Plus: How Democrats plan to pick Platner’s replacement ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Ruairi Arrieta-Kenna & Chad de Guzman | July 10, 2026

Hello there! Today in The Brief we take a look at Mexico’s reaction to a spate of deaths of Mexican nationals in incidents with ICE or in ICE custody. But first, our must-reads on the search for Graham Platner’s replacement, Palestinian Authority elections, and religion’s gender gap.

Five Must-Reads

How Are Democrats Choosing Graham Platner’s Replacement—and Who Could It Be?
Here’s what to know about how Democrats will choose Platner’s replacement, and the potential candidates in the mix. —TIME

What to Know About Palestinian Authority’s Scheduled Elections
The Palestinian Authority (PA) is set to hold its first legislative elections in 20 years on Nov. 28—if the vote proceeds as scheduled. —TIME

Religion’s Longstanding Gender Gap Is Narrowing Among Gen Z
A gender gap has long persisted in religious identity. Historically, data has widely shown women being more religious than men. But that appears to be changing when it comes to Gen Z. TIME spoke to pollsters, political scientists, religious leaders, and others about the data and what they make of it. —TIME

Squid Are Among the Most Intelligent Ocean Creatures. Climate Change Might Shrink Their Brains
Rising carbon dioxide levels could make squid brains nearly 50% smaller, according to a new study. —TIME

Trump’s Arch Clears Another Hurdle, Setting Up a Big Debate: Do Height Limits Apply?
In its quest to build a 250-foot arch near the National Mall, the Trump administration is arguing that a longstanding law restricting building heights in D.C. does not apply — to the project or to any federal structures at all. —NPR

IN FOCUS

Mexico threatens legal action over deaths involving ICE

Mexico has already been struggling to get along with the U.S. under Donald Trump. The neighbors have divided on a number of issues from trade to immigration. Now, the Mexican government has said that it plans to take legal action over the deaths of Mexican nationals that involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In a Thursday press conference, Mexican officials announced that they are requesting criminal charges in the U.S. for the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals—14 of whom died in ICE custody, and three during ICE operations. On top of this, the officials said Mexico will file civil actions against private firms operating immigration detention centers in the U.S., in an attempt to curb what Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco described as “actions and conditions that violate human rights.”

Velasco said the escalation follows 11 prior diplomatic protests that have already been sent to the U.S. demanding explanations in the death cases. He also highlighted the recent case of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national who died after being shot by an ICE officer in Houston on Tuesday, which has sparked renewed protests against the agency tasked with carrying out Trump’s stringent anti-immigration agenda.

Mexico’s progressive President Claudia Sheinbaum has largely kept a cool head in dealing with Trump’s provocations for more than a year. Despite threats of tariffs and military campaigns against drug cartels, Sheinbaum has chosen to cooperate with the U.S., including on beefing up border control. But Sheinbaum has also drawn some red lines, especially on the mounting deaths of Mexicans allegedly at the hands of ICE or in U.S. immigration detention centers. “We cannot turn a blind eye to the Mexicans who have died,” Sheinbaum said.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum gives her morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on June 22, 2026. MARCO UGARTE/AP

But legal recourse may be limited. The Mexican government “would not have legal standing to file suits against U.S. law enforcement agencies (and especially not individual agents) for the wrongful death of their citizens in the United States,” David Shirk, a professor of political science and international relations at the University of San Diego, tells TIME. Previous legal actions have also not been successful for Mexico: last year, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a $10-billion lawsuit Mexico filed to target major American gun manufacturers for their alleged role in arming drug cartels. The Trump Administration has also repeatedly defended the actions of its immigration agents, despite some controversial levels of violence in its enforcement.

The announcement, however, appears intended to have a “symbolic effect, mostly for Mexican consumption,” says Mónica del Carmen Serrano Carreto, professor of international relations at the Colegio de México. Sheinbaum enjoys regularly high public opinion polling, though a recent poll indicated an increasing number of Mexicans disapprove and decreasing number approve of how her Administration handles the relationship with Trump.

The legal action “may be prima facie a matter of justice, but the real reason is ultimately political,” says Tony Payan, director of the Center for the U.S. and Mexico at Rice University’s Baker Institute.

Still, Shirk says, Mexico’s pursuit of legal action, even if unsuccessful, may yield “broader benefits,” by simply putting U.S. agencies on guard and possibly indirectly influencing internal policies to avoid such suits and negative P.R. in the future.

ONE NUMBER

49%

A May report showed 49% of adults under age 30 lived with a parent last year, up 12 percentage points since 2019.

The latest report indicates how consistently increasing costs of living have reshaped the traditional American’s life milestones. Relatedly, a new report from the National Association of Realtors said the median price of existing homes hit an all-time high of $440,600 in June.

SOURCE: FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD

A VIRAL MOMENT

Count Binface enters Nigel Farage’s race

A far-right U.K. politician and Trump ally who resigned from his parliamentary seat—to contest that seat again—may soon find himself competing in an election with a personified trash can. Comedian Jon Harvey, who runs in British by-elections under the pseudonym “Count Binface,” confirmed Wednesday that he will challenge Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who quit Tuesday amid increasing scrutiny over his finances and a parliamentary probe.

The effective boycott by more serious contenders and the rise of fringe and farcical ones vying for the seat representing Clacton in the U.K.’s southeast reflects a growing consensus that Farage’s resignation was a mere political stunt. Farage brands his re-election campaign as a chance to vindicate him and “stick two fingers up to the entire establishment.” On the lack of serious contenders, Count Binface tells the BBC: “Maybe they just notice that Nigel is up to a rather peculiar hissy fit.”