The Walls Are Closing In

Trump’s Immigration Crackdown: Past, Present, and Future 

What’s going on: Symbolism is powerful — look no further than the metal cages used at "Alligator Alcatraz," a now-shuttered immigration detention facility in South Florida. President Donald Trump joked about the center’s dangerous conditions in the past, but a new report from a Department of Homeland Security watchdog shows just how bad conditions were at the facility. It said “Alligator Alcatraz” — which housed over 21,000 migrants — failed to meet national standards for food, medical care, personal hygiene, and recreation. Additionally, nearly 80 detainees were held in “calming areas,” which were small metal enclosures the size of phone booths that exposed them to heat and mosquitoes for hours. Though he didn’t read the report, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) defended the facility’s conditions Monday, saying it was a “crucial part” of Florida’s efforts to “remove criminals.”

It’s not the only thing under review: Yesterday, several major cities and 22 states (plus Washington, DC) sued the Trump administration to block the “public charge rule,” which is set to take effect Friday. The policy would allow federal officials to deny green cards to immigrants who use public assistance (like SNAP or housing aid), or to those they believe could become dependent on those benefits in the future. While noncitizens are rarely eligible for these benefits, advocates worry the rule will keep US citizens with family members who don’t have the same status from seeking assistance. NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said as many as 4 million people across the country could unenroll from their health insurance, while DHS says at least 950,000 could forgo social services. DHS defended its policy, saying Democratic-led sanctuary states and cities are only worried about losing federal funding.

Related: The DOJ Just Used a Special Court To Deport a Legal US Resident to Afghanistan (NPR)

The Walls Are Closing In

Trump’s Immigration Crackdown: Past, Present, and Future 

What’s going on: Symbolism is powerful — look no further than the metal cages used at “Alligator Alcatraz,” a now-shuttered immigration detention facility in South Florida. President Donald Trump joked about the center’s dangerous conditions in the past, but a new report from a Department of Homeland Security watchdog shows just how bad conditions were at the facility. It said “Alligator Alcatraz” — which housed over 21,000 migrants — failed to meet national standards for food, medical care, personal hygiene, and recreation. Additionally, nearly 80 detainees were held in “calming areas,” which were small metal enclosures the size of phone booths that exposed them to heat and mosquitoes for hours. Though he didn’t read the report, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) defended the facility’s conditions Monday, saying it was a “crucial part” of Florida’s efforts to “remove criminals.”

It’s not the only thing under review: Yesterday, several major cities and 22 states (plus Washington, DC) sued the Trump administration to block the “public charge rule,” which is set to take effect Friday. The policy would allow federal officials to deny green cards to immigrants who use public assistance (like SNAP or housing aid), or to those they believe could become dependent on those benefits in the future. While noncitizens are rarely eligible for these benefits, advocates worry the rule will keep US citizens with family members who don’t have the same status from seeking assistance. NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said as many as 4 million people across the country could unenroll from their health insurance, while DHS says at least 950,000 could forgo social services. DHS defended its policy, saying Democratic-led sanctuary states and cities are only worried about losing federal funding.

Related: The DOJ Just Used a Special Court To Deport a Legal US Resident to Afghanistan (NPR)

Sources: The New York Times, The Guardian, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, USA Today

Drama at the Theater

Bankruptcy Blues at the Kennedy Center

What's going on: Give them President Donald Trump’s name on the building, or give them… bankruptcy? Those are the apparent cries from trustees at the embattled Kennedy Center who claim the venue needs financial help or it could close as early as today. The president has offered to raise money, but according to documents obtained by The New York Times, he needs his name put back on the building to fundraise successfully. President Trump named himself Chairman of the Kennedy Center in 2025 and replaced dozens of board members with his own appointees. Since December, a legal back-and-forth has played out over the center’s renovations, name, and fate. Now, officials who stand behind the president say the renovations are necessary for safety. Oh, and they also brainstormed 10 different ways to inscribe Trump’s name back on the building (yes, 10).

This feels like another Reflecting Pool situation: Indeed. And like that debacle, it’s not clear who’s to blame. Following the president’s takeover, ticket sales and fundraising plummeted, according to a Washington Post report last month. The board allegedly knew of the theater’s financial troubles, including a $100 million revenue shortfall, but claimed it inherited a mismanaged theater. Even as artists canceled performances and donors walked away because of Trump, the center characterized him as the savior the theater needed. Skeptics aren’t buying it. “This constant effort to add Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center facade is the definition of insanity,” one trustee said.

Related: The “Frankenstein Nature” of President Trump’s DC Architecture (The Guardian)

Drama at the Theater 

Bankruptcy Blues at the Kennedy Center

What’s going on: Give them President Donald Trump’s name on the building, or give them…  bankruptcy? Those are the apparent cries from trustees at the embattled Kennedy Center who claim the venue needs financial help or it could close as early as today. The president has offered to raise money, but according to documents obtained by The New York Times, he needs his name put back on the building to fundraise successfully. President Trump named himself Chairman of the Kennedy Center in 2025 and replaced dozens of board members with his own appointees. Since December, a legal back-and-forth has played out over the center’s renovations, name, and fate. Now, officials who stand behind the president say the renovations are necessary for safety. Oh, and they also brainstormed 10 different ways to inscribe Trump’s name back on the building (yes, 10).

This feels like another Reflecting Pool situation: Indeed. And like that debacle, it’s not clear who’s to blame. Following the president’s takeover, ticket sales and fundraising plummeted, according to a Washington Post report last month. The board allegedly knew of the theater’s financial troubles, including a $100 million revenue shortfall, but claimed it inherited a mismanaged theater. Even as artists canceled performances and donors walked away because of Trump, the center characterized him as the savior the theater needed. Skeptics aren’t buying it. “This constant effort to add Donald Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center facade is the definition of insanity,” one trustee said.

Related: The “Frankenstein Nature” of President Trump’s DC Architecture (The Guardian)

Sources: The New York Times, NPR, The Washington Post, ABC News, The Hill

When a Care Package Isn’t Enough

A Mom Away from Mom

What's going on: For many college students, freshman year marks the first time they’ve been away from their parents for longer than a sleepover or summer camp. But luckily — or unluckily, depending on who you ask — they don’t have to be alone. A new generation of anxious parents is turning to concierge services, hiring another “mom” to help their children out. Companies with names like the Bama Mama, the GA Mom, and Campus Mom offer support for college students transitioning into a new level of independence. There’s a big range in both cost and what’s covered: Packages start as low as about $500 per year but, depending on the service, can top $10,000 per year. And while some companies make a point of not doing students’ laundry, others will wash their dirty clothes, clean their dorm rooms, coach them through sorority recruitment, and deliver their favorite energy drinks. Don’t worry, they won’t provide beer for frat parties.

Is this just helicopter parenting?: Some experts say yes. One clinical psychologist told USA Today that these services can interfere with young adult development. However, others argue the extra support can make a tough transition easier on both kids and parents — particularly moms, who tend to do the majority of childcare. That’s especially true when parents live far away and don’t know the local community and culture (like all those Northern kids applying to Southern schools after watching Bama Rush TikToks). For some families, it’s a relief to have someone check on their kids if they get sick or start ignoring their texts, even if it’s a stranger they’re paying. “It’s not a DoorDasher,” one real mom told The New York Times of the campus mom service she hired for her son. “It’s like a surrogacy.” 

Related: Some Parents Are Hiring Professional Decorators for Dorm Rooms (Axios)

When a Care Package Isn’t Enough

A Mom Away from Mom

What’s going on: For many college students, freshman year marks the first time they’ve been away from their parents for longer than a sleepover or summer camp. But luckily — or unluckily, depending on who you ask — they don’t have to be alone. A new generation of anxious parents is turning to concierge services, hiring another “mom” to help their children out. Companies with names like the Bama Mama, the GA Mom, and Campus Mom offer support for college students transitioning into a new level of independence. There’s a big range in both cost and what’s covered: Packages start as low as about $500 per year but, depending on the service, can top $10,000 per year. And while some companies make a point of not doing students’ laundry, others will wash their dirty clothes, clean their dorm rooms, coach them through sorority recruitment, and deliver their favorite energy drinks. Don’t worry, they won’t provide beer for frat parties.

Is this just helicopter parenting?: Some experts say yes. One clinical psychologist told USA Today that these services can interfere with young adult development. However, others argue the extra support can make a tough transition easier on both kids and parents — particularly moms, who tend to do the majority of childcare. That’s especially true when parents live far away and don’t know the local community and culture (like all those Northern kids applying to Southern schools after watching Bama Rush TikToks). For some families, it’s a relief to have someone check on their kids if they get sick or start ignoring their texts, even if it’s a stranger they’re paying. “It’s not a DoorDasher,” one real mom told The New York Times of the campus mom service she hired for her son. “It’s like a surrogacy.” 

Related: Some Parents Are Hiring Professional Decorators for Dorm Rooms (Axios)

Sources: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today

Quick Hits

🎤 Macklemore may have been booted off of Ed Sheeran’s tour, but here’s why he considers it his “most successful” one yet. 

🏨 Flight attendants call it the “hotel room autopsy” — a six-step safety check when overnighting away from home. And it only takes 90 seconds.

🍑 Martha Stewart is ready to launch the next chapter in her empire: her nudes. Because that’s what’s left for the woman who’s done it all.

🏆 Megan Stalter may have taken that advice to "visualize a win" a little too literally — but she can never be too much.

🔪 So are plastic cutting boards safe? Oncologists weigh in. At this point, we don’t even know if we wanna know.

😵‍💫 If you’re feeling extra moody this month, there’s a scientific reason why. And no, it’s not perimenopause this time.

💇‍♀️ You knew this day was coming: Crimped hair is back. Now, start the timer on Bump-Its.

✏️ Before you buy a single school supply, try these back-to-school savings strategies. Psst… tip #6 is criminally underrated.* 

Report Card

Tell Us How We’re Skimm’ng

It’s that time of year again — when we ask you, our brilliant and very honest readers, to review our performance. This is a chance to tell us what you think — about our newsletters, social posts, the Well Played podcast, our interviews with athletes, celebrities, and notable women across industries, or anything else we do. Feel like there’s something we aren’t covering enough? We want to hear that, too. As always, we’ll read every word — and use it to inform the stories, features, and tools that matter to you.