There are some who want to write off President Trump’s latest outburst as just another distraction. But instead of diverting our attention from the real story, the distractions are the story — as they each relate to actual policies and have (often global) repercussions. And so it is with the now infamous shithole meeting: “Trump’s ping-ponging from dealmaking to feuding, from elation to fury, has come to define the contentious immigration talks between the White House and Congress, perplexing members of both parties as they navigate the president’s vulgarities, his combativeness and his willingness to suddenly change his position. The blowup has derailed those negotiations yet again and increased the possibility of a government shutdown over the fate of hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants known as dreamers.” This is what happened inside the tense, profane White House meeting on immigration.

+ This is not a drill. From WaPo: A Michigan father, too old for DACA, is deported after three decades in the US.

+ From NPR, one of the most-underreported aspects of the expletive heard ’round the world: Trump’s Insults Will Nudge African Nations Closer To China.

+ This distraction is also important news because it confirms (again) Trump’s racism. Need a refresher? The NYT has the running list of examples.

+ “You’ll meet a woman who kissed a car for 50 hours. A man who escaped communism via zip-line. A Hindu Mayor of a small Kansas town. These stories are a small, collective portrait of America’s immigrants. And thereby a portrait of America itself.” A perfectly-timed piece from the always excellent Epic Magazine: Little America.