Marines, More Troops To Deploy to LA Amid Immigration Protests

What's Happening

Immigration

Marines, More Troops To Deploy to LA Amid Immigration Protests

What's going on: In another sign of escalating tensions, the Pentagon announced plans to deploy 700 Marines to Los Angeles amid ongoing protests against the Trump administration’s immigration raids — a move confirmed by US Northern Command. President Donald Trump also called for an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to be sent to LA. This comes as California filed a lawsuit on Monday to block the administration’s initial order to bring in the National Guard, which Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) described as a response to “a manufactured crisis.” The vast majority of the demonstrations over the weekend were peaceful — despite some clashes involving tear gas and rubber bullets. Trump, however, has called the protesters “insurrectionists.” Analysts say that language could lay the legal groundwork to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act, which would allow the Marines to partake in law enforcement activities. Amid all of this, Trump said that his border czar, Tom Homan, should arrest Newsom (yes, after Newsom dared Homan to do so).

What it means: Some Democratic lawmakers accuse Trump of paving a path toward using even greater emergency powers, with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) saying the president has “wanted to create an excuse to impose martial law, to invoke the Insurrection Act.” Other analysts say the president purposefully sought a public clash with Newsom, a party leader in a liberal state and a 2028 presidential prospect. The goal? Try and make an example out of the state and highlight Trump’s immigration agenda. Meanwhile, protesters say the Trump-Newsom showdown is getting in the way of their message: raising awareness about what they believe are cruel immigration policies that have torn families apart. They argue the raids are targeting those with asylum claims, visa applicants, and tax-paying residents — a far cry from the violent criminals the admin vowed to deport. Solidarity protests have already spread from San Francisco to Boston and many cities in between.

Related: JD Vance Wants To Deport the “Menswear Guy” Who Critiqued His Fashion (Axios)

Health

Stem Cells Are Now on the Spa Menu

What's going on: If there’s one thing that holds true in the anti-aging market, it’s that there’s always a new fountain of youth. Enter: stem cell shots. The New York Times reports that medical spas and longevity clinics are now pushing pricey stem cell injections for everything from joint pain to Parkinson’s to smoother skin — despite little scientific backing. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved a handful of stem cell therapies (mainly for blood cancers and immune disorders), yet spas are charging up to tens of thousands per shot for unproven treatments — none of which are covered by insurance.

What it means: Experts warn these treatments are unproven, risky, and expensive — and some may not even contain real stem cells. The other problem: Potential contamination, which can lead to serious side effects like blood clots or rogue cells traveling to the wrong organs (which, no MD here, but sounds very bad). Prior FDA warnings noted that unregulated stem cell therapies carry risks of blindness, tumors, and infections. Some stem cell experts worry FDA oversight could weaken, further confusing patients about what’s safe and what’s just online hype. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., meanwhile, has called for an end to what he described as the FDA’s “aggressive suppression” of stem cell therapies. The anti-aging market moves fast. But science, often for good reason, moves slower.

Related: RFK Jr. Removes All Independent Experts From CDC Vaccine Panel (NBC)

Career

There Is No Room for Women at the C-Suite Table

What's going on: The corporate ladder is getting yanked out from under women executives, and the trend is rising. Axios reports that women (and basically anyone who isn’t a straight white man) looking to add CEO to their LinkedIn profile face a difficult job market. The reason: Corporate boards no longer appear to be interested in finding diverse candidates. For years, companies seemed to make an effort to consider candidates from underrepresented racial, gender, or socioeconomic backgrounds — moving the needle just a tiny bit when it came to diversity in the C-suite. But now, companies aren’t taking risks on hiring women, people of color, or people who identify as LGBTQIA+.

What it means: Headlines keep celebrating the rise of women CEOs — but only 55 currently lead Fortune 500 companies. As corporations seem to turn back the clock, the number of women executives in the C-suite is falling. One example: Only 23% of Meta’s board of directors are women — down from 44% in 2022. It’s no coincidence that the change comes as President Donald Trump targets DEI initiatives. But even before he came into office, Axios notes that the push to hire women likely led to resentment among some men. Still, some companies like Costco and Sephora have stood by DEI, with one expert saying corporations are “adjusting, thoughtfully.”

Related: Chief Diversity Officers Have Been Squeezed Out (NPR)

Your Political Briefing

The week in political chaos.

Help wanted: NBC reports Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth can’t seem to fill key roles within the Department of Defense… at least three people have already turned down offers.

Pothole politics: All of the tanks and vehicles for President Donald Trump’s parade may be too heavy for the streets in DC. That’s one way to encourage investment in infrastructure… 

PAC to the future: George Soros is looking to use his green cash to flip Texas, funding a PAC called “Blue Texas.”

Settle This

According to a new poll, 61% of women support abortion, but the gender gap is the largest in 20 years. What percent of men identify as pro-choice?

Extra Credit

Watch

Rise up, Daddy Gang — your Father is ready for her close-up. Hulu’s new two-part docuseries Call Her Alex follows Alex Cooper — aka the host and creator of the wildly popular Call Her Daddy podcast — as she gears up for her first-ever live tour. But it’s not all mic checks and merch drops: The cameras also rewind to her childhood in Pennsylvania and trace the personal (and often painful) moments that helped turn Cooper into the media mogul she is today.

Game Time

Start your Tuesday off right with Typeshift, a fun new game that challenges you to create words from a set number of letters. Warning: It’s very addicting. Start playing.