Your Morning: Biden plans border shutdown cap: Report

Developing: President Joe Biden may soon issue an executive order to shut down the southern border, according to a new report. A White House source indicates that Biden plans to grant himself the power to deport undocumented immigrants once crossings reach 4,000 per day, the New York Post reports. 4,000 crossings per day is a threshold that’s frequently exceeded, including this past April. What to know > 

Star witness: Former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial, now in its fourth week of testimony, will resume Thursday in Manhattan with a potentially explosive cross-examination of Michael Cohen by the defense. As of now, Cohen is prosecutors’ final witness. The latest > 

Ohio train derailment: More than a year after a Norfolk Southern train derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, residents say they are still struggling to get accurate information about toxic chemicals around their homes. While the EPA insists there is no evidence of sustained vinyl chloride exposure in the community, an independent group’s testing told a different story in a resident’s home. Full report > 

Background: On the evening of Feb. 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train derailed as it traveled through East Palestine, sending dozens of train cars off the tracks. On Feb. 6, 2023, officials in East Palestine vented and burned five tank cars full of vinyl chloride. The EPA gave the all-clear days later for those who evacuated the area to return. Residents complained of sickness and rashes. Norfolk Southern reached a $600 million settlement in a class action lawsuit, but some residents say they still want to see more after the fiery derailment left them with health issues. Details >

‘Hints all the way through’: A 20-year-old word puzzle created by the infamous BTK killer Dennis Rader contains the name of missing Oklahoma teen Cynthia Kinney. The 16-year-old vanished from a laundromat in 1976, and a local sheriff started combing through evidence in the case in 2022. Other potential clues hidden in the word puzzle > 

Background: Rader, who gave himself the nickname BTK for “bind, torture and kill,” killed from 1974 to 1991. He played a cat-and-mouse game with investigators and reporters for decades before he was caught in 2005. He is now serving 10 life terms in Kansas, one for each of the victims he confessed to killing. What to know about the killer > 

‘Take accountability’: A former Child Protective Services caseworker says implicit bias and a workforce crisis may have contributed to the death of a 6-year-old New Jersey boy allegedly killed by his father. Bre Micciolo, Corey Micciolo’s mother, said she reported suspected abuse more than 100 times in 18 months, but no action was taken before the child’s death. The child’s father, Christopher Gregor, is charged with first-degree murder. Video shows Gregor forcing his son to run on a treadmill, continually increasing the speed, causing Corey to fall off it face-first about six times. Author Jessica Pryce told NewsNation’s “CUOMO” that CPS has “to take accountability for what happened in this case.” Watch the interview > 

High prices: While inflation is slowing, there seems to be new sticker shock each day at the grocery store. The inflation rate in April was 3.4%, compared to 3.5% in March. Grocery prices are up by over 1% compared to last year and by 25% since the pandemic. That means the average cost to feed a family of four is nearly $1,000 per month. The latest figures > 

Debt: Credit card delinquencies are on the rise, as a report from the New York Federal Reserve shows nearly a fifth of borrowers are “maxed-out.” Researchers found that an increasing number of people missed credit card payments, which revealed worsening financial distress among some households. Full report >

Speech backlash: Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s condemnation of working women, LGBTQ+ people, President Joe Biden, abortion, in vitro fertilization and other “degenerative cultural values” in a graduation speech has sparked outrage among football fans and the NFL itself. “What an absolute slap in the face to every woman who has supported the Chiefs,” one fan posted. NFL Chief Diversity Officer Jonathan Beane said Butker gave the speech in his personal capacity. “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization,” Beane said. Read more > 

What’s happening: The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote Thursday on a bill that would force President Joe Biden and the Democrats to follow through on arms transfers to Israel. The bill would also defund the offices of the State and Defense departments until all of the aid meant for Israel is sent. Full breakdown of the bill > 

Gaza Strip pier project complete: As Israeli forces continue the assault on Rafah, the U.S. military said Thursday it finished installing a floating pier for the Gaza Strip. Officials are expected to begin ferrying humanitarian aid into the area following months of intense fighting in the Israel-Hamas war. The latest > 

What’s going on: Former Justice Stephen Breyer took time to talk with NewsNation and reflect on his many years in the Supreme Court. In a wide-ranging interview with host Dan Abrams, Breyer talked about the role politics played in his decision to retire in 2022 and criticism of the court. In the 40 years Breyer served on the bench, many of them on the Supreme Court, he said he’s never seen justices try to help their own political agendas. Watch the interview >