What its like to be trapped in an ICE detention center for two weeksMagic technology, Meta layoffs, and smart quitting (Issue #293)Published inThe Medium BlogSent as aNewsletter3 min readJust now--Here at Medium, theres a type of story we sometimes refer to as the Medium version. Usually, its a personal perspective on news. Not a take; a story from a primary source someone whos lived through something most of us have only heard about second- or thirdhand.On Wednesday, Jasmine Mooney published one of those stories, about her 12-day detention by ICE. Mooney is Canadian; earlier this year, she was working for a U.S. beverage company on a TN work visa (a special nonimmigrant visa that allows Canadians to work in the U.S.). She was stopped in San Diego on March 3rd because of an earlier paperwork issue shed experienced when reapplying for her visa and, without warning, she was abruptly jailed for two weeks.You didnt do anything wrong, you are not in trouble, you are not a criminal, an immigration enforcement agent told her before taking off her shoes, pulling out her shoelaces, and leading her to a tiny, freezing cement cell where five other women lay on mats.While in detention, Mooney met people whod been there up to 10 months, none of whom had a criminal record. Their frustration wasnt about being held accountable for (in some cases) overstaying their visas, she writes, it was about the endless, bureaucratic limbo they were trapped in. None of them knew when theyd get out. Heres one example:There was a girl from India who had overstayed her student visa for three days before heading back home. She then came back to the US on a new, valid visa to finish her masters degree and was handed over to ICE due to the three days she had overstayed on her previous visa.(My question: If shed previously overstayed and this was an issue, why was she given a new, valid visa?)Mooney was eventually released because a friend leaked her story to a reporter. Many of the women Mooney was detained with dont have her connections and privileges. This is why I choose to tell their stories, Mooney writes, Because when we choose to see each other when we refuse to look away we begin to build the world we all deserve.To me, what stands out is the fragmented, confusing system in which these people find themselves and the fact that Mooney was never told whats going on or why she was held. Its a powerful complement to coverage of immigration detention Ive seen elsewhere. Its raw, unfiltered, and hyperdetailed (the plastic spoon that each detainee has to reuse for every meal will stay with me for a while). Its also a Medium version, an example of the kind of story that can only exist on a platform where people are empowered to share their own perspectives and deepen each others understanding daily. Harris Sockel Also todayJohn Battelle, who helped launch WIRED in the 90s, mourns the loss of tech that feels genuinely magical (remember how your first personal computer felt?). He believes weve lost that signature feeling of ~wonder~ because weve sacrificed agency for convenience. Computers and early desktop publishing software challenged us; they didnt simply make tasks easier.Technical recruiter Dori Kasa reacts to Februarys layoffs at Meta (approximately 3,600 people were let go for low performance): Instead of hiding behind that low performance label, companies should just be honest. The truth isnt always glamorous it could be financial issues, scaling back, or even fixing poor past decisions. But employees deserve that honesty.Designer Vicki Tan (Spotify, Headspace, Lyft, and Google) shares a few ideas for redesigning nonfiction books (e.g. cookbooks that adapt to your skill level or make use of ingredients that are actually in your fridge). A dose of practical wisdomPeople tend to be much more deliberate about what they start than what they stop. Scott H. Young shares four questions (and pointers) to keep in mind before quitting anything, including: set your quitting point in advance to prevent yourself from making a decision based on momentary temptation or exasperation.