President Trump is using the partial government shutdown as leverage to push for strict voter ID legislation, telling Republicans to abandon negotiations with Democrats. Speaking in Memphis, Trump insisted that any deal must include his SAVE America Act, which he claims is necessary to combat rare noncitizen voting.

As TSA agents work without pay and airport lines stretch for hours, Trump's demand has stalled bipartisan talks. The bill would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and ID at polls, which critics say would suppress voting among minorities and lower-income citizens. Some senators had been close to a compromise before Trump's intervention.

The standoff has created chaos at U.S. airports, with TSA agents calling out en masse. While ICE agents deployed to assist are getting paid, TSA workers are not, highlighting the shutdown's uneven impact. Trump suggested sending National Guard troops if needed and urged Republicans to work through Easter, saying 'make this one for Jesus.'