Republicans optimistic on path to end DHS shutdown

Morning Report is The Hill’s a.m. newsletter. Subscribe here or in the box below: Close The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Morning Report newsletter In today’s issue: ▪ TSA delays lengthen ▪ Iran talks dispute ▪ Mullin confirmed ▪ Dems turning against AIPAC Senate Republicans have a new sense of optimism for a deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following a Monday evening meeting with President Trump. Trump appears to have backed off his insistence that efforts to reopen DHS, which has been without funding for more than a month, be tied to Democrats agreeing to pass the SAVE America Act, the voting requirements bill currently before the Senate. The president’s demand that the legislation be passed before any shutdown agreement could be reached had added a significant hurdle to the funding talks, given broad Democratic opposition to the bill. The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports Senate Republicans now believe Trump is willing to accept a potential deal with Democrats in which funding for DHS would be split into two pieces of legislation. A Senate Republican source familiar with the discussion said Trump is willing to separate funding for enforcement and removal operations from the DHS appropriations bill to get enough Democratic support. The GOP would then look to pass additional money for U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) removal process through reconciliation, allowing it to pass without Democratic votes. Senate Republicans also told Trump they will try to include elements of the SAVE America Act in the reconciliation bill, with one person familiar with the meeting describing the effort to Bolton as a “down payment” on some of the voting requirements bill. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, told reporters Republicans feel they have a path to ending the shutdown. “We do,” she said in response to a question about whether the group that met with Trump has a solution to ending the standoff. Sources familiar with the meeting said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who was confirmed as the next DHS secretary Monday, was also present at the meeting, as were White House border czar Tom Homan and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. Trump had rejected a similar proposal over the weekend. His apparent agreement comes at a critical time as the effects of the DHS shutdown are increasingly being felt at airports across the country. Monday saw the start of ICE officers being deployed at many airports to assist understaffed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers. TSA employees, along with much of the rest of DHS, have been working without pay for more than a month, leading to a significant increase in the number of staff members calling out. That was particularly on display this past weekend. NBC News reported DHS said the overall TSA call-out rate neared 12 percent Sunday, with more than 3,450 agents not coming in to work. But the rate at some of the country’s most major airports was much higher, with more than 40 percent of agents calling out at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The call-out rates at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Baltimore/Washington International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City all topped a third of staff. JFK Airport suspended its wait time reporting Monday as officials said they are subject to “rapid change.” Various other airports are warning of hours-long waits. ICE officers have been deployed to more than a dozen airports, including in New York, New Jersey, New Orleans and Phoenix. Homan, who is overseeing the operation, said on SiriusXM’s “Cuomo Mornings” that he didn’t want to name the specific airports because he expects anti-ICE protests. “I don’t want to give the specific airports right now because what’s going to happen is we have massive protesters out there, and we want to start this out low-key and without fanfare,” he said. Along with growing security lines, LaGuardia International Airport is dealing with the aftermath of a collision between a jet and a firetruck that claimed the lives of two pilots late Sunday. The Air Canada plane was landing when it struck the vehicle, which was traveling across the runway to respond to another incident involving a United Airlines flight. The crash injured and hospitalized 41 passengers, though most were released by Monday morning. The airport was shut down through the morning and early afternoon. The accident and increased delays are putting heightened pressure on lawmakers to reach a deal, especially as they’re set to leave Washington on Friday for a two-week Easter recess, The Hill’s Sarah Fortinsky reports. ▪ CBS News: TSA lines in Houston turn into nightmare. ▪ The Wall Street Journal: ICE officers often unmasked as they deploy at airports. Smart Take with Blake Burman Crude oil prices nosedived nearly 10 percent Monday as Trump talked up conversations between the U. S. and Iran. It’s a glimpse into what could happen with gas prices here at home when the war begins to de-escalate. The conflict has put stress on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping artery for oil in the region, as Iran continues to threaten tankers trying to pass through. I asked retired Lt. Gen. Richard Newton how long it would take for the U. S. to establish control of the strait. “I’m thinking two to three weeks,” Newton told me, while adding that what comes next is equally as important. “My opinion is we’re going to have to maintain supremacy there for a long period of time after we regain maritime dominance.” Crude oil prices could very well remain volatile as the commander in chief announces future decisions. Keep in mind, whatever happens, those higher or lower crude oil prices still take weeks to filter through the system and down to your gas pump. Burman hosts “The Hill” weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation. 3 Things to Know Today The Supreme Court will hear a case today on whether migrants who are stopped before reaching the U. S.-Mexico border are allowed to apply for asylum or can be turned away. The Defense Department has closed the office space reserved for journalists inside the Pentagon following a judge’s ruling against its restrictive press policy. A spokesperson said the Pentagon will appeal the ruling but close the space in the meantime. Top military officials are weighing the possibility of deploying airborne troops for the Iran war to seize Kharg Island, The New York Times reported. The island is key to Iran’s oil exports, though officials said no action has been ordered. Leading the Day President Trump arrives on Air Force One, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., after attending the casualty return at Dover Air Force Base, Del., for the six crew members of an Air Force refueling aircraft who died when their plane crashed in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) MIXED MESSAGES: The U. S. and Iran are giving conflicting signals as to the extent to which they may be negotiating after Trump called off planned attacks on Iran’s power plants. The president said early Monday he ordered a five-day pause on strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure after “productive” conversations with leaders in Tehran. He had on Saturday threatened to destroy its power plants if Iran didn’t agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Trump said the conversations covered a “complete and total resolution of hostilities” in the Middle East. He said the pause would be implemented on the basis of the “tenor and tone of these in depth, detailed and constructive conversations.” But Iran denied that any talks are taking place, with a top security official telling Iran’s Fars News Agency that Trump “backed down.” “Financial market pressure and the threat of bonds within the U. S. and the West have increased, and this has been another important factor in this retreat,” the official said. But the president maintained after Iran’s denial that discussions have been happening. He said the talks are not with the newly seated Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and that the U. S. is instead dealing with someone who he believes is “the most respected.” Trump said special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner spoke with their Iranian counterparts Sunday. But he declined to say who they were, saying he didn’t want them to be killed. Sources told multiple outlets that Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is leading the talks with Trump on Iran’s behalf. But Ghalibaf denied that he’s involved. “No negotiations have been held with the US, and fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped,” he said in a post on the social platform X. After Trump announced negotiations were happening and the attacks were being paused, stocks rose while the cost of oil dropped. But the talks, to whatever extent they are happening, will need to yield tangible results to turn reverse the economic turmoil of the past few weeks. ▪ The Hill: Signs emerge Trump ready to end the war. ▪ The Hill: Iran war’s toll on U. S. military rises. SECRETARY MULLIN: Mullin will be sworn in as the next DHS secretary today after the Senate voted to confirm the Oklahoma GOP senator mostly along party lines in a vote Monday. The Senate voted 54-45, with Democratic Sens. John Fetterman (Pa.) and Martin Heinrich (N. M.) breaking party lines to vote in favor of Mullin’s nomination. Fetterman has said he views Mullin as an improvement to Noem and emphasized their “constructive working relationship” as justification for his yes vote, while Heinrich called Mullin a “friend” who would not be “bullied” by White House advisers into changing his views. Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) was the only Republican to vote against the nomination, as he has said he doesn’t believe Mullin has the right temperament to lead the department. Trump previously said Noem would end her tenure as DHS secretary at the end of the month. But Mullin will start immediately now that he’s been confirmed. He will resign as senator, a position he’s held since 2023, ahead of taking the new role. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) is reportedly expected to choose oil executive Alan Armstrong as Mullin’s replacement. State law requires Armstrong to agree to not run in the special election to fill the remainder of Mullin’s term, and Republicans have coalesced around Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) as their preferred successor to Mullin. ▪ The Hill: Dems release details on Noem’s ad spending. ▪ The Oklahoman: Mullin takes on toughest job yet at DHS. MAIL-IN SKEPTICISM: A majority of the Supreme Court appeared skeptical of allowing states to count mail-in ballots received after polls close on Election Day, potentially signaling a notable change ahead of the midterms. The case centers on Mississippi’s voting law that allows a five-day grace period for ballots received after polls close as long as they’re postmarked by Election Day. The Republican National Committee led a challenge to the statute, arguing federal law permits only one Election Day. Mississippi appealed a lower court ruling that found federal law preempts the statute, but several conservative justices expressed concern that counting ballots late could undermine faith in elections. “If the apparent winner the morning after the election ends up losing due to late-arriving ballots, charges of a rigged election could explode,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh said. If the court strikes down Mississippi’s law, it could also impact the more than a dozen other states, plus the District of Columbia, that allow for a grace period for receiving ballots. Nearly 30 states also accept military and overseas ballots received after Election Day. ▪ The Hill: Court backs officer seeking immunity from protester’s claims. ▪ The Hill: New top prosecutor to lead U. S. attorney’s office in New Jersey. When & Where The president will participate in executive time at 8 a.m. He will deliver opening remarks at the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit at 10 a.m. He will participate in a swearing-in ceremony for Mullin as DHS secretary at 1:30 p.m. He will participate in policy meetings at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and in signing time at 5 p.m. The House and Senate will convene at noon. Zoom In Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at an AIPAC event (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) TIDE TURNING: The pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is growing increasingly controversial within the Democratic Party, with a rising number of Democrats once supportive of the organization now condemning it. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D), who is Jewish and a former donor to AIPAC, and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who has enjoyed support from Jewish groups including AIPAC in the past, are two of the latest to speak out against the group. Pritzker said following last Tuesday’s primary elections in Illinois that AIPAC “is not an organization that I think today I would want any part of,” while Gallego said last week he would reject spending from the organization in the future. The Hill’s Caroline Vakil reports the rebukes reflect increasingly widespread criticism on the part of Democrats as AIPAC-aligned groups have weighed in on competitive elections and the public’s views on AIPAC and Israel generally have declined. Outside spending from many organizations flooded into Illinois’s primaries, including two groups that were boosted by contributions from a super PAC linked to AIPAC. Two of their four preferred candidates won the primaries that the groups were involved in, a mixed performance. Some Democrats slammed AIPAC for the groups’ attempts to play a role in the primaries. AIPAC also faced scrutiny last month after a super PAC aligned with the organization spent millions in a special primary for a vacant House seat in New Jersey, arguably swinging the race. AIPAC has pushed back on the criticism, accusing detractors of singling it out. “The orchestrated campaign to single out and demonize pro-Israel Americans, including millions of Democrats who are members of AIPAC, for participating in the political process is wrong and fundamentally undemocratic,” the group said in a post on X. ▪ The Hill: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) leans into support for Israel. ▪ The Hill: Candidates clash in Georgia special election debate. Elsewhere Independent Nebraska Senate candidate Dan Osborn departs an election night watch party at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Omaha La Vista Hotel & Conference Center in La Vista, Neb., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Bonnie Ryan) BACK ON THE BALLOT: The Nebraska Supreme Court has ordered that a Democratic candidate be allowed back on the ballot after they were briefly removed by a top state official. The court ruled the decision by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen (R) to remove Cindy Burbank from the ballot was invalid because the move happened too late after she filed to gain ballot access, Nebraska Public Media reported. Evnen had sought to remove Burbank’s name from the primary ballot after determining she was not a “good-faith candidate” because of her open support for independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn. Osborn is running to challenge Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) after an unsuccessful candidacy in 2024. Burbank is seeking the Democratic nomination to try to clear the way for Osborn to have a better chance to challenge Ricketts. Now that she’s back on the ballot, Burbank is facing pastor William Forbes in the Democratic primary. Forbes is strongly against abortion, and Democrats have accused him of running as a plant to try to take votes away from Osborn. ▪ The Hill: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) noncommittal on 2028 presidential run. ▪ The Hill: California sheriff seizes special election ballots. Opinion Democrats’ quest for relatable white dudes finds new candidates, The Hill’s Chris Stirewalt writes. In their game of chicken, Trump and Iran tap the brakes at last, David Ignatius writes in The Washington Post. The Closer President Trump holds up replica of a Elvis Presley guitar he had just signed, in the Jungle Room at Graceland, Elvis Presley’s historic estate, Monday, March 23, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) And finally … Trump toured Elvis Presley’s Graceland during his trip to Memphis on Monday, signing a replica guitar from the late rock ‘n’ roll singer. “Unfortunately, I never met Elvis, and that would have been one I would have liked a lot,” Trump told reporters. “But I do like his music,” he added. Trump participated in a roundtable event before the visit, promoting his administration’s efforts to fight crime in the city and across the U. S. He told reporters that his favorite song by Presley is “Hurt.” Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.