ON
ON TODAY'S 2 ON YOUR SIDE TOWN HALL... A LOT OF YOU WATCHING
HAVE FRIENDS...
FAMILY... MAYBE EVEN
PROP
>>> ON THIS EVENING'S TOWN
HALL, A LOT OF YOU WATCHING
RIGHT HAVE FRIENDS OR FAMILY OR
PROPERTY IN CANADA.
WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE BORDER
CLOSURE.
>>> IF YOU WERE LOOKING OUTSIDE
THE AREA FOR VACCINE
APPOINTMENTS, YOU ARE NOT
ALONE.
WE ARE ANSWERING VIEWER
QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.
>>> AND THE SABRES HAVEN'T
REVEALED THEIR PLANS, BUT SOME
FANS ARE ALLOWED INTO THE
STANDS STARTING TOMORROW.
WE WILL DISCUSS THAT WITH
SOMEONE WHO IS KEEPING TRACK OF
WHAT OTHER ARENAS IN THE STATE
ARE DOING.
>>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.
ONE OF THE PANDEMIC
RESTRICTIONS WE'VE TALKED A LOT
ABOUT ON THE TOWN HALL IS
TRAVEL AT THE BORDER WITH
CANADA.
THE BORDER CLOSURE WAS JUST
EXTENDED.
IT WILL LAST THROUGH ARCH 21st.
ESSENTIAL TRADE AND TRAVEL IS
ALLOWED TO CONTINUE.
>> CANADA IS REQUIRING NEGATIVE
TESTS FOR RESIDENTS RETURNING
TO THE COUNTRY AT THE LAND
CROSSINGS.
THERE ARE OTHER RESTRICTIONS AS
WELL.
THE ISSUE WITH ALL OF THIS IS
SURE TO COME UP DURING A
MEETING TOMORROW BETWEEN JOE
BIDEN AND CANADIAN PRIME
MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU.
JOINING US IS THE IMMIGRATION
ATTORNEY.
IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU.
WALK US THROUGH IF YOU CAN
ABOUT WHAT IS NEW AT THE
BORDER.
THE BIG THING FOR THOSE OF US
WOULD'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS IS
THAT THE LAND BORDER IS STILL
CLOSED AND WE CAN CAN'T GET OVER
? RIGHT?
>> GREAT TO BE HERE, I'M
PORTLY, I WISH WE TALK ABOUT
THE BORDER REOPENING FOR ALL,
BUT WE ARE NOT.
SO WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE
BORDER WILL STAY OPEN NOT TO
ANYONE'S, THE BORDER WILL STAY
CLOSED UNTIL MARCH 21.
CANADA IS REALLY CLAMPED DOWN
ON ENTRY TO THE COUNTRY.
THEY ARE HAVING TREMENDOUS
PROBLEMS GETTING VACCINES, THEY
ARE HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME
WITH COVID-19 AND AS A RESULT,
CANADIAN CITIZENS RETURNING TO
THEIR OWN COUNTRY HAVE TO SHOW
NEGATIVE TESTS, NOT RAPID, THE
PCR TEST.
IF YOU FLY INTO CANADA, YOU
HAVE TO REMAIN IN A HOTEL FOR
THREE DAYS ON YOUR OWN DIME.
THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT IS
CLAMPING DOWN ON THIS AND I
DON'T EXPECT THAT TO CHANGE
ANYTIME SOON.
>> MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT, BUT
WHAT YOU THINK WILL NEED TO
HAVE THEM BEFORE SOME OF THESE
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ARE FINALLY
LIFTED?
>> I REALLY THINK WE WON'T SEE
ANY MOVEMENT UNTIL CANADA GETS
A HOLD OF VACCINE DISTRIBUTION.
WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH IT IN
OUR OWN COUNTRY, BUT WE ARE
GETTING GOOD NEWS, WE ARE
HEARING THAT THE COVID-19
POSITIVITY RATE IN WESTERN NEW
YORK IS GREAT.
THAT IS GOOD NEWS.
CANADA ISN'T GAINING THAT TYPE
OF NEWS, AND UNTIL THEY CAN
REALLY START JOINING THE
NATION, I THINK WE WILL SEE
SUPER STRICT REQUIREMENTS.
>> YOU MENTIONED IT IS REALLY
INTERESTING NOW THAT PEOPLE
FLYING INTO CANADA HAVE TO DO
THE THREE DAY QUARANTINE INSIDE
THEIR HOTEL ROOM BECAUSE THAT
WAS A WAY THAT SOME PEOPLE WERE
GETTING AROUND THE RULES AT THE
LAND BORDER.
THEY WERE CHOOSING TO FLY.
WE HEARD STORIES OF PEOPLE IN
WESTERN NEW YORK FLYING ALL THE
WAY TO TORONTO AND MAY BE
DRIVING ACROSS THE BORDER SO
THEY COULD SEE SOMEONE THAT
THEY WANTED TO VISIT AND NOW IF
YOU DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO DO THE
THREE DAY QUARANTINE INSIDE OF
THE HOTEL AND TEST NEGATIVE AND
GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ON THAT?
LET ME TACK ON THIS QUESTION,
WHAT WILL YOU BE WATCHING IN
TERMS OF THE MEETING TOMORROW
BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS OF
THESE TWO COUNTRIES?
>> IT IS INTERESTING.
EVERY TIME A NEW RULE COMES
OUT, WITHIN 24 HOURS, SOMEONE
CREATES A WORKAROUND.
SO THE WORKAROUND FOR THE
CANADIAN CITIZENS IN THE U.S.
THAT MAYBE WANT TO FLY HOME FOR
THE EASTER HOLIDAY TO GET RID
OF THE THREE DAY QUARANTINE,
THEY ARE FLYING INTO BUFFALO.
AND THEY WILL HAVE THE COVID-19
NEGATIVE TESTS AND THEY ARE
DRIVING ACROSS THE BORDER.
SO THERE ARE THESE LITTLE
LOOPHOLES BEING CREATED AS THIS
ROLLS OUT.
IN TERMS OF TOMORROW, SUPER
INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT GOES
DOWN BETWEEN PRESIDENT BIDEN
AND PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN
TRUDEAU.
I'M SORRY, I'M PRETTY CERTAIN
THAT CANADA WILL ASK THE LIGHT
STATES FOR HELP IN SECURING
VACCINES.
THEY ARE AT A REALLY TOUGH
POSITION CROSSROADS RIGHT NOW
AND THEY CAN'T SEEM TO MAKE ANY
HEADWAY.
WE ARE HAVING CHALLENGES IN THE
WEST, BUT IT'S HAPPENING SLOWLY.
I DON'T THINK WE WILL GET A
BORDER ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW, I
THINK CANADA BEING OUR NEIGHBOR
AND PARTNER, WE HAVE ALWAYS
WORKED HISTORICALLY WELL
TOGETHER, NO ONE EVER WANTED TO
SEE THIS BORDER CLOSED, WE ARE
COMING UP ON ONE YEAR, IT IS
UNPRECEDENTED AND KILLING BOTH
SIDES OF THE BORDER
ECONOMICALLY AND AFFECTING
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
I'M THINKING THAT CONVERSATION
IF I WAS A FLY ON THE WALL
TOMORROW WOULD REALLY BE, HOW
CAN THE UNITED STATES HEALTH
CANADA TO REALLY SOLVE THEIR
PROBLEM?
>> WANTED TO ASK SOMETHING
SEPARATE FROM THE COVID-19
SITUATION AS WELL BECAUSE THE
NEW JOE BIDEN IT MENSTRUATION
HAS MADE CHANGES TO THE
IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE POLICY.
WE WONDER HOW THE CHANGES COULD
IMPACT WESTERN NEW YORK.
>> SUPER INTERESTING.
SO THE JOE BIDEN AND MR.
REVERSED TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S
POLICY ON REFUGEES AND HAVING
TO WAIT OUTSIDE THE U.S. WHILE
CLAIMS ARE PENDING.
THEY CAN WAIT INSIDE THE UNITED
STATES AND THERE IS AN
ESTIMATED 25,000 REFUGEE
FILINGS COMING TO THE UNITED
STATES.
RAISING ALL TYPES OF ISSUES
WITH COVID-19, ARE THEY BEING
TESTED OR NOT?
ULTIMATELY, WILL THEY GO TO NEW
YORK, ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE A HUGE REFUGEE
POPULATION, AND OTHERS IN THE
WESTERN NEW YORK AREA.
EXPECT TO SEE THAT IN THE
COMING MONTHS.
>> AT THE SAME TIME, YOU NOW
HAVE THIS PROPOSAL ACTUALLY
WRITTEN DOWN FROM THE TRUMPET
MENSTRUATION LAST WEEK TO
OVERHAUL OUR COUNTRY'S
IMMIGRATION SYSTEM.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, WHAT WAS
IT, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, I
THINK THE LAST TIME THAT YOU
WERE ON, AND I THINK YOU SAID
FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT THAT
YOU WANTED COPPERHEADS OF
IMMIGRATION REFORM OR WANTED
CONGRESS TO ACTUALLY KIND OF
STEP IN AS OPPOSED TO THESE
PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS.
ANYMORE HOPE ON YOUR PART THAT
THIS COULD GET DONE?
>> OKAY, THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE
IS A BILL BEFORE CONGRESS
CALLED THE U.S. CITIZEN ACTION,
CITIZENSHIP ACT SWEEPING
COMPREHENSIVE REFORM, THE BAD
NEWS IS, IT IS PROBABLY NOT
GOING TO GET PAST IT.
IT IS A HUGE ANIMAL OF THE BILL
WITH ALL KINDS OF CONTROVERSIAL
COMPONENTS.
AND EVEN WITH THE DEMOCRATS
CONTROLLING CONGRESS, THEY ARE
SAYING, THIS WHOLE LAND IS
PROBABLY GOING TO HAPPEN, WHAT
EXPERTS ARE SAYING IS THEY MAY
BREAK IT OFF IN PIECES AND
MAYBE PARTS OF IT WILL BE
PASSED, BUT I DIDN'T GET MY
CHRISTMAS GIFT IN TERMS OF
COPPERHEADS OF IMMIGRATION
REFORM, AND I WILL JUST TAKE A
LITTLE PIECE RIGHT NOW.
IT IS REALLY TIME FOR CONGRESS
TO ACT.
THEY HAVE A BILL IN FRONT OF
THEM.
I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ARE OR
WHAT SIDE OF THE AISLE, LET'S
DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE THE
BROKEN IMMIGRATION LAWS.
>> TAKES 60 VOTES IN THE SENATE
TO PASS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO THAT IS WHERE YOU GET THE
BIPARTISAN NATURE WHICH THAT IS
THE ONLY WAY TO GET SOMETHING
THAT IS LASTING ANYWAY, TO GET
BUY-IN FROM BOTH SIDES.
WE WILL FOLLOW IT CLOSELY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> MY PLEASURE.
>> IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
MOVING ON, EVER SINCE THE PEAK
OF THIS LATEST WAVE OF THE
PANDEMIC LAST MONTH, WE HAVE
SEEN A PRETTY INCREDIBLE DROP
IN MOST CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS.
>> WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS
HOSPITALIZATIONS.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE GONE FROM
HAVING WORTHEN 500 WESTERN NEW
YORKERS IN THE HOSPITAL THE
RIGHT NOW ABOUT HALF OF THAT,
AROUND 250.
>> THE RATE OF POSITIVE TESTS
HAS DROPPED SHARPLY AS WELL.
WE WERE HANGING OUT ABOVE 8%
JUST A FEW WEEKS BACK AND NOW
WE ARE LESS THAN HALF OF THAT
NUMBER AS WELL.
BUT ONE NUMBER THAT CANNOT GO
DOWN IS THE DEATH TOLL.
>> WHILE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS
PER DAY, THE RATE IS DROPPING
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE HIT A VERY GRIM MILESTONE
OVER THE WEEKEND.
>> NBC NEWS SENIOR MEDICAL
CORRESPONDENT DR. JOHN TORRES
SPOKE TODAY ABOUT WHY THERE IS
HOPE DESPITE THAT.
>> THE U.S. HAS SURPASSED
500,000 DEATHS, THAT IS HALF 1
MILLION DEATHS FROM COVID-19.
AND EVEN AS DOCTOR COUNTY SAID,
THIS IS NOTHING LIKE ANYBODY
HAS EVER BEEN THROUGH IN THE
LAST 102 YEARS SINCE THE 1918
INFLUENZA PANDEMIC.
BUT THERE IS HOPE ON THE
HORIZON AS A NEW STUDY IS
SHOWING, OUR BEHAVIOR IS
SLOWING THE SPREAD OF THE
VIRUS.
SO THINGS WE DO LIKE HAND
SANITIZING AND STAYING HOME AND
NOT EATING OUT AS MUCH ARE
CERTAINLY HELPING.
PLUS WE CONTINUE TO SEE
HOSPITAL CASES FALLING TO LESS
THAN 57,000.
THAT IS THE LOWEST NUMBER SINCE
NOVEMBER 7. WE WILL BEAT THIS
VIRUS, BUT IT BEARS REPEATING
AGAIN AND AGAIN, WE CANNOT LET
OUR GUARD DOWN.
THOSE CASE NUMBERS COULD JUMP
RIGHT BACK UP WE AREN'T CAREFUL.
>> JOE BIDEN MR. ASIAN