Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Is a DHS deal within reach?

eNewspaper | Crosswords | Horoscopes

On Politics

Tue Mar 24 2026

Zachary Schermele | Congressional Reporter

@zachschermele

Hello readers, and happy Tuesday. Zach Schermele here, USA TODAY's congressional reporter, filling in for Kathryn Palmer. Let's dive into today's top politics stories.

DHS shutdown stands between Congress and spring break

A deal to bring an end to the ever-worsening shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security before the congressional spring break finally seems within reach. Following a meeting between GOP lawmakers and President Donald Trump last night, senators on both sides of the aisle have been talking more optimistically about the prospects of an agreement. The tentative outline includes funding all of DHS except portions of ICE, namely its removal and enforcement operations. Republicans would then punt on additional ICE funding and address it in a potential reconciliation bill later this year, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, explained to reporters today. He also said Republicans would then push through whichever elements of the SAVE America Act could survive the budgeting process. (The SAVE Act is a voting restrictions bill that Trump has called his top legislative priority.)

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks with reporters in the Capitol on March 23, 2026, in Washington, DC. The Senate on Monday voted to confirm Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as Secretary of Homeland Security.

Heather Diehl, Getty Images

A politics roundup:

•	Trump to Republicans: Pass voting law "for Jesus"
•	Could ICE at airports be "test run" for polling places? Steve Bannon wants to know
•	Marco Rubio's evolution amid a growing Cuba crisis
•	Trump wants a border win. Will Supreme Court allow limits on asylum-seekers?

Gallery: Hawaii floods leave communities reeling – see the recovery efforts

CA gubernatorial debate canceled

The University of Southern California canceled a debate in the California governor's race following allegations that the college had purposefully left out candidates of color, casting a shadow over the event for days. ABC/KABC-TV Los Angeles and the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future were to host the debate today. However, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who is also running for governor, had accused USC of choosing to exclude all candidates of color from the debate. USC said the university and KABC "have not been able to reach an agreement on expanding the number of candidates at tomorrow's debate" in an emailed statement provided to the USA TODAY Network on Monday.

Markwayne Mullin confirmed to lead Department of Homeland Security

With the help of two Democrats, the Senate confirmed Markwayne Mullin on Monday night to replace Kristi Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security. The pugilistic Oklahoma Republican senator is now tasked with leading not only a crucial federal agency facing a mounting crisis but also the immigration agenda of a White House that has increasingly found its hard-line enforcement policies a political liability in a midterm year that could cost the president's party control of Congress.

Thanks for reading! Scroll down for more stories. You can reach me by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow me on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.