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House Democrats vote to keep DHS shuttered as funding lapse hits day 40

House Democrats vote to keep DHS shuttered as funding lapse hits day 40

House Democrats largely voted in lockstep to continue the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown Thursday despite growing fallout over air travel nationwide.  Democrats’ opposition to ending the funding lapse — the second-longest in history — comes as lawmakers could leave for recess before striking a deal. The DHS funding measure still passed the House largely along party lines in a vote of 218-206. It was the third time House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has held a vote on the legislation since the funding lapse began Feb. 14. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., would fund the department through the end of September. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, Jared Golden, D-Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez, D-Wash., and Don Davis, D-N.C., were the only Democrats to vote “yes” after previously supporting the DHS funding measure earlier in March. SEE IT: TRAVELERS SOUND OFF AS ICE AGENTS DEPLOYED TO AIRPORTS AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS PAST 40 DAYS Still, the measure is likely dead on arrival in the Senate, where both parties continue to negotiate an end to the stalemate. Democrats have remained dug in against providing funding to DHS sub-agencies executing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Top Democratic leaders continue to demand sweeping reforms — including requiring the use of judicial warrants — that Republicans have charged could impede law enforcement efforts. The funding standoff has caused major travel disruptions nationwide as a shortage of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents has resulted in hours-long wait times at security checkpoints. More than 50,000 TSA personnel are set to miss their second full paycheck on Friday, leading to nearly 500 agents quitting and a surge in callouts. “They’re using TSA agents, Coast Guardsmen and other DHS employees as pawns in their political game,” Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. “They’re just demonstrating a real willingness to hold hostage the American public.” Members of the conservative RSC held a news conference Tuesday at Washington’s Reagan National Airport to spotlight the financial difficulties TSA officers are facing. Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl said some personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are sleeping in their cars and selling blood plasma to make ends meet. “The Democrats know their plan is not working,” Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., told reporters. “They know Americans are hurting, and they are still doing it anyway.” FLASHBACK: JEFFRIES CALLED FAILING TO FULLY FUND DHS AN ‘ABDICATION OF RESPONSIBILITY’ House Democrats, however, have sought to blame Republicans for the funding stalemate and have signaled reluctance to walk away from their ICE reform demands.  “We want ICE to be compelled to conduct itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters on Wednesday. “Immigration enforcement should be fair, just and humane—that’s not what’s happening right now. ICE is out of control, and taxpayer dollars are being used in unacceptable ways.” Republicans have fired back that it is essential to fund ICE, invoking the murder of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, who was killed by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant in Chicago last week. The foreign national, Jose Medina-Medina, was taken into custody by federal law enforcement in May 2023 but released into the United States under the Biden administration. “Democrats in the House are demanding a DHS bill that would eliminate funding for the exact agencies that are tasked with preventing a tragedy like this,” Speaker Johnson said Wednesday during a House GOP leadership press conference. “They tell you what they prioritize. And it is the welfare of criminal illegal aliens over American citizens. We ought to believe what they say, the words in action.” When asked about Gorman’s murder by an illegal immigrant Wednesday, Jeffries told Fox News he would look into the case without commenting further. 

Stefanik grills University of Michigan leader on lack of audit after string of Chinese national arrests

Stefanik grills University of Michigan leader on lack of audit after string of Chinese national arrests

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., continued her relentless cross examinations of college administrators Thursday – this time pressing Michigan’s interim president Domenico Grasso on Chinese student spies at the university. Stefanik wanted to know why Chinese nationals in Michigan were accused of spying on America and his university is not auditing potential national security vulnerabilities in research there. “Last year, facing congressional pressure, Michigan ended its partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University after five Chinese students were caught spying at night and taking illegal photos of U.S. military drills and equipment on the remote Michigan installation Camp Grayling,” Stefanik said. “These students lied and misled U.S. law enforcement about their motives and later conspired on the CCP-controlled messaging app WeChat to clear their phones and cameras of photos and evidence.” “Has the university conducted a full audit to determine what intellectual property or federally funded research was compromised?” the congresswoman asked. CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN STUDENTS CHARGED AFTER ALLEGEDLY SPYING ON MILITARY BASE Without an audit, Grasso responded, “we are unaware of any research that was compromised by these individual students,” noting the alleged spying occurred “miles and miles away from campus.” But Stefanik was nonplussed by the answer. “I understand Camp Grayling is off campus, but was there an audit conducted?” TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON PLAN FOR 600,000 CHINESE STUDENT VISAS DESPITE MAGA BACKLASH Grasso admitted Michigan did not. “Well, they were not researchers,” he said, doubting “they did something nefarious.” “They were undergraduate students. So, we did not do an audit.” And, adding, “they did not have any access to any of our research.” FOREIGN-BACKED INFLUENCE IN SCHOOLS TO BE EXPOSED UNDER GOP ‘TRACE ACT’ GIVING PARENTS ACCESS TO CURRICULUM But Stefanik noted they were accused of spying. “Well, they did do something nefarious off campus,” she said. “I think it would be important for the university to ensure that there is a full audit conducted to make sure that no research, that they didn’t take any nefarious acts there.” Grasso admitted he does “not know what all of our researchers are involved in,” but doubted the Department of War would clear them for access to U.S. secrets on campus. “Congresswoman, we have improved, and we’re continuing to improve our background checks for all of our researchers and students that come into the country, but we also have to partner more closely with our federal intelligence community to make sure that these students are vetted before they’re allowed to get visas to enter our country as well,” he concluded.

Russian officials meet US counterparts as Moscow denies aiding Iran

Russian officials meet US counterparts as Moscow denies aiding Iran

Kremlin spokesperson says talks are part of ‘​necessary dialogue’ with Washington as war in Ukraine continues for a fifth year. Published On 26 Mar 202626 Mar 2026 A delegation of Russian officials has arrived in ‌the United States for meetings with their American counterparts. The visit, which began on Thursday, marks the first such trip since ⁠relations strained over Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, “We hope that these first tentative steps will, of course, make their contribution to the further revival of our bilateral engagement.” He said President Vladimir Putin had set the “main directives” for the trip and would be “thoroughly briefed” on the meeting. The visit comes as US-brokered talks seeking a deal to end the war in Ukraine are in effect frozen. Several rounds of negotiations since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year have failed to break the deadlock, with the Kremlin ruling out compromises to halt its years-long offensive. Russia, a close ally of Iran, has also been cited by Western intelligence officials as one of the backers of the Iranian government, as Tehran fights a war launched by the US and Israel. A report in the United Kingdom-based Financial Times newspaper on Wednesday alleged that Russia was close to completing a shipment of drones to Iran. Responding to questions about the report, Peskov said, “There are so many lies being spread by the media … Do not pay attention to them.” Russia this week carried out one of the largest aerial attacks since the start of its war on Ukraine, launching 948 drones in 24 hours as it moved troops and equipment to the front line. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a new appeal for allies to supply Kyiv with air defence munitions, warning that Kyiv, which relies on the US for air defence systems against ballistic missiles, will face a deficit of missiles while Washington is focused on the US-Israeli war on Iran. Advertisement Talks between Ukraine and the US that opened in the US state of Florida on Saturday again failed to produce a security guarantee that Kyiv has long sought from Washington. Adblock test (Why?)

WTO says world experiencing worst trade disruption in 80 years

WTO says world experiencing worst trade disruption in 80 years

WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says the global trade order has ‘irrevocably changed’, warning the system is facing its worst disruption in 80 years and the multilateral system will not return, as she calls on countries to reform global trade rules. Published On 26 Mar 202626 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)

Pakistan says it is mediating US-Iran talks

Pakistan says it is mediating US-Iran talks

NewsFeed Pakistan says it is mediating indirect talks between the US and Iran aimed at ending the war, with officials confirming negotiations are underway. Published On 26 Mar 202626 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)