wanted me to do. we're working with our members, we're looking at the options available to us, but i will say to you that the house will, in fact, act. >> ray suarez, your thoughts on the president's remarks last night. how significant the action is the president taking, and the response were speaker boehner? >> i thought that the over all package was crafted very carefully. it was not just relief for millions of undocumented people living in the country. it has high-tech visas in there, it has more border security, even though it's been well-known for a long time that most of the people who are in the country and shouldn't be didn't come over that border in an unauthorized way. but if you're going to make a fetish out of the border, a symbol out of the border, okay,

let's do border security. it was all stuck in there, and front loaded in the president's speech last night, very carefully pointed out that he could portray himself as the reasonable one in the room. here, i'm doing the things that you guys said were important. here they are, and now here's something that i said i was going to do if you didn't act. you didn't act, now i'm doing it. >> yes. >> michael shure, there was a heckler who seemed to be upset that the president hadn't done more, covered more in his executive action, that the president might have preferred a mass amnesty, but that's not what he's offering here. >> no, it isn't. again you have to remember an executive order is very different than a bill coming out of congress. yes, there is a segment of the population that isn't covered by this, those are the parents of

the dreamers in many cases. that heckler, i'm guessing, was representing them. what the president hasn't done, and how carefully he crafted this, it was not just that he could take care of a bill that would appease a certain part of the issue they could not single out that group and do something for them. so again, it was part of the crafting. it's not going to please anybody, but it's a wake-up call to congress, and john boehner was a-specific about what he's going to do. he doesn't really know and he has a lot of people in that caucus that he has to play to. >> how strong is that rhetorical line from the president now, and how much stronger will it be in the future. if you don't like what i've done, then republicans pass a bill. >> i think that is red meat to

the democratic base, and it has the patina and logic to it. it's proven more difficult than that. pass a bill. the republicans could pass a bill that could be very much not in favor of what the president is putting, and front load border security while leaving alone the status of the 11.5 million people who remain in this country illegally or undocumented or unauthorized. yes, pass a bill is a great sort of call of a rally back and forth, but it's unlikely--obviously it's unlikely that it's going to happen in this congress, and it's less and less likely now given the vitriol from the republicans in response to what the president is going to do here. it's very unlikely a in the next two years as we head into th the 2016 election. >> you have to run and do your

show, but let's attempt to answer the president's question here. why is john boehner saying that with last night's action the president has deliberately sabotaged any chance to pass an immigration reform bill, something more comprehensive, and don't republicans have to be careful here how they position their response? >> there are deep divisions inside the republican caucus, both in the new senate that's coming to washington, and the house of representatives with its larger republican majority. one reason why speaker boehner didn't bring the bill before is because of those deep divisions between what you might call as a term of art the chamber of commerce wing of the republican caucus, and those who are in the "hell no" caucus, no any kind of amnesty for anybody who has come here illegally no matter how long they've been here, and even if they've had citizen children or have children who are now

freed from the fear of immediate deportation because of deferred action. that split inside the caucus has not been solved. it can't be papered over, and some of those voices you heard loudest and strongest, vowing that the president will in some way be punished by the new congress for taking this law into his own hands. but in fact, he didn't change any law. this term of art, executive amnesty that republicans have been using, they know it's not amnesty because the president didn't change the law. he didn't make those people person residents. he didn't make them eligible for various kinds of local or federal benefits that would come with legal residents in the united states. he very purposely didn't do any of those things. he just lifted the threat of immediate deportation, and by doing so, might have painted the republicans into the corner.

because when they have the ability to change this, it will be tough to take those 4 million people out of the president's protection and threaten them with deportation. >> hang on for just a second, ray, mike viqueira wants to jump in on this point. >> well, on this point whether the republicans are going to act or not. there are two words, post of them pronounce, erik can' eric cantor. no one expected him to lose, put he got a little pit off message out of republicans orthodoxy on the question of the dreamers, and what to do with them, the young people who came in through no choice of their own. there is a passion on both sides. some call them zealots. they're not voting for people

who advocate compromise. no doubt about it. if you put it all together, sure, there is a majority of the house of representatives who would vote for what the senate voted for, would pass it, but that's not the way it works. john boehner is only worried about his standing within the caucus. those individuals who made him speaker. that's his constituency, that's who he's playing to. >> thank you very much. ray suarez, i'm going to give you the last word here to give us a preview of what is coming up on your program at the top of the hour, and then over to michael shure. >> we're going to talk about the working mc mechanics that the president has offered to people who are living in the country

without their papers, and going forward, what that does for undocumented americans. will people present themselves to the federal government, and take the information they've been hiding for years and present it voluntarily to a government that is not giving them a guarantee that they'll be able to stay. just temporary respite pending the obama administration, whether a future president could change his or her mind, or a bill that comes from a republican congress that doesn't want to play ball with the president. it's not all together clear how many people are going to present themselves, whether they're going to do so in a way that comports with what the president presented last night. that's some of the things that we'll be talking about. >> ray, appreciate it. ray suarez host of the "inside story" at the top of the hour on al jazeera america. michael shure, last word on all of this to you. >> well, you know, the last word that i couldn't help thinking as

i was watching the campaigner speak in quite awhile. mike gets to see him all the time. he was out there, and i thought, my god, all these senators who lost on election day, and mary landrieu is thinking this, too. why wasn't the president called in on these elections. people who show up on the midterm election, you only get the passionate, fervent of the caucusser, the president knows how to campaign, and i wonder if things might have been different if he would have brought him in. >> michael shure in los angeles for us. the other big story we're following today are new developments in ferguson, missouri. michael brown's father calls for peace in the city. it comes as the grand jury waits to decide in the shooting death of michael brown. he said vandalizing property is not the answer.

>> i thank you for raising your voices against violence and intimidation, but destroying property is not the answer. no matter what the grand jury decides i do not want my son's death to be in vain. i want it to lead to change positive change, change that makes the st. louis region better for everyone. >> john joins us live from ferguson, missouri. there was a press conference not that long ago. what's the latest? >> well, good afternoon, tony, from ferguson, missouri. there has been a lot of news conferences and news events today. we're going to talk about all of them over the course of the next couple of minutes. the one that was just finished was given by the st. louis executive. he was attended by the mayor of st. louis. the point of the news conference was to layout how they plan to protect everybody in the event that there is violence after the grand jury decision. but you know what, tony, in the

last couple of nights there have been very small protests outside of the police headquarters here in ferguson. on wednesday five people were arrested, all from out of the area. on thursday, at least two people were arrested. but the police tactics have gotten gradually heavier and heavier. this news conference that rightly ended during the time that the president was speaking, the director of public safety here in missouri was asked by journalists bluntly, look, how can you justify using heavy-handed police tactics against a handful of protesters only when the grand jury hasn't even handed down its decision yet? and here's his response. >> well, the information we have is that there wasn't less lethal equipment that was used. what we've tried to do is establish lines of communication, and that's what we've done.

this morning we talked about how the interaction went between protesters and the police last night, and we were able to dialogue about what the police response was, and the reaction of the protesters. so we're going to continue to do that. we have those lines of communication set up hopefully for every venue that we expect people to be at, and that's how we're going to make sure we manage the conflict between police and protesters. >> tony, the grand jury has been meeting today, friday, here in missouri, and it is being reported that this is the last day that they will meet. still no word, though, when a decision will come down. local radio saying this morning sometime in the next ten days local people here in ferguson are thinking that it might be sunday, but we don't know for certain. >> the attorney for michael brown's family also held a news conference today. what message was he trying to send?

>> well, you heard at the top of this, you played in the sound bite from mike brown sr. mike brown's dad, he produced a video that quickly went viral, which he basically called for calm no matter the decision from the grand jury, no matter what comes. we heard from their attorney, anthony gray, and his message is a little bit different from what mike brown sr. are saying. he is saying that people in this town are quite frightened. >> there are members of the community who are on edge, they're anxious, fearful, they're scared. they range from the young to old. people have expressed concerns about medicine and being able to get to medicine. by and large, let's face it, the say ithe city is in a panic at

this point in anticipation of this decision. >> and to that end people are being told to stock up on food, water, batteries just as they would if a major storm was coming in. we heard the last couple of hours as well the schools in this area are going to be closed on monday and tuesday. that may or may not mean that the decision is imminent. you have to remember that next week is thanksgiving. by closing on monday and tuesday, it gives the whole week off and the grand jury more leeway of when it may hand down its decision. >> eric holder has been talking about police restraint in ferguson. share some of that with us. >> yes, it has been a really busy news day for this story. here you have, i think, a very unusual, personal, i a impassioned plea from the retiring attorney general. he's backing up guidelines that

the department of justice has published for all police forces around the country to observe to make sure that protests don't get out of hand. that's his main message. it was really two-pronged. he was talking to the police saying do everything you can to stop any peaceful protest escalating into violence. and to protesters he said, look, respect the gravity of the situation. this is a very serious story, very serious situation. don't do anything to undermine that. >> the justice department has urged to end needless violation. now this is hard work that is necessary to preserve the peace, and to maintain the public trust at all times, particularly in moments of heightened community

tension. >> and so with that, tony, we wait, and the town of ferguson waits. people are not afraid to tell us what they think as they drive by on the main drag, but nobody can say with any certainty we have to wait. we'll say one more time, for what it's worth, the feelings here waiting for sunday. >> in ferguson, missouri, thank you. hundreds plan to protest when the grand jury decision is announced. right now there are demonstrations planned in more than 90 cities in 34 states as well as a protest planned in toronto, canada. police departments across the country are holding meetings to prepare for large crowds. coming up on al jazeera america. texas approves dozens of controversial history, and socialist's text books that creatics say distort the facts.

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or create components of a nuclear weapon. this weekend may be the last chance to make a deal that president obama puts in his messages for the iranian people. >> iran will have nuclear energy. we'll addressed one of the greatest challenges to international peace and security. >> the u.s. hopes to limit ble plutonium. and uranium. the u.s. hopes that they will have enough access in the event that iran secretly starts creating a weapon. >> to take the lifting of an

economic sanctions it will have no better chance than between now and november 24th. >> if a deal gets made iran will get a massive economic boost. removing sanctions will give iran $120 billion in overseas accounts. iranian students will be able to study in the west, and iran will become more of a regional power which sanctions have helped prevent. >> sanctions are illegal in nature. they must be pre-moved. they have not produced any positive results. >> what iran would not have t to do: destroy its nuclear infrastructure. that's where they pounce. >> given the irans' 30 years of lying, deceit, and american blood on their hands, this is insane. >> do not sign a deal with iran that will allow reason to become

a nuclear state. >> israel wants the u.s. to eliminate iran's ability to research and communicate with nuclear north korea. >> these loopholes are not totally closed. it enables the iranians to make the agreement meaningless in the future. >> despite the critics for 11 years the u.s. iran and the e.u. have been negotiating. they know the details well. whether they can make a deal is anything but clear. >> the chief u.s. negotiator said that negotiations are like mushrooms. they usually do best in the dark. we do not know, we do not hear from officials how close they are or are not from a deal. philip hammond has said that significant gaps remain. president obama said it was 50/50 that the two sides will come to a deal.

they will continue speaking until the self-imposed deadline of monday night. >> egyptian president fattah al sisi said that he may pardon two of the three al jazeera journalists. i spoke to one of the journalist who is conducted that interview, and i asked her if a reconciliation between egypt and qatar supported by saudi arabia could ease the way to a presidential pardon? >> there is a political banter between egypt and qatar because egypt accused qatar of supporting actively the muslim brotherhood. so i think saudi arabia is pushing for qatar and egypt to have an agreement that it could ease the situation.

there is definitely pressure from certain parts, and some egyptian diplomats know that definitely this would be a great sign if this is made. >> when is the appeal scheduled to be heard? >> so the appeal is set for the first of january. the families of the journalists hope that they could be released before the end of the year. we have a sense that they really want to respect the process, and then in the next month cooperation improves with qatar, we could have one or two, and then there could be an eventual

pardon. i think it would be hard before the first of january, but it could be after that. >> a decision out of texas could determine how history is remembered. the out come could impact students across the country.

al jazeera america gives you the total news experience anytime, anywhere. more on every screen. digital, mobile, social. visit aljazeera.com. follow @ajam on twitter. and like aljazeera america on facebook for more stories, more access, more conversations.

so you don't just stay on top of the news, go deeper and get more perspectives on every issue. al jazeera america. >> a big decision in the united states today. students in texas will get new history and social studies text books, books that came under fire from both conservatives and liberals. a state panel approved 89 books, and those books may up in the hands of students in other states as well. roxana saberi has more for us. >> tony, as you said, the board

approved 89 books out of 95 proposed books. linext fall more than 5 million public schools students will get new history and social studies textbooks for the first time in a decade. the board approved the proposed books along party lines on friday after spending weeks listening to complaints from both the right and the left. >> we want to make sure that we have the correct information in the text books. >> for the text books would seem to assume that the students and the instructors are they themselves christians. >> they want to de-emphasize the role of slavery in american history. that's just impossible. >> but some conservative criticize parts of the new book.

our government, free market system seems to be belittled and not emphasized. >> publishers have tried to respond to the complaints. they agreed to some changes but refused others. one publisher agreed to remove part of this six grade lesson. it says that parts of antarctica is shrinking because of global warming. the same company refused to omit a passage that for many muslims the word jihad can refer to the struggle to become a better person. but they said it really means holy war. and the roots of democratic government dates back to political figures such as moses. teachers say they'll have to work harder to give students a more balanced perspective.

>> teachers will have to deal with any book that is put in their hands. they have to. it's the ones that don't have great content knowledge and the ability to find primary sources that are locked in to what may be a bad text book. >> texas is the country's--one of the country's largest buyers of books and those books are then marketed to other states. what is print there had could end one in other states, too. >> we're talking to someone about this, someone who is in favor to the exchanges. roxana, good to see you. new weather threat in new york today after seven feet of snow fell in some areas. the worry now is what happens when it melts. if the temperatures rise too quickly there could be extensive flooding. >> we have a dangerous situation setting up where the warm air from the south is riding up on the top of that very cold air has settled in place.

you can see we're starting to shift over from that risk of snow. areas in pink popping up across the dakotas starting to shift over to sleet and freezing rain as potential freezing drills will be the piggest threat over the morning hours. relatively light, but we still could have cars slipping off the roads. as that warm air comes in, the freezinged a advisory has been issued. you can see the warmer air working its way in with lows to the midwest and mid 50s. that will impact the northeast as we get to sat morning. saturday's highs already warmer in the 40s. and then sunday, the lake eerie and areas where we have five

feet of snow the temperatures will be climbing in the 50s and 60s and 70s, and we'll have rain soaking in, and it will melt faster. >> the threat of deportation has been lifted for millions of undocumented people in the u.s. does the executive action deliver the relief activists say they wanted and needed? this is "inside story." >> hello, i'm ray suarez. at the begng