Trump delays strikes on Iran's power plants for 5 days. And, ICE deploys to airports

## Summary
LISTEN & FOLLOW NPR App Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music iHeart Radio YouTube Music RSS link Trump delays strikes on Iran's power plants for 5 days. And, ICE deploys to airports March 23, 2026 8:02 AM ET By Brittney Melton Trump's Hormuz Deadline, Congress DHS Funding, ICE In Airports Listen · 12:34 12:34 Toggle more options Download Embed Embed < iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/g-s1-114792/nx-s1-mx-5757182-1" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Good morning. Today's top stories President Trump says he's postponed military strikes against Iranian power plants, after he threatened on Saturday to "obliterate" them if Iran didn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz in 48 hours. Trump announced that he will deploy hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports across the U.S. starting today.

## Article Content
LISTEN & FOLLOW
NPR App
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
iHeart Radio
YouTube Music
RSS link
Trump delays strikes on Iran's power plants for 5 days. And, ICE deploys to airports
March 23, 2026
8:02 AM ET
By
Brittney Melton
Trump's Hormuz Deadline, Congress DHS Funding, ICE In Airports
Listen
·
12:34
12:34
Toggle more options
Download
Embed
Embed
<
iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/g-s1-114792/nx-s1-mx-5757182-1" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter.
Subscribe
here to get it delivered to your inbox, and
listen
to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today's top stories
President Trump says he's postponed military strikes against Iranian power plants,
after he threatened on Saturday to
"obliterate" them
if Iran didn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz in 48 hours. On social media this morning, Trump said the U.S. had "
very good and productive conversations
" over the past two days, and that he would postpone strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, "subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions."
Cargo vessel, Ali 25, in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz on March 22, 2026 in northern Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
Getty Images/Getty Images Europe
hide caption
toggle caption
Getty Images/Getty Images Europe
🎧
Iran's Defense Council said Monday that the only way for "non-belligerent" countries to pass
through the Strait of Hormuz is through coordination with Iran, and warned that any attack on Iran's coasts or islands would trigger mine-laying across the Gulf sea lanes. As the war enters its fourth week and attacks escalate, some Iranians tell NPR's Emily Feng that the
internet blackout is really scary
because they cannot receive warnings about where the next strikes will be.
Congress returns to session this week, as Democrats and Republicans
struggle to negotiate a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security to help alleviate chaos at U.S. airports. The Senate faces the first big hurdle, as Senate Republicans need Democratic support to secure DHS funding before the upcoming recess.
🎧
Both parties have remained deeply divided since the DHS ran out of funds on Feb. 14
, NPR's Claudia Grisales says. Democrats have been demanding significant reforms for immigration enforcement agents, including the removal of their masks, which has become a key point of contention for Republicans. The standoff has resulted in delayed paychecks for several DHS components, including employees at the Transportation Security Administration, contributing to long airport lines. Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, say they've made offers that Democrats should accept. But Democrats insist that the
GOP needs to fund all DHS components
instead of focusing solely on immigration issues.
➡️
Families are increasingly
unable to communicate with
loved ones in immigration detention
due to the ongoing DHS shutdown, a Texas Democrat says.
➡️
Travel experts advise passengers to prepare for delays
and remain patient amid the shutdown. Transportation officials warn that the situation may worsen if it is not resolved. Here's
what to know if you're flying
.
Trump announced that he will deploy hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents
to airports across the U.S. starting today. The move comes as air travelers are experiencing longer security lines and a growing number of TSA agents are quitting or calling in sick. According to the president, the initiative
aims to support TSA officers
who are grappling with staffing shortages.
🎧
White House border czar Tom Homan, who is leading the ICE deployment to airports, says he is still crafting a plan.
He said agents will monitor entry and exit points at the nation's busiest airports. Homan clarified to CNN that ICE agents won't be involved in specialized airport security. But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy created some confusion after suggesting to ABC News that they might work TSA security lines. This mixed messaging has sparked
questions about the agents' roles
at the airports, NPR's Luke Garrett says. Homan also noted that ICE has previously enforced immigration at airports, and this new deployment doesn't change that mission.
The Trump administration's massive expansion of migrant detention facilities
to support its goal of detaining and deporting record numbers of immigrants has ignited strong opposition across the political and geographic spectrum. With $85 billion in new funding — and around $45 billion specifically earmarked for immigration detention — Immigration and Customs Enforcement is swiftly leasing warehouses and retrofitting them for detention. ICE, now the highest-funded law enforcement agency in the U.S., is actively expanding its contracts with local jails and private prison facilities as it increases its extensive detention footprint. From Georgia t

---

## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- On social media this morning, Trump said the U.S. had " very good and productive conversations " over the past two days, and that he would postpone strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, "subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions." Cargo vessel, Ali 25, in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz on March 22, 2026 in northern Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
- Democrats have been demanding significant reforms for immigration enforcement agents, including the removal of their masks, which has become a key point of contention for Republicans.
- The Trump administration's massive expansion of migrant detention facilities to support its goal of detaining and deporting record numbers of immigrants has ignited strong opposition across the political and geographic spectrum.

### Areas for Consideration
N/A

### Implications
- As the war enters its fourth week and attacks escalate, some Iranians tell NPR's Emily Feng that the internet blackout is really scary because they cannot receive warnings about where the next strikes will be.
- Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, say they've made offers that Democrats should accept.
- Transportation officials warn that the situation may worsen if it is not resolved.
- Trump announced that he will deploy hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports across the U.S. starting today.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers npr, airports, trump topics. Notable strengths include discussion of npr. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1272.