Weekly Update 3/23/2026
Weekly Update 3/23/2026
President and Administration:
Trump says he will deploy ICE to airports as TSA shortages drive delays: The President said he is sending ICE agents to airports unless congressional Democrats agree to a GOP-backed funding deal, escalating…
Congress:
DHS pick Mullin says immigration agents will use judicial warrants and retreats from comments about Alex Pretti, Renée Good: Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), the president's pick to head the Department of Homeland Security, appeared before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for a confirmation hearing as DHS has been partially shut down since Feb. 14 amid a congressional impasse over a funding bill. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), the panel's…
Education:
House hearing on public education for undocumented children: The House Judiciary Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee held a hearing on the Supreme Court's landmark 1982 decision in Plyler v. Doe, which affirmed free public education for undocumented children, as the administration continues its crackdown on immigration. The hearing comes…
US ED Office of Civil Rights finds District of Columbia discriminated against students with disabilities: The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced findings from a year-long investigation showing that District of Columbia Public Schools failed to provide some students with disabilities timely evaluations, individualized placements…
Judge orders Texas to open private school choice program to Islamic schools: A federal district judge on March 17 ordered Texas officials to make sure Islamic schools have access to apply for participation in the new state private school choice program, extending the application deadline by two weeks until March 31. The decision comes after two lawsuits filed by Muslim families…
Poverty, school size can hinder improvement odds, GAO reports: The number of schools identified as low-performing and in need of support and improvement under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I, Part A, increased to 7.3% in 2022-23, up from 6.5% in 2019-20, according to a report released last week by the U.S. Government Accountability Office…
Senate Democrats press Education Department over civil rights office gutted by layoffs: Senate Democrats are demanding answers from the Education Department on the civil rights office's ability to adequately investigate claims of discrimination amid staffing upheaval caused by the administration's mass layoffs. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)…
Education Department lays out plan to move student loan portfolio to Treasury: Education Department officials announced plans to gradually move the nearly $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio to the Treasury Department, one of the most high-stakes moves the administration has made to shut down the education agency. Shifting the portfolio will happen in three phases via…