Prepared for the Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Editorial Note: The DHS Daily Briefing is a collection of news articles related to Department’s mission. The inclusion of particular stories is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse the political viewpoints or affiliations included in news coverage.

The New York Times [3/21/2026 2:55 PM, Erica L. Green and Michael Gold, 148038K] reports President Trump threatened on Saturday to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports as soon as Monday if Democrats did not “immediately” agree to a plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security. “If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again,” Mr. Trump wrote, “I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before.” In a follow-up post hours later, Mr. Trump said that he had in fact decided to go ahead with the move, and that he had told the agency to “GET READY.” “I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday,” he wrote. Mr. Trump posted the threat, then the timing of the deployment, in an apparent attempt to break an impasse between congressional Democrats and the White House over immigration enforcement, a stalemate that caused a partial government shutdown last month. Tom Homan, the White House border czar, went to Capitol Hill on Friday night to discuss a path forward with a bipartisan group of senators, the second such session this week. CNN [3/21/2026 2:48 PM, Alejandra Jaramillo, Riane Lumer, 612K] reports that it is unclear what function the ICE agents would perform since they’re not trained in airport security screening. TSA screeners have a monthslong training period before they’re on the job, though airline employees and private security companies have partnered on line controlling and guarding exit doors. "What it takes to be a TSA officer, a certified officer, to be able to do screening takes weeks and months to do," George Borek, an Atlanta TSA officer and union steward, told CNN. "The president can have them come there but I don’t see how that helps us in getting through this time period.” And the lack of specific TSA training could cause other issues, Borek said. "If you bring people in there, they are not trained, they don’t know what they’re looking for, then certainly it could be a problem.” The ICE agents could potentially help in more limited roles — like managing lines, directing passengers or helping move people through the checkpoint process — to free up trained TSA officers for critical security functions. CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, which includes TSA, and the White House for more information. The Hill [3/21/2026 1:10 PM, Sophie Brams, 18170K] reports President Trump on Saturday threatened to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to conduct airport security if Democrats do not agree to a funding bill to reopen the partially shuttered Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The warning comes after the Senate failed again on Friday to advance a measure to end the funding lapse, with Democrats insisting counteroffers from the White House, which have included some concessions, are insufficient. Democrats are holding firm in their demands to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics — calls which grew louder following the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal agents carrying out the president’s deportation agenda in Minneapolis last month. Trump referenced the immigration crackdown in Minnesota on Saturday, writing that in addition to conducting airport screening, ICE officers would arrest immigrants that enter the country illegally, “with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia.” Meanwhile, Democrats have pushed for votes that would split off funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and other agencies not responsible for immigration enforcement, but Republicans have repeatedly blocked those efforts. An increasing number of TSA employees, who have already missed one paycheck, are calling out sick or quitting the force altogether because they cannot afford to work without pay, according to DHS. Senate Democrats said they are planning to force a vote Saturday on a proposal to fully fund TSA, according to Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Trump, in a second post on Truth Social Saturday, cast blame on the Democrats for the TSA issues. He said ICE agents could be moved into airports as early as next week. Politico [3/21/2026 2:23 PM, Gregory Svirnovskiy and Ben Johansen, 21784K] reports that the White House made several concessions on immigration enforcement policies in a proposal shared with Senate Democrats on Friday. But the ICE agent masking ban Democrats are seeking in exchange for their support on a funding package remains a bridge too far, Republicans argue. Trump’s latest threat isn’t likely to make the prospects of a truce any more viable, especially given his focus on Minnesota, where tensions flared after federal immigration agents killed two protesters during a major surge of personnel in January. In a post on X following Trump’s threat, Rep. Lauren Boebert said, “The airport in Minnesota is about to be a ghost town.” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the Senate Appropriations Committee vice chair, mocked the plan. “Oh yeah, I’m sure the next thing the American people want after long lines at TSA is to get wrongfully detained, beat up, and harassed by ICE,” Murray wrote in a post on X. “No blank check for ICE. We need reform & accountability. In the meantime, how about you tell Republicans to just vote to pay TSA.”

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NBC News [3/21/2026 6:25 PM, Jay Blackman and Phil Helsel, 42967K] reports more than 400 Transportation Security Administration workers have quit since a partial government shutdown that began on Feb. 14 has left them working without pay, the Department of Homeland Security said. Funding was shut off to DHS over demands by Democrats for reforms at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection following alleged abuses and the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. There has also been a national callout rate of 10% at TSA on more than half the days of the last week, Lauren Bis, acting assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS, said Saturday in response to questions. TSA, which is under DHS, has around 65,000 employees. Of that number, 50,000 are front-line officers who are is responsible for security at the nation’s airports. Of the TSA officers who quit during the shutdown, almost half have over three years of experience and a third have over five years, the agency said. Some TSA workers have expressed fears about unpaid bills and worse because they aren’t being paid. Anthony Riley, a 58-year-old married father of three who has been working without pay for weeks, told NBC News earlier this month that he faces possible eviction and the specter of being homeless. There have been increased wait times — and frustration — at airports due to the shutdown. The highest nationwide callout rate during the shutdown came on Friday, at 10.22%, a DHS spokesperson said. John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City had a callout rate of 29.5% on Friday, and Houston Intercontinental Airport had a rate of 36.6% the same day, the spokesperson said. Houston Hobby Airport had a callout rate of 51.5% on Friday, according to DHS. In the U.S. Senate on Saturday, a Democratic bill to fund just TSA workers but not the rest of DHS failed to get the 60 votes needed to advance. The 41-49 vote was along party lines. On Friday, Senate Democrats voted down Republicans’ efforts to pass a bill to fully fund DHS. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both Democrats from New York, have called for reforms at ICE. In February they outlined the reforms they want to see, which include an end to what they called indiscriminate arrests, a prohibition on ICE officers wearing masks, and an end to what they said was racial profiling by the agency. The administration has blamed Democrats for the shutdown, calling it the "Democrat DHS shutdown.”

New York Post [3/21/2026 9:23 AM, Jeanne Erickson, Katherine Donlevy and Khristina Narizhnaya, 40934K] reports airports all across the country are on the brink of closure as TSA agents continue to ride a jet stream of resignations and callouts, warned TSA’s acting deputy administrator, Adam Stahl. Thousands of TSA workers have been calling out sick every day since the Department of Homeland Security shutdown on Feb. 14, resulting in long lines and thousands of flight delays. Another 376 have quit their jobs altogether, leaving about 50,000 TSA workers to grapple with the chaos on their own. Before noon on Saturday, there were already 1,910 reported flight delays in and out of the US, and another 110 cancellations due to the madness, FlightAware data shows. A bill to fund the DHS failed to pass in the Senate on Friday, meaning Stahl’s prediction could soon become fact. About 10% of TSA agents across the nation missed work Thursday, according to the DHS. That absentee rate was two or three times higher in some places. March 27 would mark the second consecutive paycheck the workers will miss — and the shutdown marks their second stretch without pay in the last six months. The House Committee on Homeland Security has scheduled a hearing for Wednesday to review the partial shutdown’s impact on the TSA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies within DHS. Lawmakers are scrambling to find an emergency stopgap, but many are not hopeful. If airports are forced to close, the smaller ones will go first.

NewsMax [3/21/2026 1:48 PM, James Morley III, 3760K] reports air travel disruptions are intensifying across the United States as a prolonged Department of Homeland Security funding lapse continues to strain the Transportation Security Administration, raising concerns that smaller airports could face partial or complete shutdowns in the coming weeks. At major hubs, the impact is already severe. The staffing crisis stems from widespread absenteeism among TSA officers, many of whom have gone unpaid since the funding lapse began on Feb. 14. Thousands are calling in sick daily, and at least 376 workers have already resigned, leaving roughly 50,000 officers to manage growing passenger volumes. The strain is beginning to show operationally where in Phoenix, checkpoints at Sky Harbor’s Terminal 4 were forced to close due to staffing shortages, compounding delays. Flight disruptions are mounting alongside the security bottlenecks. By midday Saturday, more than 1,300 flights had been delayed nationwide, with dozens of cancellations reported, according to FlightAware data. TSA leadership is now warning that the situation could deteriorate further. Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl cautioned that if absentee rates continue to climb, the agency may be forced to scale back or even suspend operations at certain airports. The implications are particularly acute for regional and smaller airports, which operate with thinner staffing margins and less flexibility than major hubs. A cascading effect could follow, reducing air service for smaller communities and placing additional pressure on already overwhelmed major airports.

AP [3/21/2026 2:38 PM, Jeff Amy] reports regardless of politics or destination, passengers at Atlanta’s airport were unified by one desire Saturday — it’s time to pay Transportation Security Administration employees. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — one of the world’s busiest airports — is a machine for moving people. But the shutdown is clogging TSA checkpoints that screen passengers and luggage for hazardous items. Many passengers leaving Atlanta are now arriving up to four hours early, spooked that delays could cause them to miss flights. But concerns about long airport lines are increasingly capturing attention. A funding bill failed to advance Friday in the Senate, with Democrats declining to provide needed support. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he would offer an alternative measure Saturday to fund just TSA. That too is likely to fail as lawmakers hold a rare weekend session. President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to give federal immigration officers a role in airport security unless congressional Democrats agree to fund the department. He said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers would arrest "all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country" with a focus on those from Somalia. Trump didn’t elaborate, and it wasn’t immediately clear if there’s an imminent plan to move ICE officers into airports. Nationwide on Thursday, about 10% of TSA officers missed work, the department reported. Absentee rates were two or three times higher in places. At least 376 officers have quit since this shutdown began, according to officials, exacerbating turnover at an agency that historically has had some of the U.S. government’s highest attrition and lowest employee morale.

Washington Times [3/21/2026 4:09 PM, Staff, 1323K] reports Elon Musk on Saturday offered to personally cover the paychecks of Transportation Security Administration officers as a partial government shutdown enters its fifth week, leaving tens of thousands of airport security workers without pay and travelers facing hours-long checkpoint lines. “I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country,” Mr. Musk wrote on X, the social media platform he owns. It remains unclear how that arrangement would work, or whether it would be legal, as federal law generally prohibits government employees from receiving outside compensation tied to their official duties. The Department of Homeland Security, the TSA and representatives for Mr. Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The DHS funding lapse began Feb. 14, when Congress failed to renew appropriations for the department, leaving more than 50,000 TSA officers without pay. With an annual workforce cost of roughly $8.6 billion, covering TSA salaries would cost Mr. Musk approximately $23.6 million per day. About five hours after Mr. Musk’s post, President Trump responded on Truth Social, threatening to deploy ICE agents to airports if Democrats did not agree to a funding deal, saying they would do “Security like no one has ever seen before.”

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Newsweek [3/21/2026 2:26 PM, Steve Mollman, 52220K] reports Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, reacted Saturday to billionaire Elon Musk’s offer to pay the salaries of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers who have gone without pay during the ongoing partial government shutdown, calling the proposal “incredibly generous” as airport delays worsen nationwide. Musk made the offer in an X post early Saturday, saying he would cover the paychecks as the funding impasse harms travelers across the country. Fetterman responded shortly afterward, praising the gesture while criticizing Congress for failing to pass a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Fetterman’s response also highlights growing political tension inside Congress, where disagreements over immigration enforcement have stalled DHS funding despite mounting pressure from travelers, airport officials, and frontline workers. Last month, Fetterman broke ranks with his party by supporting the practice of ICE agents wearing masks that help conceal their identities. Democrats want to ban the practice as part of the DHS reforms it’s seeking. Democrats have withheld support for a full funding bill for the DHS, saying they want additional guardrails in place before backing long‑term funding. Those include expanded use of body‑worn cameras, limits on enforcement actions at sensitive locations, and clearer oversight standards. Republicans and the White House argue DHS should be funded in full without separating immigration agencies from the rest of the department, warning the impasse has left TSA and other non‑immigration components operating without pay as talks continue. A bill to restore DHS funding failed to advance in the Senate on Friday, despite support from all Republicans present and Fetterman. Musk wrote on X on Saturday he wanted to cover TSA salaries during the funding lapse, saying the shutdown was “negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country.”

FOX News [3/21/2026 2:50 PM, Alex Miller, 37576K] reports Senate Republicans blocked an attempt by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to only pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers as the Homeland Security shutdown drags on. Despite being in the minority and not controlling the Senate floor, Schumer used an arcane tactic to force a procedural vote to allow the Senate to get onto the bill in Democrats’ move to shift the narrative of the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown. The shutdown entered its 36th day on Saturday as the ongoing partial closure hurtles toward matching the record-breaking full government shutdown from last year. Schumer’s failed gambit follows increasingly long wait times at airports as thousands of TSA agents go without pay. Senate Democrats have dug in deep in their demands for stringent reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and have so far refused to reopen the agency or temporarily extend funding to end the closure until they get what they want. Senate Republicans and the White House made a new compromise offer to Democrats on Friday night after an open letter from the administration on several reforms to immigration operations was revealed earlier this week. The letter spurred two back-to-back meetings on Capitol Hill with Republicans, Democrats and administration officials. Still, Republicans tried and failed for a fifth time to fully reopen the agency on Friday. In the background, there have been several attempts by Senate Democrats to move forward with standalone funding bills — like Schumer’s gambit — to open parts of DHS, save for immigration enforcement. NewsMax [3/21/2026 6:21 PM, James Morley III, 3760K] reports Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., criticized the effort as a "convoluted" attempt to bypass the appropriations process, arguing it would not meaningfully fund TSA. He pointed instead to a House-passed bill to fund all of DHS that Republicans say Democrats have repeatedly blocked. "This is a Schumer motion to suspend the rules and refer the bill that we’re on to the Rules Committee, which doesn’t have jurisdiction over appropriations or spending, and he’s trying to call it a vote to fund TSA?" Thune said Saturday. "I don’t know how you come up with this. "I will give you credit for coming up with something that’s convoluted, but it doesn’t do anything that the [Democratic] leader says it does," he added. Schumer framed the vote as a straightforward test of whether lawmakers support paying TSA workers during the shutdown. Democrats accused Republicans of tying TSA funding to broader immigration enforcement measures, including additional funding for ICE, while blocking narrower proposals to pay airport security staff. The legislative standoff comes as the TSA faces mounting operational strain after DHS funding lapsed on Feb. 14. TSA officials warn conditions could worsen if the funding impasse continues. Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl said this week sustained absenteeism could force partial or full shutdowns at some airports, particularly smaller regional facilities with limited staffing flexibility. On Saturday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk offered to ease some of the financial burden and help get American airports moving again by paying the salaries of TSA employees until an agreement can be reached in Washington. Aviation experts caution that such disruptions could ripple across the broader air travel system, reducing service to smaller communities and intensifying congestion at major hubs. For now, travelers are being urged to arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international departures, though officials acknowledge delays may still be unavoidable without a resolution in Washington.

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The Hill [3/21/2026 6:17 PM, Sarah Davis, 18170K] reports Senate Democrats and Republicans appeared no closer to reaching a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Saturday, following weeks of negotiations with the White House. President Trump’s border czar Tom Homan has been meeting with centrist Democrats over the past few days to try to find a path forward on a DHS funding package. A meeting scheduled for Saturday evening between Homan and lawmakers was canceled that same afternoon. The Hill has reached out to Senate leadership and the White House for comment. Democratic Sens. Patty Murray (Wash.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) have participated in the talks, as has Independent Sen. Angus King (Maine), who caucuses with Democrats. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a Republican appropriator, said ahead of Saturday’s meeting that Republicans were “making some progress” with centrist Democrats following their Friday evening meeting with Homan. “I wasn’t in the meeting, but I got encouragement from it. Definitely not done yet, but we’re making some progress,” the South Dakota Republican said. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) similarly expressed hope that the continuing White House talks could drive the two sides closer to a deal, telling reporters on Saturday afternoon that the shutdown “doesn’t reflect well on anybody.” “This is our job. This is what we should be doing here, and there being good faith efforts made to try and address the issues that Democrats are concerned about by the administration … and they’re working hard to get an outcome,” Thune said. “So at some point, like I said earlier, the Democrats are going to take yes for an answer.” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) cast a less optimistic view of the ongoing negotiations, telling The Hill outside the Senate floor on Saturday that Republicans were “not making any progress.” “I wish I could share the enthusiasm of some of my colleagues, but if you gave every one of my Republican colleagues truth serum, they would tell you we don’t have the slightest idea how we’re going to get out of this mess, and we’re not optimistic,” the GOP lawmaker said. Democrats are continuing to withhold support for the funding bill until the White House agrees to make several key reforms to DHS’s immigration enforcement agencies, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Democratic lawmakers are asking the Trump administration to impose a mask ban, judicial warrant reform and a universal code of conduct for federal agents at ICE and CBP. “All we’re asking for is that ICE agents follow the same rules as pretty much every other law enforcement out there in this country. Same kind of accountability, same kind of lucid engagements in making sure that the public is safe.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told reporters on Saturday.

The Hill [3/21/2026 4:14 PM, Alexander Bolton, 18170K] reports Senate Republicans on Saturday voted against an unusual procedural gambit by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to suspend the Senate rules and advance a bill through the Rules Committee to fund the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The motion failed by a party-line vote of 41 to 49. It needed 60 votes to succeed. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) dismissed the proposal as a “convoluted” attempt to circumvent the Senate Appropriations Committee, which is engaged in talks with White House border czar Tom Homan to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, which saw its funding lapse on Feb. 14. “This is a Schumer motion to suspend the rules and refer the House message, the bill that we’re on, to the Rules Committee, which doesn’t have jurisdiction over appropriations or spending, and he’s trying to call it a vote to fund TSA?” Thune said on the floor. “I don’t know how you come up with this. I will give you credit for coming up with something that’s convoluted, but it doesn’t do anything that the [Democratic] leader says it does,” he added. Schumer framed the vote as a simple “yes or no” on whether TSA agents should get funded during the shutdown. “If senators want to pay TSA workers and end the airport chaos, they should support my motion,” he said. Thune, however, countered that Democrats on Friday voted for a fifth time to block a House-passed bill to fund the entire Department of Homeland Security, including TSA.

FOX News [3/21/2026 4:52 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports Fox News chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports on the debate over voter ID and the DHS shutdown on ‘Fox Report.’ [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

The Hill [3/21/2026 12:00 PM, Mike Lillis, 18170K] reports Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem was fired. Greg Bovino, a top Border Patrol officer, is reportedly retiring. President Trump’s deportation surge in Minneapolis has ended. And the White House has offered some new rules to limit the conduct of federal immigration officers around the country. In the protracted battle over DHS funding, Democrats have secured some key wins in recent weeks. But amid pressure from base voters, they’re holding out for more. Democrats have defended that position, noting their central demand — that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) follow the same rules as other law enforcement agencies — has not been met. But the strategy carries risks, as DHS workers deemed “essential” have gone without pay for more than a month during the budget impasse, including emergency personnel under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and airport screeners with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The pay freeze has created enormous headaches for airline travelers, who are facing long lines and prolonged delays, putting pressure on lawmakers in both parties to cut a deal. Republicans, meanwhile, are accusing Democrats of threatening national security by opposing DHS funding during the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran. Democrats remain unmoved.

The Hill [3/21/2026 5:31 PM, Alexander Bolton, 18170K] reports Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a leading Senate conservative, is proposing to colleagues the idea of splitting off Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from the rest of funding for the Department of Homeland Security to end growing chaos at airports around the country. The proposal appeared to be gaining momentum within the Senate Republican conference on Saturday as GOP lawmakers grow increasingly pessimistic about reaching a deal with Democrats to reform federal immigration enforcement operations. “What I’ve suggested is that the Democrats have gotten so extreme and unreasonable that I don’t know that they will ever be willing to fund Department of Homeland Security,” Cruz told The Hill Saturday. “If that’s where the Democrats are, I’ve suggested let’s fund ICE and CBP through reconciliation. That Republicans can do with just 50 votes, we can do that relatively quickly and the Democrat lunacy on open borders can be put to an end,” he added. “I’m interested in any strategy to get the government open, to pay the Department of Homeland Security.” He argued that there have been four domestic attacks by radical Islamic terrorists in recent weeks and “the agency charged with preventing terror attacks has been defunded” because of the shutdown. “And millions of Americans right now are facing two-, three-, four-hour waits at airports. They’re missing their planes for spring break because the Democrats refuse to pay TSA,” he said. “TSA agents have now missed two paychecks in a row. Over 300 of them have resigned. They had to go get another job because they have to pay their rent and feed their kids,” he said. Security-line wait times at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport have stretched to more than three hours amid a high volume of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers calling in sick during the partial government shutdown. Cruz’s support for splitting off ICE and CBP — which Democrats have blocked to demand sweeping reforms to federal immigration enforcement operations — is a significant development given his influence in the Senate GOP conference and popularity within the party more broadly. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Cruz approached him about the idea to split up Homeland Security funding and he’s open to it. “Anything that we have to do, even incrementally, to get some of this impasse done, I’d be open to,” he said. “What I do think is until we get a resolution, we shouldn’t leave” for the recess. NewsMax [3/21/2026 6:46 PM, Jim Thomas, 3760K] reports TSA absenteeism had reached 10.2% nationally on a recent day, with some large airports far higher, and that about 366 TSA officers had quit since the funding lapse began Feb. 13. Part of Cruz’s case rests on money Republicans already approved last year. Outside budget analysts have said the One Big Beautiful Bill provided a large multiyear infusion of $172 billion for immigration and border enforcement, which has shaped the current Republican view that ICE funding can be handled separately from the rest of DHS. Democrats, meanwhile, have pushed the opposite approach. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said March 11 that she sought unanimous consent to fund TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, CISA, and other DHS components while excluding ICE, CBP, and the Office of the Secretary. Her request was blocked by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., Murray’s office said. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., did not rule out alternatives, but said he preferred a full-department funding agreement. "There are a lot of ideas swirling around right now, but the best way would be for us to come together" on a deal to fund the entire department, he said Saturday.

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Breitbart [3/21/2026 3:14 PM, Ian Hanchett, 2238K] reports on Friday’s broadcast of C-SPAN’s “Ceasefire,” Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) discussed the DHS shutdown and said that “if we were able to open up the rest of the government and focus on the ICE issue, it may allow us, then, to have, I think, a discussion that’s overdue” and “it’s ripe for us to have a sensible discussion about a reasonable immigration plan and a reasonable way to deal with some folks who don’t have legal status.” While discussing the DHS shutdown, Welch said, “The other reality is, that ICE got forward funding, about three years, in the one big, beautiful bill. So, this is — ironically, it’s not really affecting ICE.” He continued, “And if we were able to open up the rest of the government and focus on the ICE issue, it may allow us, then, to have, I think, a discussion that’s overdue. The border’s secure now. It wasn’t under Biden. You say that, and that’s true, alright. There’s consensus that we should deport criminals. But there is a lot of concern in the country from Republicans and Democrats about what you had of a mass round up where we were going to construction sites, we were going to farms, we were going after people who don’t have legal status, but who came here, sometimes as kids, have no criminal record, and are contributing members of the community. So, I think it’s ripe for us to have a sensible discussion about a reasonable immigration plan and a reasonable way to deal with some folks who don’t have legal status.”

Breitbart [3/21/2026 5:40 PM, Ian Hanchett, 2238K] reports that, on Saturday’s broadcast of MS NOW’s "The Weekend," Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) argued that Republicans want to shut down DHS and "we don’t want to give a penny more to ICE. That’s our position, because ICE has become secret police" and it has plenty of funding. Merkley said, "Well, they want it shut down. And here’s the way it works: You’ve got the Coast Guard as a hostage, you’ve got TSA as a hostage, and you’ve got FEMA as a hostage. So, every single day, we go to the floor, ask unanimous consent to free those hostages, fund those key three agencies. No, we don’t want to give a penny more to ICE. That’s our position, because ICE has become secret police…and they have plenty of money, both.” He continued, "And, every single day, the Republicans say, no, we’re not going to fund TSA. Nope, we’re not going to fund FEMA. Nope, we’re not going to fund Coast Guard. And then they go on media and say, Democrats are blocking these agencies. So, we’re going to keep going back every day and try to free those hostages. They’re going to keep blocking it, and they’re going to keep lying to the American people.”

New York Times [3/21/2026 9:20 PM, Michael Gold, 148038K] reports Senator Markwayne Mullin, the Oklahoma Republican chosen by President Trump to be the next homeland security secretary, surprised some lawmakers this week when he broke with the administration and signaled that he would be willing to require judicial warrants for immigration agents to enter private homes. It was a concession that Democrats had sought for weeks as a condition of reopening the Department of Homeland Security, which has gone without funding for more than a month amid a fight over immigration tactics, and one that the White House had repeatedly rejected. What some of his colleagues may not have known is that well before the hearing — and before Mr. Mullin had been nominated to head the department — he had been quietly working with a House Democrat to hash out a compromise on immigration enforcement that offered substantially more ground than the White House had publicly given in talks aimed at reopening the agency, according to two people familiar with the discussions. For weeks, Mr. Mullin and Representative Josh Gottheimer, a moderate Democrat from New Jersey, have been discussing a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security that could placate Democrats seeking restrictions and a White House disinclined to give ground, according to both people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations. Their proposal, according to a draft reviewed by The New York Times, would require federal immigration agents to obtain judicial warrants “for forced home entry, unless in hot pursuit.”

New York Post [3/21/2026 12:59 PM, Geoff Earle, 40934K] reports Democrats are on a mission to derail incoming Homeland Security Secretary Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) — by claiming he wanted to act more like Rambo than representative. Mullin, 48, a former mixed martial arts fighter who fought three bouts in the Xtreme Fighting League, was regularly pushing to get his hands dirty in the field or to drop into dark corners of the globe instead of more mundane DC committee work, an inside source claimed. If Mullin rubbed some House members the wrong way, he had other problems in the Senate last week, where Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.) eviscerated him for having "anger issues." Mullin is set to be considered by the full Senate next week, after squeaking out of committee 8-7 Thursday. If confirmed, Mullin will replace Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who President Trump fired this month in his first cabinet shakeup.

FOX News [3/21/2026 9:51 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., shares what contributed to his vote for Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., as DHS secretary and more on ‘My View with Lara Trump.’[Editorial note: consult video at source link]

New York Times [3/21/2026 1:12 PM, Katie Rogers, 148038K] reports all across Washington, some of the most powerful people in the federal government are hosting one another for dinner, comparing their rent prices and fixing leaky pipes — which, in one unfortunate case, recently flooded a cabinet secretary’s basement. It sounds relatable, except for one detail: These high-ranking officials are not living in Georgetown or Kalorama or the wealthiest enclaves of Northern Virginia, as many did in administrations past. An increasing number of them are living in secure military housing. Across the water, at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, lives in a grand home previously designated for a Coast Guard commandant. She is expected to leave her housing by the end of the month, when her tumultuous tenure overseeing the Department of Homeland Security ends. Representatives for Ms. Noem did not respond to a request for comment, but as people familiar with her situation put it: Getting fired breaks the lease. All told, at least a half-dozen senior Trump administration officials are living in military housing in the Washington area. More could join them soon. At least one more senior official has been advised to move by security officials who assess threats, according to people familiar with the arrangements and who were granted anonymity to discuss matters concerning security. The practice of moving public servants onto guarded military bases has no modern precedent. It raises some unsettling questions about the increase in violence against public figures, about the overall health of American democracy and, perhaps most obviously, about who is paying for this. Ms. Noem, under fire after ProPublica reported that her department had spent more than $200 million on ad contracts, told a congressional committee this month that she was paying “personal dollars” to stay in the Coast Guard home amid reports that she was living there rent free.

New York Times [3/21/2026 3:48 PM, Hamed Aleaziz, Alexandra Berzon, Nicholas Nehamas, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, and Tyler Pager, 148038K] reports inside Kristi Noem’s spacious office on the second floor of the Department of Homeland Security’s headquarters, where a painting of the secretary astride a horse decorated the wall, Corey Lewandowski would hold court. Over the last year, Ms. Noem’s top aide and confidant hosted meetings in the office without her present, grilling agency officials and issuing orders as he flexed his vast influence over President Trump’s efforts to detain and deport millions of immigrants, people with knowledge of the sessions told The New York Times. Presiding over gatherings in the secretary’s office was just one way Mr. Lewandowski exerted power far beyond the scope of his role as unpaid adviser. While he joined the department early last year in what was supposed to be a limited, part-time role, the longtime Republican operative used his perch to build an expansive portfolio in which he had wide influence over personnel, contracts and the department’s operations on the ground, according to nearly 20 current and former administration officials, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. Mr. Lewandowski helped elevate Gregory Bovino, a midlevel U.S. Border Patrol leader, to a senior position commanding militarized deportation raids across the United States, three people familiar with Mr. Lewandowski’s actions said. He was among the top officials alongside Ms. Noem involved in the process of approving government contracts, according to interviews and documents reviewed by The Times. He berated Immigration and Customs Enforcement leaders when their officers failed to meet daily arrest quotas set by the White House, flashing a quick temper that left officials across the department afraid that any perceived slight could cost them their jobs, according to people familiar with the episodes. On several occasions, he is said to have ordered employees to be placed on administrative leave over what they considered trivial matters. There were also mounting concerns among homeland security officials that Mr. Lewandowski was trying to enrich himself through his role, according to people familiar with internal discussions. Some of those complaints ultimately reached the White House, two people said.

FOX News [3/21/2026 6:18 PM, Brie Stimson, 37576K] reports the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday urged a judge to dissolve the injunction that prevents the Trump administration from detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia again so he can quickly be deported to Liberia. "Dissolution is also warranted because the Court’s Memorandum Order failed to acknowledge that the Court’s own prior injunction against removal is the sole impediment to Petitioner’s prompt removal," the DOJ wrote in a court filing obtained by Fox News Digital. "The Court cannot both impose the impediment that delays removal and consequently prolongs detention and, at the same time, hold that the resulting detention is impermissibly prolonged. "Any attempt by this Court to permanently enjoin the government from exercising its authority to remove the Petitioner from this country is in direct contradiction to established judicial norms, and a clear error of law.” The administration deported Abrego Garcia, who it claims is a member of MS-13, a year ago to a prison in his native El Salvador, but he was returned to the U.S. in June to face human smuggling charges in Tennessee related to a 2022 traffic stop despite at first saying the administration had no power to bring him back. His lawyers deny he is a member of MS-13. He was released from detention in December on the grounds the Trump administration had not obtained the final notice of removal order that is needed to deport him to a third country. Abrego Garcia, 31, has become a flash point in the national immigration debate since March 2025, when he was deported to El Salvador in violation of a 2019 court order in what Trump administration officials acknowledged was an "administrative error.” The Supreme Court later ruled that the administration had to work to bring him back to the U.S. He has pleaded not guilty on the human smuggling charges and is seeking dismissal of the charges on the grounds of vindictive and selective prosecution. The 2019 court order prevents Abrego Garcia from being deported to El Salvador after an immigration judge determined he faced danger from a gang that had threatened his family. He immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a teenager and has been under the supervision of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Abrego Garcia has said he’s willing to be sent to Costa Rica, but acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons said he will instead be removed to Liberia. Abrego Garcia’s attorney said in December his client was willing to leave for Costa Rica immediately and that the country had given him asylum status months ago.

Reported similarly:
NewsMax [3/21/2026 1:24 PM, Jim Thomas, 3760K]
Univision [3/21/2026 7:20 PM, Staff, 4937K]
Univision [3/21/2026 8:21 PM, Staff, 4937K]

CNN [3/21/2026 8:30 AM, Sara Sidner, Meridith Edwards, Rachel Clarke] reports the assistant principal says he is in constant fear for his students, staff and even himself in his Minnesota community. His sense of security disappeared when federal agents swarmed the streets around his Minneapolis high school in December. It doesn’t matter that White House border czar Tom Homan drew down the number of officers since then — Batres says he still sees immigration officers out on Minneapolis streets. His concerns echo those of parents, educators and officials who fear there will be a long-term impact on children of the mass detention operation and fear that it spawned.

Breitbart [3/21/2026 9:56 PM, Elizabeth Weibel, 2238K] reports Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel praised the work of FBI officials in states such as Ohio and Texas for having brought Antifa members and illegal aliens to justice. In a script of an internal FBI video obtained by Breitbart News, Patel spoke about how efforts from FBI officials in Dallas, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; and Cleveland, Ohio had led to a federal jury in Texas recently convicting "nine ANTIFA members for last July’s attack on an ICE facility." The efforts of FBI officials also led to a former U.S. Marine "facing up to 10 years in prison for transmitting classified documents." "In Texas, a federal jury convicted nine ANTIFA members for last July’s attack on an ICE facility," Patel shared. "These violent extremists targeted law enforcement with weapons and explosives… But FBI Dallas and our partners made sure they would face justice."

FOX News [3/21/2026 2:25 PM, Alex Miller, 37576K] reports Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., accused Senate Democrats of not having "any excuses" to continue blocking Homeland Security funding as Republicans and the White House continue to make repeated offers to reopen the government. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) entered its 36th day of shutdown as Senate Democrats continue to block funding for the agency in their pursuit of reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). After more than two weeks of negotiations appearing to have stalled, Democrats responded to the White House’s latest offer. That spurred two face-to-face meetings with Senate Republicans and Trump administration officials, including border czar Tom Homan, on Capitol Hill. The latest meeting, which wrapped on Friday, saw Republicans offer Senate Democrats a compromise DHS funding bill. Thune said the meeting went well and hoped the parties will meet again over the weekend. He characterized the GOP’s offer as filled "with a lot of reforms that have been requested and asked for by Democrats." It comes as lines at airports snake for blocks, tens of thousands of federal workers go without pay, and concerns about increased threats in the U.S. as the Pentagon continues Operation Epic Fury against the Iranian regime. Still, Thune and the GOP have grown increasingly frustrated with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats’ unwillingness to engage in negotiations over the last several weeks. Republicans tried and failed for a fifth time to fully reopen the agency on Friday. In the background, there have been several attempts by Senate Democrats to move forward with standalone funding bills to open parts of DHS, excluding immigration enforcement. The Senate will have a full vote on a standalone funding bill for the Transportation Security Administration, pushed by Schumer, later on Saturday. It will likely fail, given Republicans’ position that the department should be completely reopened. In a Truth Social post later Saturday, President Donald Trump threatened to deploy ICE agents to U.S. airports if Democrats did not accept a deal. He said ICE would handle airport security and immediately arrest illegal immigrants coming into the U.S., with a special focus on Somalians.

FOX News [3/21/2026 8:14 AM, Charles Creitz, 37576K] reports Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., invoked his collegiate soccer career while introducing a package of bills to prevent immigration enforcement behavior in and around World Cup sites this June. More than a dozen American cities will be hosting World Cup soccer matches, including East Rutherford, N.J., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington – while three Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee want to prevent what they call racial and linguistic profiling that would instill fear in fans. Swalwell’s bill would ban federal DHS funding from being used for civil immigration enforcement activities on public transit or at terminals from June 11 to July 19 in any city hosting a FIFA match or festival. The bill does provide a carveout for "hot pursuit" of suspects presenting an "imminent risk to public safety." A DHS spokesperson said the agency still plans to work with local and federal partners to secure the World Cup matches "in line with federal law and the U.S. Constitution as we do with every major sporting event, while showcasing American greatness to the entire world." The spokesperson called speculation in the legislative package "ill informed" and said that foreign visitors must still be "proactive" and have all their forms filed in Washington, and their personal documents in order, ahead of time to ensure a smooth travel experience.

Washington Examiner [3/22/2026 5:00 AM, Mia Cathell, 1147K] reports Fairfax County, a sanctuary jurisdiction in northern Virginia, disregarded a federal detention request filed in 2023 against the illegal immigrant now accused of stabbing an innocent woman to death, Immigration and Customs Enforcement told the Washington Examiner this week. The revelation marks a new development in the dispute between ICE and Fairfax County, which have laid out dueling accounts explaining their previous encounters with Abdul Jalloh, a foreign national from West Africa charged with the murder of Virginia mother Stephanie Minter. Minter was found fatally stabbed at a Fairfax County bus stop last month. Jalloh, the primary murder suspect, is a serial stabber who was let out of the county jail dozens of times since he illegally entered the United States in 2012, according to immigration authorities, and was resettled in the Fairfax County area. In the weeks following Minter’s Feb. 23 murder, ICE and the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the county’s only jail, have butted heads over which agency is responsible for allowing Jalloh to roam the streets in the first place, as both had him in their custody at some point in the past decade.

Houston Chronicle [3/21/2026 7:00 AM, Samantha Ketterer, 2493K] reports some college students are urging the Houston Cougars and other March Madness teams not to fly with charter airline GlobalX over concerns that the company has also operated deportation flights for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was not immediately clear how many teams from Texas have already traveled on GlobalX planes during this year’s tournament. In a statement, the NCAA said that it needs to use all possible charter companies for the tournament.

Univision [3/21/2026 7:28 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports nearly 600 immigrant children were held in a family detention center in Texas during the past few months, without enough food, medical care or mental health services . Dozens of them remained there well beyond the limits set by the court, according to court documents filed Friday. Children and families held at the Dilley detention center , where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were sent earlier this year, suffered virus outbreaks and prolonged lockdowns in December and January, even though the total number of children held at Dilley has decreased in recent weeks, according to lawyer reports and visits to the center. The case of Ramos , a preschooler who was wearing a blue bunny hat when he was detained in Minnesota by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ), sparked protests against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, including among detainees, who gathered and displayed banners in the yard inside the fenced compound in Dilley. Last week, about 85 minors remained in detention at Dilley , but conditions were still worrying, according to Mishan Wroe, senior lawyer at the National Youth Law Centre, who visited the center in mid-March. In early February, a youth advocate observed about 280 minors. The documents filed cited numerous heartbreaking cases, including that of a 13-year-old girl detained in Dilley who attempted suicide after staff denied her prescribed antidepressants and refused her request to be reunited with her mother, the Associated Press reported. The government reported that no "placements under suicide watch" had been made, according to the documents. The Associated Press obtained discharge papers for Dilley that described a "suicide attempt by wrist cutting" and "self-harm." The documents were filed as part of a 1985 lawsuit that led to the creation, in 1997 , of judicial oversight of the standards and ultimately established a 20-day detention limit. The Trump administration is seeking to terminate the Flores agreement . “For years, the Flores consent decree has been a tool of the left that violates the law and wastes valuable American taxpayer-funded resources,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. “Being detained is a choice.” Lawyers for the detainees highlighted government data showing longer detention periods for immigrant children, and also mentioned the presence of worms in the food and poor access to medical care or adequate legal advice, according to reports from families and supervisors at the federal facilities. “Dilley remains a hellhole,” said Leecia Welch , senior legal director for Children’s Rights, who visits Dilley regularly to ensure compliance with regulations. “Although the number of children has decreased, the suffering persists.” Dilley has been set up for families, who receive essential items, including sufficient food and water during their detention, and the Trump administration is working to quickly deport the detainees, the DHS spokesman added. A report by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed that approximately 595 migrant children were detained for more than the 20-day limit in December and January, some for several months, according to the document. “Approximately 265 of these minors were detained for more than 50 days, and the alarming figure of 55 minors, for more than 100 days,” the document states. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Breitbart [3/21/2026 12:52 PM, Ildefonso Ortiz, Brandon Darby, 2238K] reports the U.S. Department of Justice announced a ten-count indictment against five illegal aliens from Mexico for their role in running a large-scale meth production and distribution operation in California. The two leaders of the operation had been released under Biden-era catch-and-release policies after entering the country illegally. This week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a ten-count indictment filed against four men and one woman from Mexico illegally in the country on conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine charges.

Newsweek [3/21/2026 9:44 AM, Billal Rahman, 52220K] reports U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has reached the statutory limit for H‑2B work visas for the second half of the 2026 fiscal year. The H‑2B program enables U.S. employers, primarily in hospitality and landscaping, to hire foreign workers for temporary, non‑agricultural seasonal jobs when domestic labor is insufficient. Industries such as hotels, restaurants, and landscaping companies rely heavily on H‑2B workers to meet peak-season demand. President Donald Trump’s policy of mass deportations has begun to take a tangible toll on the U.S. agricultural sector, according to farmers and industry experts. The removal of large numbers of immigrant laborers, who make up a significant portion of the farm workforce, is disrupting planting and harvest cycles, driving up labor costs, and creating shortages in key crops. The government agency also said that filing dates are now available for supplemental visas to help employers fill seasonal positions. USCIS reported that 27,736 supplemental H‑2B visas are open for positions with start dates from April 1 through April 30, while an additional 18,490 visas are available for jobs beginning between May 1 and September 30.

Breitbart [3/22/2026 6:46 AM, Neil Munro, 2238K] reports a survey by pro-migration groups shows that only one out of every 27 border migrants claimed to meet the core requirement for winning political asylum in the United States. Just 3.7 percent of 364 deported or stranded migrants said they were fleeing because of “political opinion.” In contrast, 54 percent said they were motivated by “economy and employment” to seek wages in Americans’ workplaces. The data undermine routine claims by progressives and journalists that illegal migrants are seeking deserved asylum. The survey is included within a report that will be touted on March 26 by a group of pro-migration organizations, led by the American Friends Service Committee. Their report is titled “How Cruel Migration Policies Hurt People,” and it assumes illegal migrants have a legal and moral right to move into Americans’ communities. For example, the report says: A majority of the people interviewed had planned their life projects to happen in the United States, however, overnight, their hopes, aspirations, jobs, and relationships were disrupted by the implementation of an unjust and cruel policy. Congress’s immigration laws bar economic migrants, and the asylum exception is granted to migrants fleeing persecution by their home governments. President Joe Biden’s deputies approved almost 50 percent of asylum requests, while President Donald Trump’s deputies approved less than 5 percent of asylum requests in February 2026. Very few of the 364 surveyed migrants appear to meet the asylum test, according to published testimony from interviews in El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. The implication is that progressives urged millions of migrants to undergo trauma, risks, and debts, knowing that nearly all of them were job-seeking illegal migrants.

Chicago Tribune [3/22/2026 6:00 AM, Angie Leventis Lourgos, 5209K] reports as the son of an undocumented mother and father, Pablo Serrano of Chicago says it would be painful for him – and harmful to the nation – if America were to end its longstanding practice of birthright citizenship for future generations. His mom was seven months pregnant when his parents left Durango, Mexico in summer 1979, searching for a better life and reuniting with other family members in the United States. She gave birth to Serrano at the old Cook County Hospital just a few months after their arrival. The newborn became an automatic U.S. citizen by virtue of his place of birth, according to the 14th Amendment and well-established American law, despite his mixed-status family. Yet on the first day of Donald Trump’s second term, the president signed an executive order on birthright citizenship declaring that some children whose parents are here illegally or temporarily, such as certain visa holders, are not American citizens. The order, which has been blocked by the courts, would apply to children born on or after Feb. 19, 2025, potentially affecting the status of millions of babies. It has also ignited broader political and public debate over who should have the right to call themselves an American, based on the circumstances of their birth and parentage. As an American with birthright citizenship, Serrano worries that if Trump’s order were allowed to go into effect “we will be deporting babies soon,” with a spiral of consequences that could reshape the legal and cultural landscape of the country. “Whether you’re from Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, China, if you were blessed to be born here, you are a citizen of this country,” said Serrano, an artist in the Pilsen neighborhood and father of three. “I don’t think people fully understand what that means” for the spirit and fabric of the nation. The Supreme Court will soon decide the constitutionality of Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, which conflicts with more than a century of legal understanding that the Constitution’s 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to everyone born on American soil, with extremely limited exceptions for children of international diplomats or a foreign occupying force. Oral arguments in the case Trump v. Barbara are slated to begin April 1, with a ruling expected by the summer.

Washington Times [3/21/2026 10:54 AM, Brad Matthews, 1323K] reports a Mexican man is facing federal charges of smuggling himself and a previously deported Irishman, a woman and a child into the U.S. via Canada. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York said Thursday that Andres Carrillo-Hernandez, 27, is facing charges of alien smuggling. The other adult man, Brian Ward, 22, is being charged separately with illegal entry into the U.S., according to court documents. Federal prosecutors did not name the woman, who was also arrested for illegal entry. Mr. Carrillo-Hernandez, Mr. Ward and the woman are accused of getting on the raft heading for the U.S. shoreline of the Niagara River. The raft was intercepted by the Border Patrol agents, who took Mr. Carrillo-Hernandez into custody, federal prosecutors said. The child’s cries then alerted the agents to the child, Mr. Ward and the woman. Federal prosecutors said Mr. Carrillo-Hernandez admitted to bringing the three on the raft for $2,000. The three adults are alleged to have entered the U.S. without prior permission. Mr. Ward is also specifically accused of reentering the U.S. after previously being deported last June.

FOX News [3/21/2026 3:26 PM, Alexandra Koch, 37576K] reports the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently confirmed agents from the U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector arrested two Mexican fugitives with active warrants for homicide and lewd acts upon a child. Agents conducted coordinated surveillance on Feb. 26 targeting Silvia Del Rosario Torres-Castro, a Mexican national wanted in Mexico for homicide. Torres-Castro was arrested without incident in Anaheim, California, and turned her over to Mexico’s Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), according to DHS. Officials said she entered the U.S. illegally in December 2023 under the Biden administration in the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station’s Area of Responsibility. In a separate surveillance operation on March 6, agents targeted Salvador Suazo-Garcia, a Mexican national wanted in Mexico for lewd and lascivious acts upon a child. Agents arrested Suazo-Garcia without incident in Lemon Grove, California, processed him administratively, and turned him over to Mexico’s FGR. "Thanks to the Biden administration, these dangerous criminal illegal aliens were allowed to roam American streets and make our communities less safe," DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis wrote in a statement to Fox. "These are the types of illegal aliens the media categorizes as ‘non-criminal’ illegal aliens because they lack a rap sheet in the U.S." Bis said nearly 70% of illegal immigrants ICE has arrested across the country have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges in the U.S.

New York Post [3/21/2026 7:34 PM, Ben Chapman and Daniel Farr, 40934K] reports a former pastor from Mexico accused of sex crimes against a minor was among busted by US Border Patrol agents after fleeing to Southern California. Salvador Suazo-Garcia, who was wanted in his native Mexico for lewd and lascivious acts involving a child, was collared by agents in Lemon Grove on March 6, according to the Department of Homeland Security. He originally entered the US legally in May 2021 during the Biden administration, but his visa was later revoked over the allegations, DHS said. Agents from the San Diego Sector of the US Border Patrol made the arrest after an investigation and surveillance of Suazo-Garcia. Authorities tracked him down through cross-border intelligence sharing, and he was picked up while driving a truck bearing the logo of an electrical company, Mexican media reported. He was taken into custody without incident and later handed over to Mexico’s federal Attorney General’s Office. No further information regarding his alleged sex crimes in Mexico was provided. In a separate case, agents in Anaheim on Feb. 26 nabbed Silvia Del Rosario Torres-Castro, a Mexican national wanted for homicide. Authorities tracked her movements before taking her into custody without incident. She was later turned over to Mexican officials. The details surrounding the alleged murder in Mexico were also not provided. Torres-Castro entered the US illegally in 2023 through the Imperial Beach area, DHS said. Officials said both fugitives had been on the run in the US and were finally tracked down through targeted surveillance by Border Patrol agents. DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said the arrests highlight how some migrants labeled "non-criminal" in the US can still be wanted for serious crimes abroad. "Now, thanks to our law enforcement, these two criminal illegals are back in Mexico to face justice for their crimes," Bis said. "These dangerous criminal illegal aliens were allowed to roam American streets and make our communities less safe," she added. Nearly 70% of illegal immigrants arrested by ICE nationwide have criminal convictions or pending charges in the US, according to DHS. "This statistic doesn’t even account for those wanted for violent crimes in their home country or another country, human rights abusers, gang members, and terrorists," Bis said.

Breitbart [3/21/2026 5:15 PM, Randy Clark, 2238K] reports frustrated by the lack of employment and the backlogged asylum system in Mexico, a group of migrants in Tapachula is hoping to form a caravan and move farther north to areas with more economic opportunities. The migrants, mostly Cuban and Honduran nationals, hope that at least 500 will join the "Genesis" caravan for the trek into central Mexico. According to a report in the Diario del Sur, the frustrated migrants are gathering in the Miguel Hidalgo central park in the city along the Mexico-Guatemala border to discuss and plan the exodus from the popular border crossing city, but thus far, a departure date has not been set. According to the report, the caravan is in the early planning stages, and at this point the group has not been able to enlist enough participants. The migrants will follow past northward routes through the border state, with the intention of reaching the state of Oaxaca and continuing north within the country. As reported by Breitbart Texas, a similar caravan of roughly 1,200 migrants began the long march from Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala in hopes of reaching Mexico’s capital city in October 2025. That group made clear they were frustrated with the slow-moving asylum process in Mexico and had no intention of seeking asylum in the United States. The group was later sent back to Tapachula, where the migrants were promised faster refugee processing.

FOX News [3/21/2026 1:51 PM, Deirdre Bardolf, 37576K] reports long security lines and staffing shortages have disrupted travel at major US airports during the partial government shutdown — but a small group of hubs is largely avoiding the chaos because they rely on private screening contractors instead of federally employed TSA officers. At least 20 airports across the country participate in the Transportation Security Administration’s Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which was founded in 2004 and allows private companies to conduct security screening under TSA oversight, Business Insider reported this week. One key difference is that airports using private contractors have reported fewer disruptions tied to the shutdown. Because private screeners are paid through pre-funded federal contracts, they are not impacted in the same way as TSA workers. The ongoing disruptions come as the TSA reports national call-out rates of more than 10%, with over 360 officers having quit during the shutdown tied to a funding standoff over the Department of Homeland Security, Fox News Digital reported this week.

CNN [3/21/2026 9:00 AM, Alexandra Skores, 19874K] reports at 20 airports in the United States, security screening is handled not by the Transportation Security Administration, but by private companies — and their checkpoints aren’t seeing long lines. Airports like San Francisco International, Kansas City International, Orlando Sanford, and 17 smaller facilities participate in TSA’s Screening Partnership Program which uses contractors at the checkpoints. The private companies have avoided the large-scale absences some airports that use TSA staff are struggling with right now during the partial government shutdown. Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have both seen wait times exceed two hours this week, as more than a third of TSA employees at each airport didn’t show up to work. The government-employed screeners have not gotten paid in more than a month as Congress remains locked in a stalemate over funding the Department of Homeland Security due to immigration reform.

Reuters [3/21/2026 7:08 AM, Doyinsola Oladipo and David Shepardson, 38315K] reports as government funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security remains frozen in Congress, airports are running food drives and accepting ​donations for security screeners enduring their second stretch without pay in the last six months. Transportation Security Administration officers scrimped and pinched pennies during ‌last year’s 43-day government shutdown, and many of those 50,000 workers are still paying off debts as the current funding lapse for the TSA’s parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, has stretched to five weeks. Those workers are six days away from missing a second full paycheck, but are being pressured to show up as screening times at some airports stretch on for hours. Airports and officials are scrambling to help TSA staffers make ends meet to forestall a sharp rise in absences from screeners, who earn ​an average of $61,000 annually, according to federal data. It is unclear when funding will be restored. Democrats in Congress in February agreed to fund most of the government in exchange for withholding funds from DHS following the high-profile killings of ​two U.S. residents in Minnesota by immigration ​authorities. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told ⁠reporters on Friday that a bipartisan group of senators have narrowed the remaining issues in the DHS funding talks, but it is not clear when they will reach a deal. Officials have noted that small U.S. airports may have to shut due to a shortage of security screeners. So far, 366 TSA officers have quit their jobs since the shutdown began, according to DHS. Workers presenting letters from DHS to creditors asking for late fees to be waived or for payments to be deferred are finding less leniency ⁠this time ​around, said Kraynak-Lambert of Pittsburgh’s AFGE 332. Union officials say workers who call in sick must ​show proof with a note from a doctor.

AP [3/22/2026 1:56 AM, Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Thalia Beaty, and James Pollard, 31753K] reports across the country, collections are popping up to help Transportation Security Administration officers who have been without full pay for more than a month due to the partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security. The charity World Central Kitchen, more accustomed to feeding those in war zones and disaster areas, started providing meals to Washington, D.C.-area airports after many TSA officers missed their first full paycheck. On Thursday, Feeding San Diego began distributing 400 boxes with pasta, beans and peanut butter as well as fresh produce like strawberries and potatoes to affected agents near the airport after a request from TSA and the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. Nonprofits are stepping in to help and coordinating closely with airports and local TSA offices because ethics rules around giving gifts to federal employees make it difficult for those affected by the shutdown to receive help directly. Carissa Casares from Feeding San Diego said communicating with the airport means they can better tailor their resources and response to TSA workers’ needs. “We need to work directly with the people who have direct access to these employees and get this food to them at a time and location that is most convenient to them,” Casares said.

CNN [3/21/2026 7:07 PM, Jessica Dean, 19874K] reports unpaid Transportation Security Administration workers are feeling strain as a partial government shutdown has led to staffing shortages that have contributed to delays, with unpredictable wait times expected to continue.

FOX News [3/21/2026 10:52 AM, Ashley J. DiMella, 37576K] reports American travelers across the nation are facing hours-long security lines as TSA workers continue to receive empty paychecks. LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, William P. Hobby Airport in Houston and many other airports have had wait times of over 2.5 hours. Now, some domestic passengers are "hacking the system" by going through international TSA lines, while others are taking advantage of touchless ID. Many travelers who have TSA PreCheck are taking advantage of the touchless ID program, which "enhances the security screening process with facial comparison technology for faster, more efficient identity verification," according to TSA’s website.

AP [3/21/2026 9:24 PM, Garance Burke, 2238K] reports nearly 600 immigrant children were held in a Texas family detention center in recent months without enough food, medical care or mental health services, as their time inside stretched beyond court-mandated limits, according to court documents filed Friday. Children and families held in the Dilley detention facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were sent earlier this year also faced virus outbreaks and lasting lockdowns in December and January, although the total number of children held at Dilley has fallen in recent weeks, according to the attorney’s reports and site visits. The case of Ramos, a preschooler who was wearing a blue bunny hat when he was picked up in Minnesota by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stirred protest over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, including among detainees who gathered and held up signs in the yard inside Dilley’s chain-link fences. Last week about 85 children remained detained at Dilley, but concerning conditions continued, said Mishan Wroe, directing attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, who visited in mid-March. In early February, a legal advocate for the children observed about 280 children. The filings cited numerous poignant cases, including that of a 13-year-old girl held at Dilley who tried to take her own life after staff withheld prescribed antidepressants and denied her request to join her mother, as reported by The Associated Press. The government reported there had been “no placements on suicide watch,” according to the filing. The AP obtained Dilley discharge documents that described a “suicide attempt by cutting of wrist” and “self-harm.” The filings were submitted in a lawsuit launched in 1985 that led to the creation in 1997 of court-ordered supervision of standards and eventually established a 20-day limit in custody. The Trump administration seeks to end the Flores settlement. “For years, the Flores consent decree has been a tool of the left that is antithetical to the law and wastes valuable U.S. taxpayer funded resources,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. “Being in detention is a choice.” Attorneys for detainees highlighted the government’s data showing longer custody times for immigrant children, and also cited worms in food, and poor access to medical care or sufficient legal counsel as reported by families and monitors at federal facilities. “Dilley remains a hellhole,” said Leecia Welch, the chief legal director at Children’s Rights, who visits Dilley regularly to ensure compliance. “Although the number of children has decreased, the suffering remains the same.” Dilley is retrofitted for families, who receive basic necessities including adequate food and water while in detention, and the Trump administration is working to quickly deport detainees, the DHS spokesperson added. A report from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed that about 595 immigrant children were held in custody for more than the 20-day limit in December and January, with some stretching into months, per the filing. “Approximately 265 of these children were detained for more than 50 days and a shocking 55 children were detained more than 100 days,” the filing stated.

CBS Colorado [3/21/2026 2:12 PM, Christa Swanson, 51110K] reports work continues Saturday to contain two wildfires in southern Colorado near Fort Carson and San Luis. Control lines held through the night, according to a statement by a Fort Carson Official on Saturday morning. Updates on acreage and the percent containment on the fire have not been provided yet as of 11:30 a.m. The last estimate provided on Friday night put the fire at approximately 1,067 acres and 0% containment. The Fremont County Sheriff’s office said heavy firefighting operations are set to resume this morning, and there have been no changes to evacuation and pre-evacuation areas since last night. An evacuation center has been set up at Pathfinder Park in Florence. According to the Costilla County Office of Emergency Management, the Chama Canyon Fire is now 141 acres and is 50% contained. They said the fire showed minimal growth overnight, and crews on the ground have made significant progress on the heel and right flank, establishing a dozer line. Firefighters continue to receive support from aviation resources, including single-engine and large air tankers and helicopters.

The Hill [3/21/2026 9:12 AM, Jen Brink, 18170K] reports residents on Oahu’s North Shore are being urged to evacuate as severe rains continue to create catastrophic flooding and threaten to trigger a dam failure. Honolulu officials told residents in an emergency message to leave the area downstream of the 120-year-old Wahiawa dam, because it’s failing or expected to soon fail. The warning told residents to carpool because of heavy traffic. Officials urged Oahu’s North Shore residents to evacuate safely if they can. Emergency sirens were triggered, where rising waters also damaged homes. Honolulu officials issued a “LEAVE NOW” evacuation order at 5:35 a.m. Friday local time for Waialua and Haleiwa: “Extremely dangerous flooding and Wahiawa Dam is high.” Officials said a dam failure has the potential for “life-threatening flooding and catastrophic amounts of fast moving water.”

AP [3/21/2026 11:30 AM, Jennifer Sinco Kelleher and Audrey McAvoy] reports as Hawaii endures its worst flooding in more than 20 years, officials are urging people in hard-hit areas to “LEAVE NOW.” The warning early Saturday came after heavy rains fell on soil already saturated by downpours from a winter storm a week ago. Still more rain was expected during the weekend, officials said. Muddy floodwaters smothered vast stretches of Oahu’s North Shore, a community world-renowned for its big-wave surfing. Raging waters lifted homes and cars and prompted evacuation orders for 5,500 people north of Honolulu. Authorities cautioned that a 120-year-old dam could fail. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning early Saturday with light to moderate showers expected to turn heavy in some places. Gov. Josh Green said the cost of the storm could top $1 billion, including damage to airports, schools, roads, people’s homes and a Maui hospital in Kula. Green said his chief of staff spoke to the White House and received assurances the islands would have federal support. No deaths were reported and no one was unaccounted for. More than 200 people have been rescued, officials said. About 10 people were taken to a hospital with hypothermia, he said.

USA Today [3/21/2026 1:19 PM, Dinah Voyles Pulver, Jeanine Santucci, 70643K] reports catastrophic flooding keeps hitting Hawaii as two back-to-back storms pummeled the islands with rain and damaging winds. Authorities say it’s the worst flooding the state has seen in 20 years, as torrents of water wash out homes, damage roads and threaten to bust through a dam. The threat of the dam failure in northern Oahu prompted an emergency evacuation of thousands on the morning of March 20. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency later clarified that the 120-year-old dam had not failed but "is at imminent risk of failure." Gov. Josh Green said there have been no deaths or people unaccounted for during the flooding, but called it the worst the state has seen since the early 2000s. Some 200 people have been rescued from the flooding and about 10 presented at hospitals with hypothermia, he said. The morning of March 21, the National Weather Service in Honolulu said two systems are continuing to drive rain (sometimes as heavy as 2 to 4 inches per hour), thunderstorms and an increased risk of flash flooding through the weekend. A flood watch was in place for the whole state through the afternoon of March 22. Damage from the March 2026 flooding could total $1 billion, Green said. That includes damage to numerous homes, roads, schools, airports and a hospital on Maui, he said.

Newsweek [3/21/2026 2:46 PM, Hollie Silverman, 52220K] reports Hawaii activated the National Guard and expanded search-and-rescue operations after a powerful "Kona low" unleashed what Governor Josh Green called “the largest flood that we’ve had in Hawaii in 20 years." The storm inundated Oahu’s North Shore and other communities, triggering at least 233 rescues and causing an early damage estimate that could top $1 billion, officials said Saturday. Hawaii Adjutant General Major General Stephen F. Logan said Guard teams evacuated or rescued residents on Oahu’s North Shore, including 32 children and 15 adults airlifted from a spring break campsite by Black Hawk helicopters, as 195 soldiers and airmen and 21 high-water vehicle teams were deployed statewide by Friday, with door-to-door operations planned to continue in hard-hit communities, Hawaii News Now reported. The flooding battered areas already saturated by another Kona low a week earlier, compounding runoff, fueling landslides and rockfalls, prompting evacuations and straining emergency resources across multiple counties, officials said. No fatalities or missing persons have been reported as of Friday evening, but infrastructure impacts to roads, schools, airports and a hospital on Maui, along with widespread home damage, could push losses into the billions as response transitions to recovery when conditions allow, according to the report from Hawaii News Now.

ABC News [3/21/2026 3:34 PM, Staff, 34146K] reports a flash flood warning for Hawaii’s Oahu island has been extended Saturday as the threat for the imminent failure of the Wahiawa Dam continues to loom following heavy rainstorms. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

San Francisco Chronicle [3/21/2026 3:13 PM, Megan Fan Munce, Anthony Edwards, 3833K] reports Hawaiian officials are warning residents of Oahu’s North Shore that if they haven’t evacuated already, they could get stuck as flash floods, sinkholes and landslides threaten some of the only remaining paths in and out of the area. As much as 10 inches of rain has fallen on parts of the island since Thursday night, with an additional 2 to 4 inches expected over the next 24 hours, according to the National Weather Service. This heavy downpour has fed flooding that’s shut down parts of highways, swept homes off their foundations and prompted evacuation orders for about 10,000 residents. The majority of residents have been evacuated, according to Stephen Logan, adjutant general of Hawaii’s Department of Defense. It’s the state’s largest flood in 20 years, Gov. Josh Green told reporters Friday. There were no reported fatalities as of Friday night, Green said. Local authorities, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Hawaiian National Guard and the U.S. Army rescued more than 233 people stranded by the rising waters or caught in it. That included dozens of children and adults who were taken out of a local campground via Black Hawk helicopters after flooding made it impossible to reach the campground by land. Two members of the rescued group were hospitalized, according to Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi. In total, 10 people were hospitalized due to hypothermia after treading through the 60- to 70-degree water, Green said. As of early Saturday, the entire island of Oahu remained under a flash flood warning. A particular area of concern is the Wahiawa Dam on the North Shore, which officials warned could collapse if the water surpassed its highest point — 90 feet, according to Green. About 5,000 people, including the communities of Waialua and Haleiwa, would be at risk of flooding if the dam collapsed, Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Molly Pierce told the Chronicle Friday. On the island of Maui, several communities were advised to evacuate due to flooding and a major hospital was closed. Green noted one of the areas being heavily impacted was Lahaina, where a 2023 wildfire killed 102 people and destroyed more than 2,200 structures. Green said the storm had damaged airports, hospitals, infrastructure and homes, and estimated that it could cost more than a billion dollars. Both the White House and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have pledged support, he said. The National Weather Service forecasted the worst of the storm could last through the weekend, with lingering effects continuing into the week.

Reported similarly:
Bloomberg [3/21/2026 10:12 AM, Brian K. Sullivan, 18082K]

Univision [3/21/2026 8:16 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports Ecuadorian authorities reported on Saturday that approximately 3.2 tons of drugs were seized during joint operations between Ecuador and the United States on the high seas. The operations took place as part of Ecuador’s crackdown on drug trafficking, as 70% of the cocaine produced by its neighbors Colombia and Peru—the world’s leading producers of the drug—passes through the country. The United States, which supports Ecuador’s fight against crime, has also been targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific since September, resulting in some 150 deaths. The Ecuadorian police said in a statement that, in coordination with the DEA, three speedboats carrying nearly a ton of drugs were intercepted on Saturday, about 180 nautical miles from the fishing port of Manta (southwest). Without specifying when, the Ministry of Defense also noted that the Navy, in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard, carried out "large-scale" operations that led to the seizure of nearly two tons of drugs and the arrest of five Ecuadorians. The narcotics were on vessels located in international waters off the Ecuadorian Galápagos archipelago, 620 miles from Manta, and near the coastal province of Santa Elena (southwest). On Saturday, a U.S. vessel handed over part of the drugs and the detainees to Ecuadorian authorities in Manta. "The operations are part of the international cooperation agreements Ecuador maintains with foreign countries to combat transnational crimes in maritime areas," the ministry added in a statement. Last Sunday, Ecuador announced a two-week plan to crack down on drug trafficking gangs with U.S. support and under strict curfews in the regions hardest hit by violence. In recent years, Ecuador has become the most coveted corridor in the eastern Pacific. In 2025, the nation seized some 227 tons of drugs, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

FOX News [3/22/2026 5:39 AM, Amalia Roy, 37576K] Video: HERE reports law enforcement agencies across the United States are on high alert over an elevated terror threat, prompting Jewish communities in particular to ramp up security after a series of recent attacks, including an incident at Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan. Experts warn that the most pressing danger comes from so-called lone wolf attackers — individuals who act independently and are often difficult to detect before they strike. The concern intensified after two separate attacks took place nearly two weeks ago on the same day: one targeting an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University in Virginia and another at Temple Israel in Michigan. At synagogues nationwide, security has become a constant presence. In Phoenix and other cities, Jewish organizations are taking proactive steps to prepare for potential threats. One such group, Magen Am, a nonprofit focused on community security, is training volunteers to respond in the event of an attack. During a recent training session, volunteers practiced defensive tactics, preparing for a scenario they hope never becomes reality — placing themselves between an attacker and their community. "Magen Am—the shield of the nation—it’s about standing up and saying, ‘You’re not getting through,’" volunteer Valerie Smilovic said. The organization, which operates in Los Angeles, Orange County and Phoenix, was founded in the wake of the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. Ian Turner, who leads the Phoenix branch of Magen Am, said that tragedy served as a wake-up call for many in the Jewish community. "American Jewry got the memo that they need to do some form of proactive security," Turner said. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CNN [3/22/2026 5:30 AM, Eric Levenson, 19874K] reports the 18-year-old from Pennsylvania had just been arrested for allegedly attempting to detonate two bombs at a New York City protest when he arrived to the NYPD precinct on March 7. As laid out in a criminal complaint, Emir Balat waived his Miranda rights, took paper and pen, and wrote out a message: “I pledge my allegience (sic) to the Islamic State.” Just days afterward, a 36-year-old man who had previously served nearly a decade in prison for attempting to aid ISIS opened fire at Old Dominion University in Virginia. He killed one person and wounded two before he was killed. With those incidents, the men joined an infamous group of suspected terrorists across the world who have expressed loyalty to and carried out violence in the name of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. But why exactly do they “pledge allegiance” to a “state” that is no longer a state? And what spurs someone to not just attack innocent people, but to then make a statement of loyalty while doing so? Experts on extremism and jihadist terrorism said this pledge of allegiance is an important aspect of these attacks for the individual terrorist, for the group and for the American legal system. “In their self-conception, they see themselves as soldiers of Allah fighting on behalf of ISIS,” said Peter Bergen, CNN national security analyst and author of “United States of Jihad: Investigating America’s Homegrown Terrorists.” “They conceive of themselves as doing something fairly heroic, even though of course it’s kind of the opposite.” A pledge of allegiance “gives meaning to something that is sort of essentially meaningless, which is attacking innocent strangers. It allows them to frame themselves as heroes when often they’re zeroes.”

New York Post [3/21/2026 3:26 PM, Sonya Gugliara, 40934K] reports more than a dozen unsanctioned drones repeatedly swarmed a US Air Force base that is home to a nuclear bomber fleet — and were able to resist efforts to bring them down via jamming technology, according to military officials. The restricted airspace of Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana, was infiltrated by "multiple unauthorized drones" between March 9 and March 15, a base spokesperson told The Post. The 22-acre installation located east of Shreveport, hosts a fleet of B-52 bombers which can carry out nuclear strikes with "worldwide precision," according to the Air Force. As an Air Force Global Strike Command base, Barksdale also plays a crucial role in the Air Force’s nuclear defense capabilities. The first mysterious drone breach involved an "unmanned aerial system" that set off a shelter-in-place order and terror alert, ABC News reported. Following incidents were reportedly more extensively — involving 12 to 15 long-range drones swarming the no-fly zone, according to an internal military briefing reviewed by the outlet. Over the course of the week, BAFB Security Forces witnessed "multiple waves" of drones over "sensitive areas of the base," ABC News reported.

CNN [3/21/2026 6:22 PM, Kaanita Iyer, Gianluca Mezzofiore, 612K] reports Iran’s attempt to strike a US-UK base over 2,000 miles (over 3,000 kilometers) off its coast has renewed questions about Tehran’s military capabilities and how far its missiles can reach. On Friday morning local time, Iran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK military base in the Indian Ocean, a US official told CNN, adding that neither of them struck the base. This marks what appears to be the first known attempt to target the base, which was deliberately built in a remote location beyond the reach of many adversaries. While the attack was unsuccessful, it shows that Iran may not be adhering its self-imposed missile range limit of 2,000 kilometers, raising concerns about whether Tehran could hit US and European interests farther away than previously thought. Jeffrey Lewis, distinguished scholar of global security at Middlebury College, told CNN that Iran was developing an intercontinental ballistic missile that was "reoriented to space launch" after then-Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei "imposed a 2,000-kilometer range limit" in 2017. "They were waiting for Khamenei to change his mind or, well, die," Lewis said. "Now he’s dead.” Trita Parsi, the co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, believes the US homeland is safe from Iranian strikes, but he told CNN that the attempted attack "suggests that other bases that the US thought is outside of the range of Iran may actually be within the range," along with American ships "that have been kept 3,000 kilometers away.” Parsi also wonders whether this incident could cause some European countries that have allowed the US to use its military bases to reconsider. Earlier this month, the UK agreed to a US request to allow American forces to use its military bases for operations against Iranian missile sites. Meanwhile, Romania has allowed US refueling planes, as well as US surveillance and satellite equipment, to be at its bases, according to Reuters. "It does put certain European bases in within their range," Parsi said, adding, "I don’t know if that’s going to cause a rethink on the European side but it definitely increases the risk for them.”

Washington Post [3/21/2026 8:54 PM, Sammy Westfall, 24826K] reports President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran’s power plants if the country does not fully open the Strait of Hormuz by Monday, escalating his attempts to force Iran to reopen the waterway as energy prices surge. “If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” Trump said Saturday night on Truth Social. Tehran has largely shut down a vital shipping chokepoint, and the president has sought to pressure European and Asian countries to protect the strait with their militaries. At the same time, he has complained that allies are dragging their feet about joining a fight launched without their input. The International Energy Agency has called the war “the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” and it has pushed up gas prices about 33 percent in just three weeks. The nationwide average gas price hit $3.91 this week, the highest in almost four years. Iran’s escalating strikes on energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf have also been stoking fears of a full-blown energy crisis. Trump’s warning comes as the International Atomic Energy Agency said it is looking into reports from Iran that a nuclear site was attacked on Saturday. Its director, Rafael Mariano Grossi, called for “military restraint to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident.”

Reuters [3/22/2026 6:53 AM, Maayan Lubell, Alexander Cornwell, and Idrees Ali, 38315K] reports U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran threatened to escalate their war by attacking energy facilities in ​the Gulf, a potential widening of hostilities which could deepen a regional crisis and add to concerns in global markets. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel from the early hours of Sunday morning, warning ‌of incoming missiles from Iran, after scores of people were hurt overnight in two separate attacks in the southern Israeli towns of Arad and Dimona. The Israeli military said on Sunday it was striking Tehran just hours after Iran’s attacks on southern Israel. Trump on Saturday threatened to "obliterate" Iran’s power plants if Tehran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, a significant escalation barely a day after he talked about "winding down" the war, now in its fourth week. Iran warned on Sunday it would attack U.S. infrastructure, including energy facilities in the Gulf, if Trump ​carried out his threat, which he made as U.S. Marines and heavy landing craft continue to head to the region. More than 2,000 people have been killed during the war the U.S. and Israel launched on February 28, which has ​upended markets, spiked fuel costs, fuelled global inflation fears and convulsed the postwar Western alliance.

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