NBC Nightly News Full Episode - March 17

♪♪. >>> TONIGHT, PRESIDENT. TRUMP'S DEPORTATION. LEGAL BATTLE. THE PRESIDENT INVOKING. A RARELY USED. AUTHORITY TO DEPORT. HUNDREDS OF ALLEGED. UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANT. GANG MEMBERS. A JUDGE DIRECTING THE. FLIGHTS BACK TO THE. U.S., BOTH SIDES. FACING OFF IN COURT. >>> THE SOUTH AND. MIDWEST REELING AFTER. DAYS OF EXTREME. WEATHER LEAVING DOZENS. OF PEOPLE. DEAD AS TORNADOES. RIPPED THROUGH 11. STATES. NEIGHBORHOODS.

LEVELLED. DUST STORMS, WIND AND. WILDFIRES WREAKING. HAVOC AND MAKING FOR. DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. >>> ONE STEP CLOSER TO. HOME, BRINGING. ASTRONAUTS BUTCH. WILMORE AND SUNI. WILLIAMS BACK TO. EARTH. HOW THEY'RE PREPARING. TONIGHT. >>> THE LATEST ON THE. COLLEGE STUDENT. MISSING IN THE. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, AND THE LEGAL BATTLE. OF THE AMERICAN. TOURIST SEEN WITH HER. BEFORE SHE VANISHED. WHY HIS LAWYERS SAY HE. SHOULD BE RELEASED. >>> THE FBI'S NEW. WARNING FOR SPRING. BREAK TRAVELERS. >>> HOW FEDERAL.

FUNDING CUTS COULD. SLICE. INTO HEALTHY STATE. LUNCHES ACROSS THE. COUNTRY. >>> FOREVER 21. SET TO SHUT DOWN, THE. MALL STAPLE FILING FOR. BANKRUPTCY AS FAST. FASHION RIVALS AND INDUSTRY. AND NEW DETAILS ON. CONSUMER SPENDING. >>> GOOD NEWS, THE. TEAMS MAKING THEIR. MARCH MADNESS DEBUTS. >> Announcer: THIS IS. "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS". WITH LESTER HOLT. >>> GOOD EVENING AND. WELCOME. THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION'S. WIDENING CRACKDOWN ON. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. TAKING ON NEW. DIMENSIONS TONIGHT,

INCLUDING CHALLENGING. THE AUTHORITY OF. COURTS TO DICTATE SUCH. MATTERS AND ARMING THE. PRESIDENT WITH NEW. TOOLS. IN WASHINGTON THIS. AFTERNOON, A HEARING. CONCERNING THE. ADMINISTRATION'S. DECISION OVER THE. WEEKEND TO USE THE. ENEMY ALIENS ACT TO. DEPORT FROM THE U.S. HUNDREDS OF. INDIVIDUALS SAID TO BE. AFFILIATED WITH. VENEZUELAN AND. EL SALVADORAN GANGS. WITHOUT DUE PROCESS. TODAY'S HEARING OVER. WHETHER THE. GOVERNMENT. VIOLATED A COURT'S. DIRECTIVE TO ORDER.

DEPORTATION FLIGHTS TO. RETURN TO THE U.S., THE FLIGHTS. INSTEAD FLOWN TO. EL SALVADOR. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYING. THEY. PAID $6 MILLION TO. DETAIN THEM THERE. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYING. THE GANG'S PRESENCE IN. THE U.S. AMOUNTS TO AN. INVASION. IT'S THE LATEST. FLASHPOINT TO HIS. AGGRESSIVE MOVES OF. MASS AND TARGETED. DEPORTATIONS. KELLY O'DONNELL. >> Reporter: A FEDERAL. COURT SEEKING ANSWERS. FROM THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION AS THE. WHITE HOUSE MOUNTS A. VIGOROUS DEFENSE OF. ITS MASS DEPORTATION.

OF UNDOCUMENTED. MIGRANTS IT SAYS WERE. CHARGED WITH VIOLENT. CRIMES. PUSHING BACK. AGAINST A FEDERAL. JUDGE. >> I WOULD THINK. WITHOUT QUESTION, THE. MOST UNLAWFUL ORDER. ANY DISTRICT COURT. JUDGE HAS ISSUED IN. OUR LIFETIMES. >> Reporter: POSTING A. CINEMATIC, MUSIC-BACKED VIDEO OF. THE OPERATION, THE. WHITE HOUSE TOUTED THE. REMOVAL OF NEARLY 300. MIGRANTS, SAYING THEY.

WERE DETERMINED BY. INVESTIGATORS TO BE. VIOLENT MEMBERS OF. OF VIOLENT GANGS. CLASSIFIED AS. FOREIGN TERRORISTS, AND THE WHITE HOUSE. SAID THE. U.S. GOVERNMENT PAID. EL SALVADOR TO DETAIN. THEM. >> I DON'T CARE WHAT. THE JUDGES THINK OR. THE LEFT THINGS, WE'RE. COMING. >> Reporter: AT ISSUE, WHETHER THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION. COMPLIED WITH A. FEDERAL JUDGE'S ORDER.

TO TEMPORARILY DELAY, AFTER THE ORDER WAS. ISSUED. THE WHITE HOUSE SAID. IT COMPLIED. >> ALL THE PLANES. SUBJECT TO THE JUDGE'S. WRITTEN ORDER TOOK OFF. BEFORE THE ORDERS WITH. ENTERED. >> Reporter: PRESIDENT. TRUMP INVOKED A 1798. LAW, THE ALIEN ENEMIES. ACT, THAT DOES NOT. REQUIRE IT IN WAR. TIME. BUT WE'RE NOT AT WAR. WITH THESE COUNTRIES. PRESIDENT TRUMP. DEFENDED HIS APPROACH. >> THAT'S AN INVASION, THEY INVADED OUR. COUNTRY, IN THAT SENSE. THIS IS WAR. >> Reporter: IN A. SEPARATE CASE, A BROWN. UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR. OF MEDICINE WITH A.

VALID VISA WAS. DETAINED AND THEN SENT. BACK TO LEBANON. THE DEPARTMENT OF. HOMELAND SECURITY. POSTING THAT. SHE HAD ADMITTED SHE. ATTENDED A FUNERAL FOR. THE LEADER OF. HEZBOLLAH, CONSIDERED. A TERRORIST. ORGANIZATION BY THE. U.S., AND SAID SHE. SUPPORTED HIM. HER REMOVAL CALLED. COMMON SENSE SECURITY. HER ATTORNEY COULD NOT. BE REACHED. THESE ACTIONS COME AS. NEW NBC NEWS POLLING. SHOWS. 44% SAY THE COUNTRY IS. ON THE RIGHT TRACK, THE HIGHEST NUMBER IN.

20 YEARS. 54% STILL FIND THE. U.S. HEADED IN THE. WRONG DIRECTION. THE PRESIDENT'S 47%. APPROVAL RATING IS HIS. HIGHEST ACROSS BOTH. TERMS, WHILE THE. MAJORITY, 41%, DISAPPROVES. >> THE COURT HEARING. WAS UNDER WAY, IT'S. JUST ENDED AND THE. JUDGE HAD TOUGH WORDS. FOR THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION. >> Reporter: THAT'S. RIGHT, THE. ADMINISTRATION SAID IT. COULD NOT ANSWER WHEN. DEPORTATION FLIGHTS. HAPPENED, WHICH WOULD. HAVE AFFECTED.

COMPLIANCE. CLAIMING THEY COULD. NOT ANSWER DUE TO. NATIONAL SECURITY. THE JUDGE CALLED THAT. ONE HECK OF A STRETCH. AND SAID HIS AUTHORITY. WAS VALID EVEN IF THE. PLANES WERE OUTSIDE. U.S. AIRSPACE. LESTER. >> KELLY, THANKS. FOR MORE, JOINED BY. SENIOR LEGAL. CORRESPONDENT, LAURA. JARRETT. THIS DEPORTATION CASE. IS JUST THE LATEST. POINT OF TENSION. BETWEEN TRUMP AND THE. COURTS. >> YES, TODAY IT'S. IMMIGRATION CASE BUT. WE'VE SEEN IT BUBBLE. UP A FEW TIMES, INCLUDING WHEN A JUDGE. STOPPED THE. ADMINISTRATION FROM.

WITHHOLDING FEDERAL. FUNDING FROM STATES. SO FAR, DOJ APPEALS EVERY. RULING THAT DOESN'T GO. THE ADMINISTRATION'S. WAY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME. OFFICIALS KEEP. MAKING STATEMENTS THEY. DON'T THINK THE COURT. ORDERS ARE LEGITIMATE. RAISING SPECTER OF HOW. THE JUDICIARY CAN PUT. A CHECK ON THE. WHITE HOUSE IF. DEFIANCE STARTS TO. BECOME A PATTERN, LESTER. >> LAURA, THANK YOU. >>> TORNADO SEASON. FROM MARCH TO JUNE IS. OFF TO A.

DEADLY START AFTER. AN OUTBREAK OF. STORMS KILLED PEOPLE. THIS WEEKEND. KATHY CLARK WITH. PEOPLE AFFECTED BY. THE REPORTED 99. TWISTERS. >> Reporter: PARTS OF. THE MIDWEST. UNRECOGNIZABLE, AND. MUCH OF THE SOUTH A. DEBRIS FIELD. DEVASTATION FROM A. WEEKEND OF EXTREME. WEATHER WITH. DESTRUCTIVE WINDS --. >> THERE GOES OTHER. ONE. >> Reporter: DOWNPOURS. AND DUST. STORMS. TORNADOES RIPPED. THROUGH A DOZEN. STATES. THE DEATH TOLL A.

STAGGERING 42. THE STRONGEST TWISTER. STRIKING ARKANSAS, AN EF-4 WITH. 190-MILE-PER-HOUR. WINDS. DAMAGE WIDESPREAD IN. MISSOURI, STRIP MALLS. RIPPED APART, NEIGHBORHOODS. LEVELLED. NEAR ST. LOUIS, THIS. FAMILY TOLD NBC THEY. HAD JUST. MOMENTS TO SPARE. BEFORE THE ROOF BLEW. OFF. >> BARELY MADE IT TO. THE BASEMENT WITHIN. SECONDS, THEN THE. WINDOWS BLEW, WE WERE. CROUCHING DOWN, COVERING OUR HEADS.

FELT LIKE THE HOUSE. WAS COMING DOWN ON US. >> Reporter: IN. MISSISSIPPI, BACK-TO-BACK TORNADOES. DISPLACED HUNDREDS OF. RESIDENTS, MASON FOUND. HIS MOM IN A HOME WITH. THE HOUSE COLLAPSED. AROUND HER. >> PANICKING, SCARED. TO DEATH. >> Reporter: NEARBY, A. MOTHER'S INSTINCT. KICKED IN. DID YOU HAVE A GAME. PLAN? >> ALWAYS, AND THIS. ROOM IS BEST IN THE. HOUSE. >> Reporter: SHE AND.

11 MEMBERS OF HER. FAMILY TOOK COVER IN. THE BATHTUB. >> HOLLERING AT THE. STORM TO GO AWAY, DISSIPATE, NOT TEAR US. UP, NOT HURT ANYBODY. >> WOOF, THEN. EVERYTHING WAS DOWN. AND CRAZY. >> Reporter: FACING. EXTRAORDINARY LOSS, NEIGHBORS ARE FORCED. TO START OVER. TOGETHER. >> WE'VE GOT EACH. OTHER. >> NBC NEWS, MAGNOLIA, MISSISSIPPI. >>> THE CLOCK IS. TICKING FOR SUNI. WILLIAMS AND BUTCH. WILMORE AS THEY.

PREPARE TO LEAVE SPACE. AFTER THEIR TEN-DAY. MISSION TURNED INTO A. NINE-MONTH STAY. THE WORLD IS WATCHING. TOM COSTELLO. >> Reporter: ON THE. INTERNATIONAL SPACE. STATION TONIGHT, LAST-MINUTE PACKING. FOR A LONG AWAITED. TRIP HOME. >> IT WAS A WONDERFUL. DAY, GREAT TO SEE OUR. FRIENDS ARRIVE. >> Reporter: SUNI. WILLIAMS, EARLY SUNDAY. MORNING, AND FELLOW. ASTRONAUT BUTCH. WILMORE ON. THE FAR LEFT. >> CAPTURE COMPLETE. >> Reporter: AFTER THE. REPLACEMENT CREW. ARRIVED IN A DRAGON.

SPACESHIP AFTER. MIDNIGHT. >> CAN'T TELL YOU THE. IMMENSE JOY OF OUR. CREW SEEING THE SPACE. STATION THE FIRST. TIME. >> Reporter: AFTER 286. DAYS IN SPACE, SUNI. AND. BUTCH JOIN CREW NINE. ASTRONAUTS NICK HAGUE. AND ALEKSANDR GORBUNOV. AND CLOSE THEIR HATCH. AT 10:45 EASTERN. TONIGHT. 1:05 A.M. THEY'LL. UNDOCK FROM THE. STATION, BEGINNING. THEIR. TRIP TO EARTH, SPLASHING DOWN IN THE. GULF ON TUESDAY AFTER. BREAKING A FEW SPACE. RECORDS.

>> SUNI WILLIAMS. >> Reporter: SHE'S. CARRIED OUT NINE SPACE. WALKS IN HER CAREER, SPENDING MORE. TIME IN THE VACUUM OF. SPACE THAN ANY OTHER. WOMAN. BUT BOTH ADMITTED TO. FEELING THE PULL OF. EARTH. >> EVENTUALLY WE WANT. TO GO HOME. WE LEFT OUR FAMILIES A. WHILE AGO. >> I WANT TO. HUG MY WIFE, MY. DAUGHTERS. >> Reporter: AND. EVERYONE CRAVES A. FAVORITE FOOD. >> I WANTED GOOD. PIZZA. THAT'S WHAT I MISSED. MOST IN SPACE. >> Reporter: FORMER. ASTRONAUT MASSIMINO.

SAYS COMING HOME. ALSO MEANS NEW. PRIORITIES LIKE. MISSING SHINGLES ON. THE FAMILY HOUSE. >> WAS LIKE WE HAD A. STORM WHILE YOU WERE. GONE, WHAT THE HECK, WHY. DIDN'T YOU CALL THE. GUY? SHE'S LIKE, YOU'RE THE GUY. LOOKING AT THE ROOF. THE NEXT MORNING. >> TOM, I'M MINDFUL OF. SOMETHING YOU'VE. TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. THERE IS A PHYSICAL. ADJUSTMENT TO BEING. BACK ON EARTH. >> Reporter: THAT'S. RIGHT, MIKE TALKED. ABOUT IT. ASTRONAUTS OFTEN FEEL. WOBBLY AND NAUSEATED. WHEN THEY RETURN. BECAUSE THE EAR'S. VESTIBULAR SYSTEM HAS.

TO READJUST. ALL GO THROUGH A. THOROUGH MEDICAL EXAM. IN HOUSTON AND WON'T. BE ALLOWED TO GO HOME. UNTIL THE DOCTORS. CLEAR THEM. LESTER. >> WE LOOK FORWARD TO. WELCOMING THEM BACK TO. EARTH, TOM, THANKS. >>> THE FBI WARNING. PEOPLE TRAVELING. SPRING BREAK TO STAY. VIGILANT, 11 DAYS. AFTER AN. AMERICAN STUDENT WENT. MISSING IN THE. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

JESSE KIRSCH. >> Reporter: POLICE. JOSHUA RIIBE WAS WITH. HER. NOW THE 22-YEAR-OLD. FROM IOWA IS FIGHTING. FOR HIS FREEDOM. A SOURCE IN THE. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. ATTORNEY GENERAL'S. OFFICE SAYS HIS. LAWYERS FILED A. PETITION USED TO ARGUE. FOR RELEASE FROM. DETENTION. 11 DAYS AFTER SHE. DISAPPEARED, HE'S BEEN. CONFINED TO THE HOTEL. SINCE THE.

INVESTIGATION BEGAN. AND IS ESCORTED BY THE. POLICE ANYWHERE HE. GOES, NOT FREE TO. LEAVE. THE U.S. STATE. DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT. COMMENT ON RIIBE'S. STATUS. >> WE WON'T DISCUSS A. PRIVATE SITUATION, A PRIVATE CASE, DIPLOMACY, DIPLOMATIC. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN. ONE COUNTRY AND. ANOTHER. >> Reporter: KONUNKI. VANISHED SOON AFTER. SEEN WALKING WITH. RIIBE AND OTHERS TO.

THE BEACH. ACCORDING TO A. TRANSCRIPT WE. TRANSLATED. FROM SPANISH, SAID. AFTER A LARGE WAVE. SWEPT THEM TO SEA, HE. GOT HER BACK TO SHORE, THEN HE STARTED. VOMITING. LATER HE SAYS HE. LOOKED. AROUND AND DIDN'T SEE. ANYBODY. THIS WEEKEND HE WAS. BACK ON THE BEACH, SURVEYING WITH. INVESTIGATORS. MEANWHILE, SOME IN HIS. IOWA HOME TOWN ARE. COMING TO HIS DEFENSE. >> WOULDN'T EVEN HURT. A FLY. >> Reporter: AN. ANONYMOUS GROUP OF. FRIENDS OF RIIBE'S.

FAMILY WRITING IN PART. THE ROCK. RAPIDS COMMUNITY. STANDS BEHIND AND. SUPPORTS JOSHUA AND. HIS FAMILY. HE HAS AN UNWAVERING. DEVOTION TO HIS FAITH. AND GENUINE KINDNESS. TOWARDS OTHERS. HIS ATTORNEYS HAVE NOT. COMMENTED ON THE. FILING, BUT HE'S. EXPECTED IN COURT. TOMORROW. LESTER. >> THANK YOU. >>> NOW TO PRESIDENT. TRUMP'S EFFORTS TO END. THE WAR IN UKRAINE. UKRAINE AGREED TO A. CEASEFIRE BUT RUSSIA'S. PRESIDENT PUTIN HAS. CAST DOUBTS WITH TRUMP. SET TO TALK TO HIM. TOMORROW. KEIR SIMMONS.

INSIDE RUSSIA. >> Reporter: PRESIDENT. TRUMP 24 HOURS AWAY. FROM A HIGH-STAKED. CALL WITH RUSSIA'S. PRESIDENT PUTIN. >> IT'S A BAD. SITUATION IN RUSSIA. AND UKRAINE. WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF. WE CAN WORK A PEACE. AGREEMENT, CEASEFIRE. AND PEACE. I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE. TO DO IT. >> Reporter: THE. PRESIDENT SAYING. THEY'LL TALK ABOUT. MORE THAN STOPPING. FIGHTING, UKRAINIAN. TERRITORY AND ASSETS. ARE ON THE TABLE. >> WE HAVE A LOT OF IT. ALREADY DISCUSSED VERY. MUCH BY BOTH SIDES.

UKRAINE AND RUSSIA. >> YOU'LL ASK --. >> WE'RE ALREADY. TALKING ABOUT DIVIDING. UP CERTAIN ASSETS. >> Reporter: WE'RE IN. KURSK, PART OF RUSSIA. TAKEN OVER BY. UKRAINIAN FORCES, ONCE. SEEN AS A UKRAINIAN. BARGAINING CHIP, MUCH. OF IT TAKEN BACK BY. RUSSIA. FIGHTING SO FIERCE, RUSSIAN VIDEOS SHOW IT. IN RUINS. WE DROVE INTO THE. KURSK REGION ON A ROAD.

TEEMING WITH RUSSIAN. MILITARY TO A. FRONTLINE TOWN AND. SOLDIERS. MANY LOCALS, HARDENED. BY YEARS OF WAR, ARE. SUSPICIOUS OF. PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO. APPEARS ON THE FRONT. PAGE OF NEWSPAPERS. HERE. [ SPEAKING IN A GLOBAL. LANGUAGE ]. PEACE SHOULD BE DONE. THE RUSSIAN WAY, NOT. THE U.S. WAY. HE SAYS. THERE WILL BE A. CEASEFIRE, THIS WOMAN. SAYS, WHEN WE WIN. MEANWHILE UKRAINE'S. PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY. WHO HAS ACCEPTED THE.

TRUMP CEASEFIRE. PROPOSAL IS TONIGHT. ACCUSING PUTIN OF. DRAGGING OUT THE WAR, SAYING PRESSURE IS. NEEDED ON RUSSIA AND. UKRAINE NEEDS. LONG-TERM SECURITY. TODAY IN KURSK, WE SAW EVIDENCE OF. BATTLES, RUSSIAN. TRUCKS. CARRYING BODIES, AND. BRADLEY FIGHTING. VEHICLES SEIZED FROM. THE UKRAINIANS. NOW COMES THE BITTER. NEGOTIATIONS. LESTER. >> KEIR SIMMONS, THA.

>>> SCHOOLS ACROSS THE. COUNTRY, MANY STUDENTS. ENJOY FREE LUNCHES. WITH COMMUNITY-SOURCED. INGREDIENTS. BUT THE FOCUS ON FRESH. AND LOCAL FOOD MAY. CHANGE AFTER FEDERAL. CUTS. ERIN McLAUGHLIN. >> Reporter: AT. THOUSANDS OF SCHOOLS. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, DELIVERIES LIKE THIS. ARE A LIFELINE. THIS MORNING, IT'S. BUTTERNUT. SQUASH GROWN MILES. AWAY, BROUGHT TO THE. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA,

WHERE. TWO-THIRDS OF THE. STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE. FOR A FREE MEAL. >> THERE'S NO. HEALTHIER FOOD THAN. LOCAL FOOD, STRAIGHT. FROM YOUR LOCAL. FARMER. >> Reporter: DIRECTOR. OF FOOD SERVICE. CHILDREN WHO EAT. HEALTHIER FOOD WILL. LEARN MORE. >> EXACTLY. >> Reporter: PART OF. CUTS THAT HELPED FUEL. STUDENTS NATIONWIDE. IN MASSACHUSETTS, OVER. $12 MILLION SLASHED. >> IN THE LETTER WE.

RECEIVED, IT SAID THE. FUNDING NO LONGER. EFFECTUATES THE. PRIORITIES OF THE. ADMINISTRATION. >> Reporter: FORCING. ITEMS LIKE FRESH LOCAL. MEAT, PRICIER BUT MORE. NUTRITIOUS, ONTO THE. CHOPPING BLOCK. COULD IT BE IN. JEOPARDY? >> IT COULD BE. >> Reporter: IT'S A. SETBACK FOR STUDENTS. LIKE THIS. DO YOU KNOW OF KIDS. THIS IS THEIR ONE. FRESH MEAL OF THE DAY? >> YES, NUMEROUS.

NUMEROUS. >> Reporter: WHAT DO. THE CUTS MEAN? >> THEY'RE NOT TAKEN. CARE OF, NO ONE CARES, WE'RE NOT A PRIORITY, LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE. NOT THE PRIORITY, GIVING BACK IS NOT THE. PRIORITY. >> Reporter: NBC NEWS. REACHED OUT TO THE. USDA AND HAVE NOT. HEARD BACK. IT'S NOT JUST THE. STUDENTS WHO LOSE OUT, THIS LOCAL FARMER SAYS. A THIRD OF HIS. BUSINESSES COULD BE. IMPACTED BY THE CUTS. ARE YOU WORRIED YOU'RE. GOING TO LOSE YOUR. FARM? >> HALF AND HALF. >> Reporter: AN. IMMIGRANT FROM. GUATEMALA, NOW A U.S. CITIZEN, HE WORKED UP. FROM FARMHAND TO FARM. OWNER.

>> TO BE A FARMER. MEANS A LOT. I ENJOY TO GROW FOOD. AND FEED PEOPLE. >> Reporter: YOU ALSO. FEED KIDS. >> YEAH. I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHY. I CAME HERE. >> Reporter: NOW HE. FEARS HIS AMERICAN. DREAM IS IN DANGER. >> I'M GOING TO FIGHT. REALLY HARD TO KEEP MY. DREAM ALIVE. >> Reporter: THIS IS A. HUGE SETBACK. >> IT IS. >> Reporter: AND IT'S. NOT OVER. >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. WE'RE GOING TO FEED. THE KIDS NO MATTER. WHAT, THAT'S THE. ULTIMATE GOAL, KIDS.

WILL GET FED. >> Reporter: NBC NEWS, CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS. >>> MORE TONIGHT, WE'LL TELL YOU WHY. FOREVER 21 JUST. ANNOUNCED IT WON'T BE. >>> THEY SAY NOTHING. LASTS FOREVER. RETAILER FOREVER 21. HAS FILED FOR. BANKRUPTCY. BRIAN CHEUNG EXPLAINS. WHY THE COMPANY BLAMES. FOREIGN COMPETITION. FOR ITS DEMISE. >> Reporter: FOREVER. NO MORE, FOR FOUR.

DECADES, FOREVER 21. PRIDED ITSELF ON. CHEAP, TRENDY. CLOTHING, BUT THE FAST. FASHION GIANT IS. FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY. AND LIQUIDATING ITS. ASSETS. >> IT'S KIND OF GONE. DOWNHILL. >> Reporter: THE. CLOSURES COMING WITH. DEEP IN-STORE. DISCOUNTS AND UP TO. 80% OFF ONLINE. IN THE. FILING, IT BLAMED IN. PART FIERCE. COMPETITION FROM. CHINESE RETAILERS, SHEIN AND TEMU, THEY.

HAVE A TRADE AGREEMENT. WHERE THEY. CAN SKIRT TARIFFS. >> THEIR PRICES ARE. LOWER THAN FOREVER 21, MADE IT DIFFICULT TO. OPERATE. >> Reporter: FOREVER. 21, FOUNDED IN LOS. ANGELES, SURVIVED A BANKRUPTCY. FIVE YEARS AGO, RESTRUCTURING AND. CLOSING MORE THAN 100. STORES. UNABLE TO FIND A BUYER. FOR THE REMAINING. STORES, THIS IS LIKELY. THE END. THIS IS HAPPENING AT A. TIME OF CONCERN FOR. THE U.S. ECONOMY, THE. U.S. CONSUMER IS 70%. OF U.S. ECONOMIC. ACTIVITY. FEBRUARY SHOWS A TINY.

UPTICK IN CONSUMER. SPENDING, BUT IT'S. BELOW THE. DOW JONES FORECAST. FOREVER 21 JOINS THE. LIKES OF. PARTY CITY AND CRAFT. STORE JO-ANN GOING. BUST. >> FOR ME AS A. TEENAGER, IT WAS. LET'S GO TO. FOREVER 21. NOW I'M ALMOST 30 SO. I'M LIKE --. >> Reporter: NOT. FOREVER 21.