theSkimm - Please don't slow me down

Update location or View forecast

“Elmo will check in again soon, friends”

— Elmo on X, after the internet collectively trauma dumped on him. We’re tickled.

Top Story

A Lone Star

The Story

The rift between Texas and the Biden admin over the southern border is growing.

How did we get here?

Immigration at the US-Mexico border has been surging for years. In the 2023 fiscal year, there were a record more than 2.4 million border apprehension cases. Compare that to less than 500,000 in the 2014 fiscal year under the Obama admin. Many migrants are fleeing war, cartel violence, and environmental disasters. Some reports found the uptick is also tied to a growing network of smugglers. In response, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has taken the matter into his own hands — setting up a standoff with the Biden admin.

Tell me more.

Texas has put up razor wire and buoys along the Rio Grande River to deter migrants from crossing. Abbott has also sent migrants to Democratic-led cities and signed a law allowing state officials to arrest undocumented immigrants. It's led the Biden admin to take Texas to court. Last week, SCOTUS told Texas it has to take down the razor wire (which Texas has said it won’t do). So far, 25 Republican governors are backing Abbott in the border standoff with Biden. Meanwhile, the immigration fight has spilled over into Congress.

Explain.

Yesterday, a bipartisan House committee voted to move forward with both articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The House GOP accuses him of mishandling the border and making false statements to Congress. Mayorkas rejected the allegations, saying the “false accusations do not rattle” him. Now, the full House could vote on the articles next week. It's unclear if there's enough support in the House to impeach, with Republicans only having a slim majority. If the articles advance past the lower chamber, Mayorkas would be one step closer to becoming the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached in nearly 150 years.

theSkimm

The standoff between Texas and the federal government is raising concerns of violence. As the immigration debate continues, voters are placing it as one of the leading issues in the 2024 election.

Related Stories:

And Also...This

Where tensions have been rising…

The West Bank. Yesterday, Israeli soldiers disguised as medical workers and civilians raided a hospital in the West Bank town of Jenin, killing three Palestinian militants. Hamas confirmed one of the men was a commander. Islamic Jihad claimed the other two men. The operation raised fears that violence could escalate further in the West Bank. The Israeli military accused the militants of using the hospital as a hideout and said it was “another example of the cynical use of civilian areas and hospitals as shelters and human shields.” Hamas and Islamic Jihad threatened to retaliate. The International Committee of the Red Cross said “hospitals and medical patients should be respected and protected at all times.”

…Oh and speaking of rising tensions, President Biden said he decided on how he'll respond to the attack that killed three US soldiers. He didn’t share details but said he doesn’t think we need “a wider war.”

What’s giving mixed signals…

The stock market. Yesterday, Alphabet and Microsoft both saw their shares dip after posting positive quarterly results. Microsoft said it raked in $62 billion in sales last quarter, thanks in part to its cloud services. Alphabet said its revenue grew by 13%, as more people are willing to pay for YouTube. Still, investors expected the companies to do better, especially with the help of AI. The updates follow layoffs in the tech and media industries. On the upside, job openings grew last month. Today, the Fed is also expected to announce that it's keeping interest rates the same.

Who officials have questions for...

Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO). Yesterday, she confirmed the Justice Department is investigating her for alleged misuse of campaign funds. Officials are looking into whether the progressive Democrat improperly paid her husband as he worked security for her in 2022. Bush said she paid him with campaign funds, which lawmakers can do as long as family members offer a “bona fide service” at a fair market value. She maintains the payments to her husband followed the rules and says she's “fully cooperating” with the investigation.

…Oh and speaking of progressive lawmakers in hot water, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) said he regrets posting a poem that included 9/11 conspiracy theories.

Whose legal troubles are adding up…

Imran Khan's. Today, the former PM of Pakistan and his wife were sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption. This comes just one day after Khan was sentenced to another 10 years for leaking state secrets.

Who has some whipping out a small violin...

Elon Musk.

While National Geographic shares its best travel spots…

One could be a stop on the Hot Girl Summer tour.

Skimm Picks

Here are today’s recs to help you live a smarter life…

1. How to keep your eyes healthy if you stare at screens all day.

We teamed up with the American Optometric Association to break down the symptoms of excessive screen time and provide five easy ways to take better care of your eyes.*

See for yourself

2. How to prioritize your mental health without leaving home.

Just take this questionnaire to get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours. So you can start talking or messaging from wherever you’re comfiest. Use code ‘skimm’ for $50 off.*

Get started

3. A delicious greens blend that doesn’t taste like powder.

These plant-based blends include 14 (count ‘em) different fruits, veggies, and greens that’ll take your morning juice or smoothie to the next level. Sans gluten or added sugars. Snag some before they sell out.*

Green on

4. Send this to your partner so you'll get something you actually want on Valentine's Day.

And they'll thank you for taking the pressure off them. Everybody wins.

Send the hint

Psst…love our recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag).

On Our Vision Board

(Re)decorating our space — without breaking the bank. We’re sharing our must-have tips, tricks, and recs for anyone who’s ready to make their house feel more like home.

THESKIMM BETA

We're building a tool to help you cross off the to-dos keeping you up at night. Meet theSkimm Beta, a space where you can learn how to manage your debt and get more pleasure. Check it out.

Skimm'rs

We like to celebrate the wins, big and small. Let us know how your friends, neighbors, coworkers (and yes, even you) are making career moves, checking off goals, or making an impact in the community.

Rising up the ranks…Kelsey L (CO). She passed all of her qualification exams to be a broker. On top of that, her promotion kicks in next month.

(Some) Birthdays…Alex Biehl (GA), Cat Roberts (VA), Jenna Elson (NY), Tabata Gallina (Brazil), Mona Liddell (NC), Aly Glick (DC), Nairi Esayan (NY), Sue Gravas (ME), Elisabeth Shaughnessy (CT), Maureen Rich Wallace (NC), Terra Marshall (OH), Leah Forest (MD), Alix Tarnowsky (LA)

PS: Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured.