Iran denies US talks; DHS funding negotiations gain ground
President Donald Trump says Iran wants talks to end the war. But Iran rejects that outright and says there are no negotiations.
Plus, a jet barrels down the runway at LaGuardia and slams into a fire truck cleared to cross. New details show how a routine response turned into a deadly collision.
And long lines stretch at airports with ICE agents now deployed during the shutdown. Overnight talks produce a new proposal that could fund TSA and most of DHS while leaving out key parts of ICE.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
Iran denies US war negotiations, pushing back as Trump holds off attacks
Iran has pushed back on President Donald Trump’s claim that talks are underway to end the war, saying there are no negotiations.
The denial comes after Trump said he’s holding off on strikes targeting Iran’s power infrastructure, a response he threatened if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s foreign ministry says the Trump administration’s delay is “part of efforts to reduce energy prices,” and buy time for military action.
Pakistan is now emerging as a go-between, with NBC News reporting that an in-person meeting could take place in Islamabad in the coming days.
Iran is also continuing its attacks, striking residential areas in Tel Aviv, Israel early Tuesday.
U.S. Central Command says the pattern of attacks has shifted, with fewer missiles and more strikes on civilian targets.
“My overall operational assessment is they’re operating in a sign of desperation,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command. “At the beginning of the conflict, you saw large volumes in the dozens of drones and missiles. You no longer see that. It’s all one or two at a time. So that is dramatically shifted. And the desperation you’ve seen is they’ve shifted from military targets in the last couple of weeks, they’ve attacked civilian targets very deliberately more than 300 times. 300 times.”
Israel’s national emergency service says four impact sites were identified across Tel Aviv, with six people lightly injured.
Deadly LaGuardia crash caught on video, authorities review air traffic control audio
Delays are expected to last through the end of the week at LaGuardia Airport in New York as investigators work to pin down what led to a deadly runway collision.
New audio and video are now giving a clearer picture of what happened. Newly released video captures the moment an Air Canada passenger jet collided with a fire truck on the runway.
What led up to the deadly collision is still under investigation, but early details point to a chain of events involving another flight.
The fire truck was responding to a United plane after the crew reported a strong odor in the cabin and passengers feeling sick. At the same time, an Air Canada Express flight coming in from Montreal was approaching the runway.
Passengers say the crew warned of an emergency landing just before touchdown, then the massive impact.
Air traffic control audio shows a controller clearing the fire truck to go ahead and cross the runway, then urgently trying to stop it.
In other recordings, an air traffic controller is heard saying they were “dealing with an emergency earlier,” and “I messed up.”
It’s not clear if that voice is from the same controller.
The incident comes as the U.S. faces a shortage of air traffic controllers. But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says staffing was not the issue at LaGuardia.
“This airport has a target of 37 controllers at LaGuardia. We have 33 controllers employed, certified, at Laguardia, and we have seven that are in training,” Duffy said. “So as our airports go, LaGuardia is a very well-staffed airport. We’re a couple of controllers short in total, but it is a well-staffed airport.”
A CNN review found pilots have flagged miscommunication at LaGuardia.
At least a dozen reports were filed last summer with NASA’s aviation safety reporting system, including one describing a close call involving multiple aircraft.
One report even compared conditions at LaGuardia to those at Reagan National before a deadly mid-air collision last January between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter.
Senate confirms Mullin as new DHS secretary
Markwayne Mullin is now officially leading Homeland Security, stepping into a department already under intense pressure.
Mullin was confirmed on Monday in a 54 to 45 vote. Two Democrats joined Republicans in support, while Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted no.
Trump nominated Mullin earlier this month after removing Kristi Noem from the post, following bipartisan criticism over her handling of the department.
Mullin takes over as DHS deals with a partial shutdown, airport delays, and growing backlash over the administration’s immigration crackdown.
CONFIRMED
Markwayne Mullin has officially been confirmed by the Senate as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
pic.twitter.com/P0L2Bjv00W
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 24, 2026
During his confirmation hearing, Mullin acknowledged he spoke too quickly after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
He told senators, “That’s my fault. That won’t happen as secretary.”
Mullin also said he wants to bring more stability to the department and keep it out of the daily political spotlight.
Trump demands voting bill in deal, refuses DHS funding without SAVE Act
After ICE agents arrived at airports on Monday, the political battle behind it continues to escalate. Trump is now telling Republicans to hold the line in the standoff over Homeland Security funding and to tie any deal to his voting bill, the SAVE America Act.
That stance is complicating discussions on Capitol Hill, even though negotiators reported progress over the weekend.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said talks are ongoing but blames Trump for delaying a deal that would pay TSA workers and reduce long airport lines.
“So, Donald Trump, the more you keep ICE agents at our airports, the more you will be reminding people of how much chaos and fear ICE has already caused. It’s a terrible idea that could backfire on the country and on Donald Trump,” Schumer said. “It’s a simple solution, Donald Trump. Pay the TSA workers!”
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 23: Atlanta Police Department officers look on as travelers stand in long lines at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on March 23, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images) -
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 23: An officer looks on as travelers stand in long lines at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on March 23, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images) -
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 23: A TSA agent sits by a window as travelers stand in long lines at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on March 23, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images) -
A passenger looks at two masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who stand just inside a passenger exit area in Terminal 1 at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on March 23, 2026. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) -
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 23: ICE agents stand next to the security line at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on March 23, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
The partial shutdown has caused tens of thousands of homeland security workers, including TSA officers, to work without pay for over a month.
At the same time, ICE has continued operating with separate funding.
The White House announced that immigration agents are now assisting at airports by managing security lines and helping with TSA staffing shortages.
Democrats said they’re willing to fund most of Homeland Security but not immigration enforcement without policy changes.
Republicans insist that all funding should happen at the same time, and Trump is urging Republicans not to make any deal unless it includes his election bill.
“And we want the public to know we’re not going to let them out of this trap that they created for themselves. And I’m suggesting very strongly that the Republicans are going for the Save America Act that you welded into exactly this because voter ID is part of homeland security. You don’t have to take a fast vote. Don’t worry about Easter, going home. In fact, make this one for Jesus, okay? Make this one forJesus. That’s what I tell them.”
— President Donald Trump
For now, negotiations continue, but with no deal yet, the shutdown and those airport disruptions remain in place.
Frazer to take over as New Jersey US attorney after Habba departure
A deal has finally been reached to fill the U.S. Attorney position in New Jersey after a year of negotiations. State district judges and the Trump administration have agreed on Robert Frazer — a longtime prosecutor in that office — to take over the role.
The announcement was published on the chief judge’s website.
Trump appointee Alina Habba was never confirmed by the Senate, and a federal judge later ruled her appointment unlawful. She resigned, leaving the position vacant for months.
Habba — now a senior adviser to Attorney General Pam Bondi — praised the appointment, saying Fraser will be a strong advocate for the office.
New Jersey Democratic Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim, who blocked her nomination, also supported the move.
In a joint statement, they said the office can now “move past the chaos and partisanship of the past year” and return to its core mission.
“The office can now, at long last, move past the chaos and partisanship of the past year and return to its critical mission: combating violent crime, fighting public corruption, dismantling drug trafficking networks, and protecting the rights of all New Jerseyans,” the statement read.
Drivers to see cash back, bonuses under DoorDash’s new gas relief plan
DoorDash is giving drivers more money as gas prices rise. The company is launching a temporary relief program in the U.S. and Canada, with gas now nearing $4 a gallon — up sharply over the past month.
Drivers using the DoorDash debit card will now receive 10% cash back on fuel purchases, five times the standard rate.
For those putting in serious miles, there’s more. Drivers who log at least 125 miles on deliveries can earn extra weekly pay — starting at $5 and going up to $15.
DoorDash said over half of its drivers already have the card, so many will see that boost immediately.
In Canada, drivers can earn up to $36 per week, depending on mileage. The program runs through late April.
DoorDash has done this before when gas prices jumped, but this time, it’s out first.
Grubhub said it is monitoring the situation. Uber has not stated if it will follow.
More from Straight Arrow News:
What’s at stake in Trump’s ultimatum for Iran to open Strait of Hormuz
Iran has until the end of the week to allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, before the U.S. will launch attacks on the country’s power plants, President Donald Trump said Monday. That escalation could trigger retaliatory attacks on power plants and water desalination facilities in the region, and could even raise the risk of a cyberattack in the U.S.
On Saturday afternoon, Trump said Iran had 48 hours to open the strait, a critical economic chokepoint through which 20% of global oil supplies typically flow. On Monday, Trump eased the deadline, giving the Iranian regime until Friday to open shipping lanes. Read the full story now>
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
