Fatal Attraction

8.21.26

Happy Friday and welcome back to Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Let’s break down the latest news.

First Haiti Deportation Flight Since TPS Ended….The Trump administration has sent its first deportation flight to Haiti since the government ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitians. An ICE flight carrying 161 passengers departed Louisiana and landed in Cap-Haitien on Thursday, although it remains unclear whether any former TPS holders were among those deported. The flight comes after the Supreme Court cleared the way for the administration to terminate TPS for more than 350,000 Haitians, leaving many who had been legally protected from deportation at risk of removal. Meanwhile, some Haitian immigrants in Ohio who previously held TPS have reportedly been ordered to check in with ICE and fitted with ankle monitors.

Common Sense Takeaway: Haiti is still facing a serious security, political, and humanitarian crisis. Armed gangs control roughly 90% of the capital and large portions of the country leaving millions of people facing food insecurity and halting basic state functions and healthcare infrastructure. Ending TPS was a choice by this administration and sending people back into this environment is disastrous and inhumane.

Trump Administration Moves to Scrap Roadless Rule….The Trump administration is moving to eliminate the Roadless Rule, a 25-year-old policy that protects nearly 45 million acres of national forest land from new roads, logging and other development. The USDA argues that the restrictions prevent forest managers from clearing overgrown areas and reducing wildfire risks. Environmental advocates, however, warn that repealing the rule could open some of the country’s most protected forests to commercial logging and road construction, threatening wildlife habitat and worsening climate impacts. The proposal is now moving through the federal rulemaking process.

Common Sense Takeaway: This law was signed by Bill Clinton in 2001 in an effort to protect clean water supplies, wildlife habitats, and backcountry recreation. Repealing it would open the door to all kinds of destruction to our vulnerable wildlife. Trump may claim this is to help forest managers, but I don’t believe for one second that he would take any steps to protect our land if it made him a buck.

Trump Aide’s Extraordinary Letters Are Leaked….Newly published letters attributed to Trump aide Natalie Harp are shedding more light on her unusually close relationship with the president. In one 2023 letter, Harp wrote that she wanted things to “always be right” between them and described Trump as her “Guardian and Protector,” while another expressed a desire to return to the personal relationship they had when she was a conservative TV host. Harp is reportedly with Trump for much of his day, sitting in meetings, managing communications, drafting Truth Social posts and serving as a conduit between the president and outside figures. The letters have drawn renewed scrutiny after Sen. Jon Ossoff publicly called attention to Harp’s proximity to Trump.

Common Sense Takeaway: Either there is an emotional affair occurring between Harp and Donald Trump or there is a seriously concerning fatal attraction situation going on. Referring to him as her “Guardian and “Protector” is scary. Additionally, her apologizing for basic things and telling him that she forgets to sleep and eat is extremely weird. Secret Service might be concerned about external threats, but I think the call is coming from inside the house.

That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back on Monday for more.