Tears, Chaos, and Last-Ditch Entry Attempts at the Southern Border

What's Happening

Immigration

Tears, Chaos, and Last-Ditch Entry Attempts at the Southern Border

What's going on: The Trump administration’s move to end a Biden-era program for migrants has created chaos at the southern border. Moments after President Donald Trump was sworn in, the CBP One app — which had allowed nearly 1,500 migrants a day to schedule asylum appointments — shut down. People with scheduled appointments for Monday received abrupt cancellation emails written in English. In response, some sat at the border fence in tears, while others made perilous, last-ditch attempts to cross into the US in other ways, The New York Times reported. For many, returning to their home countries wasn’t an option, as they were escaping violence. As one migrant told The Times: “We do this out of need, not because we want to.” 

What it means: Since its launch in January 2023, CBP One has facilitated appointments for over 900,000 people. Combined with Mexico’s tightened immigration policies, analysts say the app contributed to a decline in unauthorized crossings last year. However, critics — particularly some Republicans — argued the program served as a backdoor for individuals without a legal pathway to the US. Nixing CBP One isn’t Trump’s only move to crack down on immigration. He also declared a national emergency at the border — a tactic he used during his first term. However, this time, he’s taking it a step further by involving the military in immigration enforcement. Yesterday, the Trump administration also announced immigration authorities will be able to make arrests at schools, churches, and healthcare facilities.

Related: Could Deportations Lead to Higher Prices? Economists Weigh In (Politico)

Tech

Does Social Media Feel Off Right Now?

What's going on: If social media was supposed to be our digital escape hatch, it seems to be failing — because the vibes online are off. In recent days, users on Instagram and Facebook have accused Meta of hiding certain hashtags like #Democrat and #Jan6th. Meta said the issue was impacting a number of different hashtags — not just those related to the left — and was working to fix it. Many users were also concerned after finding that their accounts mysteriously followed President Donald Trump and VP JD Vance, though Meta says it’s part of the automatic presidential transition and happens each cycle. Over on TikTok, some users are returning post-ban only to find their algorithms completely changed. As one user put it, “it just feels like someone was in my room moving things around, but I don’t know what's wrong yet.”

What it means: Whether these anecdotal reports are due to tech glitches or user error, many people are feeling on edge. Major changes and announcements on platforms — like TikTok thanking Trump before he was sworn in — have created confusion and distrust. Trump has long claimed Facebook censors conservatives, despite data showing right-wing voices often dominate the platform. And now some users fear that his cozying up with the tech bros means things could be swinging the other way. Critics like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have seized the moment to decry Big Tech. One social media expert called the hashtag issue “embarrassing” for Meta, saying “in a hyper-partisan environment, even unintentional errors like this can escalate into accusations of partisanship.”

Related: TikTok’s Editing Tool Is Banned, and Meta Just So Happens To Have a Backup Coming (Vulture)

Work

Gen Z Isn't Feeling So Great About Their Careers. Welcome to the Club

What's going on: Gen Z appears to be in the throes of a collective quarter-life crisis, grappling with career uncertainty and life’s general direction. Extremely relatable. A new report from MetLife found that 46% of Gen Z respondents said they felt stressed and another 44% felt burned out. On top of that, about 30% said they also struggled with feelings of isolation. Unsurprisingly, all this is taking a toll on their workplace confidence. MetLife notes that a few voluntary benefits could help Gen Z feel better about their workplace, like retirement planning support, pet insurance, and childcare benefits (not a shocker). 

What it means: Gen Z is facing an unprecedented set of obstacles, including record inflation and rising housing costs. Nearly half still rely on financial support from either their family or the government. While other generations, like millennials or Gen X, may share similar concerns about their career paths, Gen Z remains the youngest generation in the workforce. They’re expected to make up about 30% of the labor force this year, stepping in to fill a significant gap left by baby boomers.  

Related: Feeling Burned Out? How an Adult “Gap Year” Will (and Won’t) Fix It (PS)

Well Played

The week's sports news and culture stories, ranked.

Hang it in the Louvre: USWNT star Naomi Girma is on the verge of a record-breaking $1.1 million move to play soccer in Europe. Get your bag.

Winning: Talk about perfection, Jordan Chiles scored a perfect 10 for this bars routine. The celebration was a 15 in our book.

Chaotic: Cam’ron is blaming Gelo’s (yes, the basketball player) halftime performance for the Detroit Lions’ loss to the Washington Commanders.

Ouch: “Stop fighting over me” — Ilona Maher showing off her broken nose after a rugby game. That had to hurt.

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Settle This

Meta denies it's boosting President Trump and his administration on its platforms. Has your experience on social media felt different these last few days? 

Extra Credit

Read

Life can turn upside down in an instant — something the protagonist of Alice Feeney’s Beautiful Ugly knows all too well. The dark psychological thriller follows Grady Green, an author whose wife, Abby, goes missing the same night his book lands on the New York Times bestseller list. Fast forward a year, and Grady is still so grief-stricken that his agent suggests he travel to a remote Scottish island to try and get his life back on track. But there, he sees a woman who looks just like Abby — which is somehow only the beginning of Grady’s troubles.

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