Trump's Hormuz Deadline, Congress DHS Funding, ICE In Airports

Summary

NPR Up First – Episode Summary

Date: March 23, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode addresses three top stories shaping the morning: President Trump’s surprising pause on military action against Iran amid dubious diplomatic claims, Congress’ continued dysfunction over DHS funding leading to airport chaos, and the administration’s controversial deployment of ICE agents to airports to relieve TSA shortages.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump Issues Five-Day Halt on Strikes Against Iran

[00:02–06:00]

• Surprise Announcement: President Trump orders a five-day pause on targeting Iran’s power plants, citing “productive talks” between the U.S. and Iran. Iran flatly denies any such dialogue.
  • Trump (paraphrased): “We have had very, very strong talks... major points of agreement.” [02:17, 02:22]
• Background:
  • The U.S. previously set a 48-hour deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers, threatening strikes if unmet.
  • Iran threatened retaliation, heightening tensions throughout the region and impacting global oil and gas markets.
• Reported Negotiations:
  • Trump claims U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were involved in recent conversations with Iran.
  • Daniel Estrin (NPR): “Axios is reporting... Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan have all been passing messages between the US and Iran’s foreign minister...” [03:52] – Not independently confirmed by NPR.
• Iran’s Response:
  • Iran’s Foreign Ministry says no direct talks have occurred; asserts messages are relayed via regional countries.
  • Suggests Trump’s announcement is aimed at lowering energy prices, not resolving conflict—corresponding with a post-announcement drop in oil.
  • Memorable Quote:
    • Daniel Estrin: “Iran alleges Trump is ‘just trying to gain time to carry out his military plans.’”
• Military Posture:
  • U.S. Marines are deployed to secure Hormuz, stoking fears of escalation—rumors persist about possible incursions into Iranian territory, with Iran threatening to mine the Persian Gulf in response.
• Israel’s Stance:
  • Israel’s government is conspicuously silent, though a source indicates they were aware of U.S.–Iran backchanneling.
  • Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cryptic video message:
    • “We are working to take Israel to places it has never been and Iran to places it has never been. They are down.” [05:46]
    • Michelle Martin: “We are up.” [05:48]
  • Reports of Israeli attacks on Iranian regime infrastructure in Tehran, including power outages. [05:49]

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2. Congress Deadlocks on DHS Funding Amid Airport Turmoil

[06:09–09:31]

• Government Shutdown Day 38:
  • Funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expired over a month ago; TSA agents are unpaid, triggering mass absenteeism and long airport lines.
• Senate Dynamics:
  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune:
    • “This is a pox on everybody’s house... It needs to get resolved.” [06:26]
  • Democrats demand immigration enforcement reforms, such as the unmasking of agents, creating an impasse.
• Standoff Details:
  • Claudia Grisales (NPR):
    • “Democrats are demanding significant reforms for immigration enforcement agents. They want agents to remove their masks... This fight is keeping workers... from getting paychecks and resulting in those long airport lines.” [06:48]
  • Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer:
    • “We will keep doing this and doing this until the Republicans see the light, feel the pressure that they are holding up payment...” [07:36]
  • Possible Senate recess could be cancelled if a funding deal isn’t reached.
• DHS Leadership:
  • Senate likely to confirm Markwayne Mullin as new DHS Secretary. Mullin is expected to negotiate more flexibly with Democrats, potentially allowing judicial rather than administrative warrants—a key Dem demand.
• Trump’s Leverage Play:
  • President Trump tells Republicans not to approve DHS funding without Democratic support for his “Save America Act,” a bill prioritizing strict voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements—a nonstarter for Democrats.
  • Trump also attempts (and fails) to include gender-in-sports provisions in the bill.
• Potential for Compromise:
  • Unclear if any Senate Democrats will flip; Republicans currently lack the votes for Trump’s full agenda but want the debate ongoing.

---

3. LaGuardia Plane Crash Compounds Airport Woes; ICE Agents Deployed to Airports

[09:38–13:18]

• LaGuardia Incident:
  • Air Canada jet crashes into a fire truck on a runway—pilot and co-pilot dead, 41 hospitalized. [09:38]
  • While deemed “isolated,” it worsens ongoing travel disruptions caused by the partial shutdown.
• TSA Crisis & ICE Deployment:
  • TSA agents working without pay, mass absenteeism leads to serious delays nationwide.
  • President Trump’s “fix”? Order hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports to support TSA.
    • Announcement delivered via social media, with border czar Tom Homan to lead ICE deployments.
• Unclear Execution Plan:
  • Luke Garrett (NPR):
    • “ICE agents will guard the exits and entry points... Notably... these agents will likely stay away from the specialized airport security work.” [10:48]
  • Tom Homan (on CNN):
    • “I don’t see an ICE agent looking at an X-ray machine... there are certain parts of security that TSA is doing that we can move them off those jobs...” [11:03]
  • Contradiction:
    • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy (on ABC News) says, “They know how to pat people down. They know how to run the X-ray machines because they are again under Homeland Security.” [11:23]
• Democratic Pushback & Union Concerns:
  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries:
    • “The last thing that the American people need are for untrained ICE agents to be deployed at airports all across the country.” [12:12]
  • TSA Union Policy Director Jacqueline Simon:
    • “It will be easier for somebody with mal intent to get through a security checkpoint with an untrained ICE agent there instead of a trained transportation security officer.” [12:33]
  • TSA workers are reportedly furious at the prospect Congress might recess before reaching a deal.
• ICE’s Immigration Duties Remain:
  • Tom Homan says ICE will continue immigration enforcement at airports as usual, but city officials like Atlanta’s Mayor Andre Dickens assert ICE will not conduct immigration work in their airports. [12:58–13:16]
• Funding Background:
  • ICE is the only DHS component able to pay its workforce due to separate prior appropriations, hence its use as a stopgap.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Daniel Estrin: “Iran is alleging that Trump is just trying to gain time to carry out his military plans.” [03:52]
• Netanyahu (via video): “We are working to take Israel to places it has never been and Iran to places it has never been. They are down.” [05:46]
• John Thune: “This is a pox on everybody’s house... This needs to get fixed.” [06:26]
• Chuck Schumer: “We will keep doing this and doing this until the Republicans see the light, feel the pressure that they are holding up payment...” [07:36]
• Hakeem Jeffries: “The last thing that the American people need are for untrained ICE agents to be deployed at airports all across the country.” [12:12]
• Jacqueline Simon: “It will be easier for somebody with mal intent to get through a security checkpoint with an untrained ICE agent...” [12:33]

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Trump’s Hormuz Announcement / Iran Talks: 00:02–06:00
• Congress/DHS Funding Stalemate: 06:09–09:31
• LaGuardia Crash & ICE Airport Deployment: 09:38–13:18

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Tone and Style

The episode retains Up First’s brisk, matter-of-fact tone, balancing rapid-fire news coverage with succinct analysis from policy reporters and direct quotations from public officials and stakeholders.

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This summary provides both a wide-angle snapshot and in-depth insights into the key developments affecting U.S. foreign policy, domestic governance, and air travel on March 23, 2026.

Transcript

[Michelle Martin]

President Trump is ordering the US Military to hold off on striking Iran's power plants for five days.

[Host/Anchor]

He's citing, quote, productive talks between both sides. But Iran says there's no such dialogue.

[Michelle Martin]

I'm Michelle Martin. That's a Martinez. And this is up first from NPR News. Congress returns this week with a familiar mess on its hands. It's day 38 of a partial government shutdown that's left TSA agents unpaid and with long security lines at some airports. Now President Trump is telling Senate Republicans no DHS deal unless Democrats agree to his voting reforms.

[Host/Anchor]

And Trump's fix for the airport chaos? Send in ice. Starting today, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be at airports across the country. What can they actually do to speed up those security lines? Stay with us. We'll give you all the news you need to start your day.

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[Host/Anchor]

President Trump made a surprise announcement today about talks to end the war with Iran.

[Guest/Interviewee]

We have had very, very strong talks.

[Michelle Martin]

We'll see where they lead.

[Guest/Interviewee]

We have points, major points of agreement. I would say almost all points of agreement.

[Host/Anchor]

He also said he was ordering the US military to hold off on attacking Iranian power plants. NPR's Daniel Estrin is covering the war from Tel Aviv. Daniel, so what do we know about these conversations President Trump says are going on between Iran and the U.S. well,

[Daniel Estrin]

we should talk about the context first. President Trump had been warning that the US Would strike Iranian power plan if Iran didn't fully open the Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers. And he gave a 48 hour deadline on that. It was supposed to end tonight. And the Iranians were threatening to retaliate by attacking energy infrastructure in the Mideast. This has been a huge issue in the war. The Strait of Hormuz crisis, it has rattled the global oil and gas trade. It's been a major obstacle in Trump being able to end the war. And so now the president has issued this new statement. He said it first on social media that the U.S. and Iran have had and productive conversations over the past two days. And he said that based on that, he's instructed the US Military to hold off on striking any Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days as talks continue throughout the week. Trump told CNBC we're very intent on making a deal with Iran. He told Fox News that these talks happened as recently as last night involving US Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

[Host/Anchor]

All right, so he says that they were good and productive conversations. What has been Iran's response?

[Daniel Estrin]

Well, Iran's Foreign Ministry denied that Iran is talking with the U.S. it said Iran is talking with regional countries. And indeed, Axios is reporting, according to an unnamed US Source, that Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan have all been passing messages between the US And Iran's foreign minister over the last two days about ending the war and resolving all outstanding issues. NPR has not independently confirmed that. It is the first indication we have that the US And Iran might be holding indirect talks about ending the war. And the question is, are these talks serious, or is there something else here at play? Iran's Foreign Ministry is saying that the president's statements are part of efforts to reduce energy prices. And indeed, we saw oil prices drop after Trump made this announcement today. Iran is alleging that Trump is just trying to gain time to carry out his military plans. We know that at the moment, US Marines have been deployed to the region to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. There has been a lot of speculation that those Marines could capture Iranian territory to help secure the Strait. And Iran said it would mine the Persian Gulf if any of its territory is invaded.

[Host/Anchor]

So considering that this is a joint U. S. Israeli war, how is Israel responding to news of negotiations with Iran?

[Daniel Estrin]

Well, Israel's prime minister's office has not responded immediately. A person briefed on the matter, not authorized to speak publicly, told me that Israel did know about these talks happening behind the scenes. But ending the war now would seem to go against what Israel wants to do, which is to keep attacking Iran and degrading its military capabilities. After Trump's public announcement, Netanyahu appeared in a video with a kind of a curious response. He says, we are working to Take Israel to places it has never been and Iran to places it has never been. They are down.

[Michelle Martin]

We are up.

[Daniel Estrin]

Today, Israel said it's attacking Iranian regime infrastructure in Tehran. There have been reports of power outages there.

[Guest/Interviewee]

All right.

[Host/Anchor]

That's NPR's Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv. Daniel, thank you.

[Luke Garrett]

You're welcome.

[Host/Anchor]

Members of Congress will face some difficult and familiar problems when they return to session this week.

[Michelle Martin]

Both parties are struggling to strike a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security to help alleviate chaos at US Airports. And the first big hurdle is in the Senate. Here's Senate Majority Leader John Thune talking to reporters earlier this weekend.

[Guest/Interviewee]

This is a pox on everybody's house when you got people standing in lines at airports. This needs to get fixed. It needs to get resolved.

[Host/Anchor]

Senate Republicans need Democrats help to get DHS funded again ahead of an upcoming recess. NPR congressional correspondent Claudio Grisales is here now. So funding expired, what, more than a month ago for dhs. What's holding holding up any deal, right?

[Claudio Grisales]

Good morning.

[Guest/Interviewee]

A.

[Claudio Grisales]

Both sides remain deeply entrenched since the agency largely ran out of funds February 14th. And as we know, Democrats are demanding significant reforms for immigration enforcement agents. They want agents to remove their masks, for example, a sticking point for the gop. So this fight is keeping workers at several DHS components, including the Transportation Security Administration, from getting paychecks and resulting in those long airport lines we're seeing.

[Host/Anchor]

Do the senators see any way out at this stage?

[Claudio Grisales]

Well, it depends who you ask. Thune and other Republicans say they've put offers on the table that Democrats should accept. Democrats argue Republicans should agree to fund all of the other DHS components like TSA because last year Republicans directed major appropriations to the agency's immigration side through a partisan bill. Here's Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

[Guest/Interviewee]

We will keep doing this and doing this until the Republicans see the light, feel the pressure that they are holding up payment and roulette.

[Claudio Grisales]

We're also watching if any Senate Democrats break ranks, but it's not clear that happens in the near future. For now, Thune could cancel a two week recess set to start one week from today if there's no deal in hand.

[Host/Anchor]

And another thing to factor in is that the GOP led Senate is also on track to vote for a new DHS secretary today.

[Claudio Grisales]

Right. Oklahoma Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullen is on track for confirmation to the role tonight. So surprisingly, yesterday we saw two Senate Democrats join Republicans to move forward on this vote. That's a signal Mullen is seen as a much more reasonable negotiator than his predecessor, Christine Noem. He's already said he would look at allowing judicial warrants rather than administrative warrants in some cases. And that's a big demand for Democrats, giving them hope of a breakthrough.

[Host/Anchor]

Also saw that President Trump demanded Republicans tie DHS funding to another bill this week. And he posted online telling Republicans not to end the shutdown until Democrats agree to pass his Save America act, which includes major voting reforms. Tell us more about that one.

[Claudio Grisales]

Yes, Trump has made the stricter voter ID law the priority for Congress to handle. It would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and that's a non starter for Democrats. They say that would actually deter citizens from voting because of the new burden. Previously, Trump threatened a legislative blockade to only sign DHS appropriations into law until the SAVE act passed Congress. So this new threat is a reversal. It's probably throwing a wrench into bipartisan talks to fund dhs. Now. He's also pushed for this law to include a provision addressing gender in sports. But an amendment to do just that failed over the weekend. And it's clear Senate Republicans do not have the votes right now to pass the Save America act bill yet. But Republicans want to keep the debate going.

[Host/Anchor]

That's NPR's Claudia Grisales. Thanks a lot.

[Claudio Grisales]

Thank you.

[Host/Anchor]

New York's LaGuardia Airport is shut down this morning after a plane crashed into a fire truck on a Runway late last night. Pictures show the front of an Air Canada jet was ripped off in the crash. The pilot and co pilot are dead. According to the port authority, 41 people were sent to the hospital.

[Michelle Martin]

The crash was an isolated incident, but another blow to air travel, which is already a pain point for many travelers due, as we've said, to the partial government shutdown which has caused TSA agents to work without pay. Each day, more TSA agents quit or call in sick, resulting in long security lines that are causing serious delays at other airports around the United States. President Trump's solution? Send in Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to help. Starting today, he's sending hundreds of agents to airports across the country.

[Host/Anchor]

NPR's Luke Garrett is on the story. Luke, what do we know about this deployment?

[Luke Garrett]

Well, it all started with a post on social media on Sunday. President Trump directed federal immigration agents to report to airports the next day. The goal, Trump says, is to help TSA officers who are facing staffing shortages. Trump turned to one of his favorite fixers, White House border czar Tom Homan, to lead the ICE deployments to US Airports.

[Host/Anchor]

All right, so what's Homan saying about how this is all going to work?

[Luke Garrett]

Well, Homan said he's still working on the final plan. What he said is that ICE agents will guard the exits and entry points at the nation's busiest airports. Notably, though, he told CNN, these immigration agents will likely stay away from the specialized airport security work.

[Guest/Interviewee]

I don't see an ICE agent looking at an X ray machine because they're not trained in that. There are certain parts of security that TSA is doing that we can move them off those jobs and put them in the specialized jobs, help move those lines.

[Luke Garrett]

But there was some confusion about the plan because Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told ABC News, ICE could work those TSA security lines.

[Host/Anchor]

They know how to pat people down. They know how to run the X ray machines because they are again under Homeland Security.

[Luke Garrett]

These mixed messages are raising a lot of questions over what exactly ICE agents will do at US Airports. DHS didn't give me many more details when I reached out to them. In a statement, spokeswoman Lauren Biss blamed Democrats for the airport delays. BISS also told NPR hundreds of ICE will be deployed to, quote, adversely impacted airports.

[Host/Anchor]

Yeah, so ICE officers, why tap ICE agents for this?

[Luke Garrett]

So one reason is money. Last summer, the GOP controlled Congress passed billions in spending for ice. And that money lets ICE keep the lights on and pay its agents. Meanwhile, the rest of dhs, which includes tsa, can't pay their workers during this partial shutdown. So Trump is basically shifting workers within DHS to solve this immediate problem of, you know, airport staff shortages.

[Host/Anchor]

All right, so what are we hearing from Democrats then?

[Luke Garrett]

So House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries threw the blame back at the White House and the GOP controlled Congress. Here's Jeffries on cnn. The last thing that the American people need are for untrained ICE agents to be deployed at airports all across the country. And the White House is also facing some pushback from the union representing TSA workers. Here's the union's policy director, Jacqueline Simon.

[Michelle Martin]

It will be easier for somebody with mal intent to get through a security checkpoint with an untrained ICE agent there instead of a trained transportation security officer.

[Luke Garrett]

Simon says, you know, the TSA workers just want to get paid for their work. And they're furious at the prospect that Congress might go on recess before making a deal on dhs.

[Host/Anchor]

Luke, one more question. Will ICE continue their immigration work as they assist tsa?

[Luke Garrett]

So Homan did address this very question. In short, yes. According to him, the border czar said ICE has done immigration enforcement at airports before, and this new deployment doesn't change that. But again, we're getting some mixed messages. Atlanta's Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement that he believed ICE wouldn't conduct immigration enforcement at his city's airport.

[Host/Anchor]

That's NPR's Luke Garrett. Luke, thanks a lot.

[Luke Garrett]

You bet.

[Host/Anchor]

And that's up first for Monday, March 23rd.

[Michelle Martin]

Amy Martinez, and I'm Michelle Martin. Today's episode of up first was edited by Hannah Block, Anna Yukananov, Mohamed El Bardisi, Alice Wolfley, and Olivia Hampton, and was produced by Ziad Baja, Eva Pukach and Anna Perez. Our director is Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Zoe Van Genhoven. And our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

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