A coalition of Democrats filed a pair of lawsuits Tuesday alleging that the Trump administration is illegally holding “hostage” billions of dollars in transportation and public safety funding to coerce states into assisting federal immigration enforcement.

U.S. officials told families of hostages still held in Gaza they see a better chance of a deal for their release after Washington reached an accord with militant group Hamas for an American hostage's freedom that largely bypassed the Israeli government.

Hamas on Monday released Israeli American Edan Alexander after more than 19 months in captivity in the Gaza Strip, a result of direct talks between U.S. and Hamas officials in recent days.

But the president is sidelining him on urgent issues like the Iran nuclear talks and the conflict with Houthi rebels.