JOHN YANG: Tonight on PBS News Weekend, the Supreme Court temporarily blocks President Trump from carrying out new deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.

Then, a new study finds carcinogens in some of the most popular synthetic braiding hair being marketed to black women.

And 30 years after the Oklahoma City bombing, we speak with a firefighter captured in a photo that came to symbolize that tragic day.

MAN: I was just thinking that, you know, somebody's world is going to be turned upside down today.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: Good evening.

I'm John Yang.

In an unusual late night order, the Supreme Court temporarily barred the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan migrants being held in Texas using an 18th century law called the Alien Enemies Act.

The brief unsigned order came in response to an emergency petition filed by the ACLU just hours before Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.

It's the latest chapter in the challenges to President Trump's deportation strategy which are being fought out in a number of federal courts.

Amy Howe covers the Supreme Court for her website, amylhow.com and for SCOTUSBlog.

She's also argued cases before the Supreme Court.

Amy what exactly did the court do today?

And maybe just as important, what didn't they do?

AMY HOWE, SCOTUSblog: What the court did was the court barred the federal government, until the Supreme Court says otherwise, from removing Venezuelan migrants who are at a particular detention facility.

Really the case comes out of the Northern District of Texas, where a facility known as the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, is located.

And so lawyers from the ACLU had come to the Supreme Court filing an emergency appeal asking the justices to block the removal of Venezuelan migrants from that facility to El Salvador.

And the Supreme Court at 1 a.m. on Saturday morning issued an order that said until further notice from this court, the federal government can't remove anyone from this district.

The Supreme Court hasn't said anything about the substance of the president's order, which he issued back in March, relying on this Alien Enemies Act, this 1798 law that gives the president the power to order the removal of enemy aliens without, you know, to have them be removed relatively quickly.

You know, the order has only been -- the law has only been invoked three times in U.S. history during the War of 1812, during World War I, and during World War II.

And some lawyers and legal scholars say that the president can't rely on this law at all to remove anyone right now.

But the Supreme Court isn't weighing in on that right now, at least.

JOHN YANG: As we said, the court acted, not known for its speed, but had remarkable speed last night.

They did this just hours after the case was filed.

They didn't wait for the appeals court to act.

What does that say to you?

AMY HOWE: It says that they wanted to be -- they wanted to act quickly.

You know, not only did they not wait for the appeals court to act, they didn't wait for the federal government to weigh in.

You know, they directed the federal government to file a response as soon as possible, which is also unusual.

Usually they set a deadline for the federal government, but in this case, they just said as soon as possible after the court of appeals has weighed in.

And I think they wanted to act.

They wanted to make sure that these flights didn't take place.

You know, it's interesting because during a different hearing involving these flights in Washington, D.C. Before Chief Judge James Boasberg on Friday, a government lawyer represented to Judge Boasberg that there weren't going to be any flights on Friday or Saturday.

And yet the Supreme Court still took the really unusual step of issuing this order to make clear that these flights should not take place and that no one should be removed from this part of Texas to El Salvador.

JOHN YANG: Much has been made about the government's reaction, the administration's reaction, in response to the earlier Supreme Court ruling in the Abrego Garcia case.

Do you think that had anything to do with it?

AMY HOWE: I think it probably had a lot to do with it.

The lawyers from the ACLU referenced it obliquely in their briefs.

They said, you know, if you are going to send people over to El Salvador and if a mistake is made, you know, just sort of throw up your hands and say there's nothing we can do, then it is doubly important to make sure that there is due process and that the courts of this country can review these removals before they take place.

And then also, they're very clear in their wording in this order, saying, you know, until further notice from this court, you know, the government should not remove anyone because they've seen some of the sort of word games that have been played right now in the courts sort of about what exactly it means for the federal government to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return from El Salvador.

JOHN YANG: As you said, no court has ruled on the - - whether the administration has the right to use the Alien Enemies Act and the way they're using it.

Is it possible, or do you think it's likely or unlikely that the court could do that now in this case?

AMY HOWE: It's not clear when it's going to do that.

I mean, it seems inevitable that it's going to have to do that.

And as some legal scholars have pointed out, you know, the Supreme Court could save everyone a lot of trouble if it went ahead and ruled on this.

You know, if it were to rule that the Trump administration could rely on the Alien Enemies Act, then we'd still need to have this process before someone could be removed to El Salvador.

But if it were to rule that the Trump administration can't rely on the Alien Enemies Act, then it would certainly obviate the need for all of these proceedings because people couldn't be removed.

JOHN YANG: So what's next?

AMY HOWE: What's next is we now wait for the federal government to file its response to the application for the stay because the Supreme Court temporarily put the proceedings on hold.

But we'll see what the federal government has to say next and what the Supreme Court says after that.

JOHN YANG: We'll be watching.

Amy Howe, thank you very much.

AMY HOWE: Thanks for having me.

JOHN YANG: In tonight's other news, a surprise temporary ceasefire is in effect in Ukraine, announced after Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war.

Just a day earlier, President Trump said the United States might drop efforts to end the war if there's not progress soon.

President Vladimir Putin said Russia would cease all hostilities through Easter Sunday, but that his troops will be ready to respond to any attacks.

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed on social media extending the truce.

Thirty hours is enough to make headlines, but 30 days could give peace a chance.

Meanwhile, today's prisoner exchange was the largest since the war began.

246 Russian troops were returned from territory controlled by Kyiv, and Zelenskyy said 277 Ukrainian warriors were returned home.

The United States and Iran have agreed to meet again on Tehran's nuclear program after today's second round of mediated talks in Rome were described as positive.

Oman's foreign minister was again the intermediary between Iranian officials and the U.S. delegation, which was led by special envoy Steve Witkoff.

The group is set to meet again next week after experts meet to discuss technical issues.

President Trump wants an agreement to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanction relief to replace the deal he pulled out of in his first term.

Hamas says it doesn't know the whereabouts of Israeli American hostage Edan Alexander.

The group said the guard who was holding him was found dead, but didn't elaborate on the cause of death.

Israel is ramping up military operations in Gaza.

Overnight strikes killed 15 people.

Gaza's health ministry said the casualties included women and children who were in a designated humanitarian zone.

Vice President J.D.

Vance and his family are spending this Easter weekend in Rome.

During a visit to the Vatican today, Vance met with officials including Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state.

A statement from the Holy See said there was an exchange of opinions on a variety of topics, among them countries affected by war, migrants, refugees and prisoners.

Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019.

Earlier this year, the pope took aim at the administration for its mass deportation of migrants.

And the revolutionary war began 250 years ago today with a shot heard round the world.

On this date in 1775, British soldiers first encountered the Minutemen, whose refusal to back down led to the battles of Lexington and Concord.

Early this morning, thousands watched a reenactment of the battles and of Paul Revere's historic ride to warn that the British were coming.

It's the start of events marking the nation's 250th birthday.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, how synthetic hair braids may be putting black women's health in jeopardy and remembering the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing 30 years later.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: For years, black women have used synthetic braids to help style their hair.

But a recent study by Consumer Reports found that these fake hair strands can contain dangerous chemicals that pose a health threat.

Ali Rogin begins our report with a look at the rich history of braiding in black culture.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): Interweaving pieces of hair into styles like cornrows and twists began thousands of years ago.

In Africa, men and women would ravel intricately braided patterns on their heads, laced with gold adornments and hair extensions, these designs were a marker of class and age.

But by the 17th century, enslaved Africans would be forced to shave their heads, censoring their identity.

Only some were allowed to braid their hair.

Then, in the 20th century, as African Americans gained their freedom and status, some chose Eurocentric hairstyles, which meant flattening their hair and its natural curls.

NICOLE JENKINS, Howard University: When folks gained their freedom from enslavement, they chose to wear Eurocentric hairstyles as a means of safety, for a lot of reasons, assimilating to whiteness or Eurocentric standards of beauty could mean a job.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): Dr. Nicole Jenkins is an assistant professor of sociology and criminology at Howard University and a visiting professor at Harvard.

She says the civil rights era in the 1950s and 60s triggered a return for many black Americans to hairstyles that celebrated their African heritage.

NICOLE JENKINS: This was a way for folks in the black community to celebrate their blackness rather than try to assimilate or hide it.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): On popular shows like Soul Train, black Americans rocked a fro.

Others opted for braids, a classic look that exploded again in the late 90s and early 2000s.

R and B star Alicia Keys made them her aesthetic.

And in recent years, Beyonce would popularize Lemonade Braids, a new spin on the classic cornrow style of braids, named after the singer's 2016 album, Lemonade.

But now a new report is raising concerns about popular synthetic hair used in braided styles.

NICOLE JENKINS: Now this consumer report is coming out and saying that there are carcinogens within the braiding hair.

Right.

Which is the antithesis of what many black women are trying to do in the promotion of their hair health.

It has the ability to impact the natural hair movement and the hair industry quite a bit.

ALI ROGIN: Dr. Adana Llanos is an associate professor of epidemiology and co-leader of the Cancer Population Science program at Columbia University.

Dr. Llanos, thank you so much for joining us.

The Consumer Reports investigation found dangerous levels of these chemicals in some of the most popular synthetic braiding hair brands.

What do we know about the risks, the health risks of exposure to these toxins?

DR. ADANA LLANOS, Columbia University: Yeah.

So the recent tests by Consumer Reports revealed that these synthetic braiding hair products can contain a variety of toxic chemicals, including carcinogens, benzene and methylene chloride, as well as heavy metals like lead and cadmium.

And so this is a concern for consumers who use these products regularly and keep them on their hair long term.

ALI ROGIN: Certainly many consumer products have trace levels of toxic chemicals that you wouldn't want in big amounts.

But the notion that, you know, you have the braids on your head for a very long time, does that have an impact on the risks that may be associated with using these products long term?

ADANA LLANOS: Yeah, absolutely.

People that use these synthetic hair braiding products keep braids in their hair for six weeks, maybe eight weeks.

So if you think about it, these small doses of toxic chemical exposures really are long term sort of doses, which can be associated with increased risk of many outcomes.

ALI ROGIN: What should black women be aware of when purchasing and using these.

These types of synthetic hair?

ADANA LLANOS: I think the most important thing for black women and I think all consumers is to be aware of the products that they're using and to be aware of the potential harms from chemicals in those products.

ALI ROGIN: What is significant about the scale of the tests that have been done on hair braiding products so far and what still needs to be done and tested on?

ADANA LLANOS: I have a colleague at Silent Spring, Dr. Alicia Franklin, who's actually testing these same products.

We need more studies like this on these products and many other products that are widely available on the market to understand what these exposures are.

And in reality, we don't have long term studies that can tell us exactly what are the health hazards associated with using these products or what are the health hazards associated with long term exposures to the chemicals in these specific products.

ALI ROGIN: In terms of regulation, the FDA proposed a ban on formaldehyde in hair straightening products after studies revealed that causes cancer.

That ban has not yet gone into effect.

But based on what we've seen the FDA do with regard to previous products, how do you think the agency is going to respond to this kind of study?

ADANA LLANOS: You know, it's hard to say what the FDA will do in response to this study and other studies that my colleagues and I are actively conducting and, you know, data that we will be reporting out soon.

But all I can say is I believe that the FDA should regulate synthetic braiding products and many other consumer products that we know contain carcinogens and other toxic chemicals.

ALI ROGIN: Well, and to this point, studies have consistently shown that the.

There are fewer low hazard products available in the personal care category for black women than on the personal care market as a whole.

So are there deeper issues that are at play here?

ADANA LLANOS: Yes, I would say so.

And I think that's a really important point to raise.

I'm aware of a variety of brands and manufacturers that are moving towards providing, you know, cleaner, less toxic, whatever you want to call safer.

And I put that in quotes.

And so I think as these manufacturers recognize that consumers, including black women, are interested in products that are less toxic to their health.

I think it's up to these manufacturers to do the right thing and make better products.

And in addition to the manufacturers, I think the FDA needs to regulate products more widely so that we aren't concerned about the products that are widely available in our stores.

ALI ROGIN: Dr. Adana Llanos with Columbia University, thank you so much for joining us.

ADANA LLANOS: Thanks for having me.

JOHN YANG: There was a solemn ceremony this morning in Oklahoma City.

It honored the 168 men, women and children who died 30 years ago when anti-government extremist set off a powerful bomb outside the federal building there.

It's still the deadliest act of homegrown terrorism in U.S. history.

In the keynote address, former President Bill Clinton reflected on the indelible mark the tragedy left on the city.

BILL CLINTON, Former U.S. President: I know you still miss the people you lost, but by continuing to love them and honor them and working to rebuild your own lives and the lives of this community, you've gone a long way to redeem the lives they were not able to live.

JOHN YANG: A single photograph captured the horror of that day.

A firefighter cradling the lifeless body of a small child.

It appeared on front pages and magazine covers around the country.

The firefighter in that photo is Chris Fields.

He's now retired after more than 31 years on the Oklahoma City Fire Department.

Chris, thanks for being with us.

And the memories aren't too painful.

I'd like you to take us back to that day 30 years ago.

You were in the firehouse.

As I understand it, you felt the concussion of the explosion and you headed to the scene.

You didn't wait for dispatcher to send you guys headed out on your own.

As you neared the building, what did you see and what was going through your head when you saw it?

CHRIS FIELDS, Former Oklahoma City Fire Department: My station was 17 blocks to the north, and as were getting closer, I remember reporting on the radio that were still 11 or 12 blocks away and storefront windows were blown out and people were kind of walking out in a daze.

No injuries.

And then as we approached the building, it was just like a scene from like a horror movie.

All these people running towards you, running away from the building and a lot of, you know, glass injuries, flying debris injuries and things like that.

JOHN YANG: And how was it that you were carrying daily the one year old girl you're carrying in the photograph?

How did that happen?

CHRIS FIELDS: We had been assigned to go to the south side of the building to catch up with some other crews and start doing some search and rescue operations.

And a police officer said he had a critical infant.

And I just put my arms out and said, here, I'll take her.

And first thing I did was check her for any signs of life.

I cleared some concrete dust out of her throat.

She had some other injuries, but I didn't find any signs of life.

And I went across the street to an ambulance and I told the paramedic, I have a critical infant and I'm waiting for him to get a blanket out of the ambulance to put her on the ground because the ambulance was full.

And you know, the next day, seeing the photo, finding out that's when the photo was taken, when I was standing there waiting for the paramedic to get a blanket.

JOHN YANG: You know, looking at that photo, the way you're cradling her, the way you're looking at her, it's like you're carrying your own child.

Do you remember what was going through your head at the time?

CHRIS FIELDS: Yes, sir.

Once I saw the photo, I knew exactly where I was standing and what I was doing and thinking.

My oldest son, who's 32 now, he was 2 at the time, so I knew they were close in age.

And most people know bailey had turned one year old the day before on April 18th.

I was just thinking that, you know, somebody's world, somebody's world is going to be turned upside down today.

Met the mother like a couple of days afterwards.

A reporter, a local reporter from here kind of set it up.

And at first I didn't want to.

I didn't know what I would say, what I would do, what their reaction was going to be.

Then the reporter said, well, the mother wants to meet you and the police officer and that changed everything because I said, well, that's what she wants and that's what we're going to do.

And we've maintained that relationship for 30 years as friends.

JOHN YANG: What did she say to you?

Do you remember?

CHRIS FIELDS: I do.

It's still a emotional meeting to think about.

Here was this 20-year old single mother, just lost her only child, comforting what are supposed to be these big, tough first responders.

And she just thanked us.

She thanked us that her baby was out and she knew the fate of her daughter.

She knew there were a lot of other families still waiting.

And as you tell, it's still emotional for me.

And she said that she could tell by the way were handling Bailey that were fathers and she appreciated the way we handled her.

JOHN YANG: You were not only a player in this horrific event, but you ended up by happenstance in the photograph that came to symbolize it.

How did those two things affect you?

CHRIS FIELDS: You know, I struggled for a while with the being singled out.

It's not something we look to do or strive to do or want to do in the fire service, but the support I had from my brothers and sisters on the fire department was overwhelming.

I struggled with a lot of the stuff about, you know, meeting Bailey's mother and knowing that, you know, I'm the last one that she knows that held her child and struggled with, you know, like I say, being singled out a retired fire chief really helped me.

And he said, you know what he sees when he sees that photo is the firefighter is not Chris Fields.

It's just a image of all the first responders that responded that day.

And he doesn't see Bailey Almond.

He sees her representing all the innocence that was lost that day.

JOHN YANG: You talked about the support you got from your brothers and sisters in the fire department.

You're sort of paying it forward now, aren't you?

You're working with first responders now.

Tell us about that work.

CHRIS FIELDS: Years after the bombing, you know, through the bombing experience and other things during my career, things kind of spiraled out of control in my life, my personal life, and diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation.

I checked all the boxes and it was surely showing in my personal life, but through people reaching out to help me and me finally realizing I wasn't alone.

I wasn't the only one feeling that way.

I reached out, got the help I needed.

And I feel like that is -- that's what my calling is now, is to let other first responders know whether they're early, earlier in their career, coming from retirement, how many years they've got that all these feelings and emotions they have after some of the traumatic things we see and do over career, they're perfectly normal.

And they're not alone because you do.

Even though there's thousands of firefighters across the country, you feel like you're the only one feeling what you're feeling.

JOHN YANG: Chris Fields, thanks so much for sharing your memories with us after that difficult day.

Thank you very much.

CHRIS FIELDS: Thank you so much for having me.

JOHN YANG: Now online, current and former NOAA employees explain how the dwindling number of workers will affect the agency's ability to accomplish its missions.

All that and more is on our website, PBS.org NewsHour and that is PBS News Weekend for this Saturday.

I'm John Yang.

For all of my colleagues, thanks for joining us.

See you tomorrow.

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