The number of migrants apprehended at the southern U.S. border has plummeted over the past two months, in spite of expectations of a big influx after the lifting of Title 42 in May. Perhaps the biggest reason for the drop, officials say, is that President Biden’s stringent new asylum rules have effectively turned migrants away.

Today, that policy was struck down by a federal judge in California, dealing a major blow to Biden’s efforts to manage immigration along the southern border.

Immigrant advocacy groups had challenged the new requirements that migrants secure an appointment at an official port of entry or prove that they sought legal protection in another country before applying for asylum in the U.S. The groups argued that the policy left migrants vulnerable during long waits in Mexico border towns and that it mimicked a Trump administration rule that had already been blocked.

The judge — Jon Tigar, an Obama appointee — sided with the advocacy groups, writing that the policy was “both substantively and procedurally invalid.” He however stayed his order for 14 days, giving the Biden administration time for an appeal.

The administration argued in court that the rule had prevented chaos at the border and that unlawful crossings would spike if it were rescinded. If a surge happens, it could open up Biden to political attacks just as the 2024 campaign ramps up.

Harvard’s legacy admissions come under scrutiny

The Education Department opened a civil rights investigation into Harvard University’s preferences for the relatives of alumni and donors when making admissions decisions.

The move followed a formal complaint that was filed after the Supreme Court last month rejected the use of affirmative action at colleges around the country. The groups that filed the complaint argued that Harvard’s so-called legacy admissions illegally discriminated against Black, Hispanic and Asian applicants in favor of wealthy students who were less qualified.

The mysterious downfall of China’s foreign minister

The foreign minister, Qin Gang, was once a central figure in the U.S.-China relationship and one of President Xi Jinping’s rising stars. Then, he disappeared from public view for 30 days. Finally, today, China announced that Qin was being replaced, without offering a reason.

His dismissal is among the most dramatic falls of a high-flying Chinese official in recent times, and the lack of information has fueled theories about what led to his downfall. Some commentators on social media focused on his personal life and a potentially compromising relationship while he was an ambassador in the U.S.

Biden created a monument to honor Emmett Till

In 1955, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black boy, was kidnapped, tortured and killed in Mississippi after he was accused of whistling at a white woman. Today, on what would have been Emmett’s 82nd birthday, President Biden established a national monument honoring him and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. The monument will be on three sites, one in Chicago and two in Mississippi.

During the ceremony, Biden made the case for reckoning with the legacy of racism in America amid a divisive political battle over how to teach Black history in schools.

More top news

Jim Gaffigan’s comedy is getting darker, and better

A Midwestern-born father of five, Jim Gaffigan has long been known as one of the most family-friendly stand-up comedians. His jokes about kids and fast food were once deemed so inoffensive that he opened for the pope during his 2015 visit to the U.S.

But in Gaffigan’s newly released 10th special, “Dark Pale,” he pushes against that vanilla image. The pandemic, he tells us, has made him question his mortality, and in one wonderfully macabre bit, he imagines his own funeral. When my colleague Jason Zinoman looked back, he found that hints of Gaffigan’s complexity were always there. It’s just that recently, he has been more willing to lean into the darkness.

‘Attenzione, pickpocket!’

For decades, an amateur group known as the Cittadini Non Distratti — the undistracted citizens — has patrolled the streets of Venice, chasing would-be pickpockets away from unsuspecting tourists. Now one member of that group, Monica Poli, has gained worldwide internet fame after posting videos of her encounters on TikTok. “Attenzione, borseggiatrici!” she yells time and time again. “Attenzione, pickpocket!”

It might be time to toss your skin care products

Unlike prescription drugs, many cosmetics and skin care products don’t come with expiration dates. But don’t let that fool you into keeping them in a bathroom drawer for years on end; they still expire.

Most skin products are safe for six months to a year, but after that they can degrade and become overrun with microorganisms. Bacteria or fungi are more likely in products that come in jars and are scooped out with fingers. In general, experts agree: When in doubt, toss it out.

Have a glowing evening.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew

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