Hello from CNN, I'm Joe Beck, with the five things you need to know for Monday, March 17th.

Several states are starting to clear away the devastation from deadly storms this weekend.

At least 39 people were killed in the system that swept across the U.S. from the plains to the east coast.

It brought dust storms, hurricane force winds, violent tornadoes, and heavy rain.

Arkansas saw two major EF4 tornadoes yesterday, which both reached winds of at least 170

miles an hour. Tiffany Reid in Alabama told CNN affiliate WSFA that her grandmother

was killed in the storm.

They found her three-quarters of a mile away with parts of the mobile home.

It's like it's not real, you know.

You hear about these storms and then you don't really put the feelings behind it until it hits home.

Conditions are improving as the storm moves north, where it's not expected to be severe

and will mainly be more of a nuisance for commuters during the day.

But the Central and Southern Plains are starting the week with red flag warnings for critical

fire weather.

The White House is denying that it violated a district judge's order, temporarily blocking

deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.

The controversy surrounds the use of the Rare 18th century Alien Enemies Act, which is meant

to be used in war time.

With the details, here's CNN's Kevin Liptack.

What the White House said late Sunday is this.

This is from the White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt.

The administration did not refuse to comply with the court order.

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