This week’s guide to government and politics in under 10 minutes

I HAVE NIL DEALS TAMED MARCH MADNESS?

The March Madness wraps up this weekend, with Illinois, UConn, Michigan, and Arizona making the Final Four in the men’s tournament and the women’s Final Four depending on the results of games tonight. This is the second year of the tournament since college athletes have been able to sign deals to get paid for their name, image, or likeness (NIL). Critics argue the lack of underdog, or “Cinderella,” teams in later rounds shows how NIL may disadvantage smaller programs, as larger schools offer more visibility and, in turn, more lucrative deals. As evidence, critics point out that this year, only one team seeded 12th or lower advanced from the round of 65, and games involving those lower-seeded teams were largely uncompetitive. The average margin of victory in the first round was 17.4 points—the highest since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

>> Discover how state governments are handling NIL rules for college athletes here.  

I DHS SHUTDOWN BECOMES LONGEST IN HISTORY

The shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has become the longest-running lapse in government funding ever, with today marking its 45th day. There is not any end in sight either, as Congress is currently on a two-week break, leaving town without a deal in place. One of the most visible consequences of the shutdown has been longer lines at airports as Transportation Security Administration agents calling out or quitting due to a lack of pay. President Trump signed a memorandum directing the new DHS secretary, Markwayne Mullin, to use funds that “have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations” to pay TSA employees with the pay and benefits “that would have accrued” if no shutdown had happened.”

I IOC IMPLEMENTS TRANSGENDER BAN FOR 2028 LA GAMES

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has barred transgender athletes from competing in the women's category at the Olympic Games, starting with the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, CA.⁠ ⁠Athletes competing in the women's category will be tested for the SRY gene to confirm the absence of a Y chromosome. Athletes with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, or other rare differences/disorders in sex development (DSDs), who do not benefit from the anabolic and/or performance-enhancing effects of testosterone, can still compete in the women's category. IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the first woman to lead the IOC in its 132-year history, issued a statement announcing the decision, saying, “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat,” and so "it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category.

>> Dig deeper into the new policy here.

I UKRAINE TO SHARE DRONE KNOWLEDGE IN IRAN WAR

Ukraine is helping five Middle East and Persian Gulf countries counter Iranian drone attacks on their territory. Ukrainian officials are using lessons learned from the country’s four-year fight against Russia to support the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan. Those countries have been targeted by Iran’s Shahed drones, which are heavily used by Russian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he hopes to exchange expertise in dealing with Iranian drones for advanced air defense missiles Ukraine needs to counter Russian aerial attacks. Ukraine is also looking into whether it can have a role in securing and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane controlled by Iran that’s been largely closed since the war began.

>> Find out more about the role drones play in modern warfare here.

I SUPREME COURT TO HEAR BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE

On April 1, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in one of the most anticipated cases of the term. Trump v. Barbara is a challenge to President Donald Trump’s January 2025 executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. The case centers on the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment, which gives citizenship to anyone “born … in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” President Trump’s order would deny citizenship to babies born in the U.S. if their parents are in the country illegally or temporarily. All of the lower courts that have heard the case so far have ruled against the administration, and the order has never gone into effect. The administration argues the executive order “restores the original meaning” of the citizenship clause. Those challenging the order argue that the plain wording of the citizenship clause makes it clear it was intended to apply to immigrants, legal or otherwise, and that if the authors of the amendment had intended it to include the children of non-citizens, then the amendment would have said so.  

>> Understand what birthright citizenship is and how the Trump administration seeks to change it here.

But the conversation doesn’t stop there.

The Affordability Gap—ASP’s live event with Reuters—drops this Wednesday, exploring how rising costs are reshaping opportunity for Gen Z. White House Council of Economic Advisers member Dr. Aaron Hedlund, NYC City Councilmember Chi Ossé, Prof G Markets Podcast Co-Host Ed Elson, and Reuters White House Correspondent Bo Erickson break down what’s actually driving costs for Gen Z, and what can be done about it. Watch on ASP.

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