Following backlash over the shooting deaths of two American citizens, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ended its immigration surge in Minnesota. This may cool temperatures in Minneapolis, but ICE is now looking to new cities, concerning Democratic officials that more social unrest could come.

In ICE’s sights
Several cities and states are reportedly on ICE’s list to send officers. One of the most notable is a Republican-led state. The Trump administration is “eyeing Ohio for immigration enforcement operations” that are “expected to target Haitian immigrants,” said MS Now. This is largely due to the expiration of their Temporary Protected Status earlier this month.

Prominent Democrat-led areas are also likely to be in ICE’s crosshairs. As a result, counties in California like Alameda in Oakland are “hoping to create a response plan” for ICE activities, said KGO-TV San Francisco. This includes policy proposals to “ensure there’s a countywide response plan to ICE activity,” as well as a plan to “create ICE-free zones.”

The ‘biggest driver’
There are also questions as to how ICE determines which cities to target. The “biggest driver would be immigrant population, how significant a population is there in that particular community,” said John Sandweg, who served as director of ICE from 2013 to 2014, to Fox News. Another determinant is if there’s a “sanctuary policy that would increase the number of at-large targets," said Sandweg to Fox. 

Despite DHS potentially losing funding due to a partial government shutdown, these targeted enforcement efforts may not end soon. ICE “does not have the manpower” to target every city in the U.S., said Jacob Hamburger, a law professor at Marquette University, to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. But the “point of a lot of these operations is to get everybody thinking, ‘What if we’re next?’”

Trying to become pregnant, whether you are struggling with fertility or not, can be an incredibly stressful process. Now, an emerging social media trend has influencers convincing people that the key to a healthy pregnancy lies in how you prepare during the time leading up to it.

What does ‘zero trimester’ mean?
On TikTok and Instagram, the “cultural obsession with wellness and optimization” has come for the “murky preconception period,” coined the zero trimester by sociologist Miranda Waggoner in her 2017 book by the same name, said Wired. The message is simple: If you “follow this wellness formula,” you will “set yourself up for the quickest conception, the easiest pregnancy and the healthiest child.”

Pregnant women have “long been subject to endless rules on how to treat their bodies,” said The Cut. But increasingly, it feels like the “goal post has been moved back.” The recommendations from zero-trimester influencers range from drinking raw milk to not using nail polish to filtering air.

Is the advice worth listening to?
Many people struggle to get pregnant, and some doctors agree that the standard medical advice just to wait and see is failing them. Yet claims about the “importance of trimester-zero strain credulity,” said The Cut. Listening to some of the influencers, it’s “easy to come away thinking that if you struggle to get pregnant or have a difficult pregnancy, it’s your fault.”

Some experts argue that the new attention around preconception is a “very positive, exciting development,” as healthy moms “usually spell better outcomes for mom and baby,” said Wired. There are so many things that can be done to “optimize underlying health in that preconception year that will make outcomes in pregnancy better,” Natalie Clark Stentz, an ob-gyn and infertility specialist at Michigan Medicine, said to Wired.

The zero trimester trend can “make women feel guilty or blame-worthy if their outcome isn’t perfect, however they are defining perfect,” said Waggoner. It promotes the idea that there’s a “causal and deterministic link between preconception care behaviors and birth outcomes,” and that’s what can be “problematic for both individuals and at a policy level.”

U.S. Olympian Chloe Kim competes in the women’s snowboard halfpipe final, ultimately earning a silver medal. Her hopes of becoming the first woman snowboarder to win three Olympic gold medals were dashed by Gaon Choi of South Korea in her Olympic debut.
Patrick Smith / Getty Images

Composing a letter doesn’t have to be a lost art. Staying in (analog) touch is easy and enjoyable with these fun pens, stickers, cards and seals.

Good Juju Ink Butterfly Effect stationery set
Everything you need to write a note is included in this beautiful butterfly-themed set. In addition to 20 gold-foil-stamped paper sheets, you will find 20 gold-metallic-lined envelopes, 20 gold-foil-stamped butterfly seals and a ballpoint pen. The paper is keepsake quality, so expect your pen pal to keep your letter forever. ($45, Good Juju Ink)

Lamy Safari fountain pen
Writing with a fountain pen is a “lovely rebuttal” to the digital world, especially when your instrument is the Lamy Safari, said Esquire. This “durable” pen’s steel nib is “wonderful” to use, and the molded grip is “easy to hold for long periods.” There are different nib widths to choose from (including an option for people who are left-handed), and each one “writes flawlessly every time.” ($37, Lamy)

Pipsticks Air Mail Accents washi tape
Decorate and seal your envelopes with this cute tape made of washi (paper handmade with natural fibers), featuring a retro-inspired Air Mail design. The removable tape sticks securely and adds a pop of color to all your special deliveries. ($4, Pipsticks)