Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Federal appeals court says non-dangerous felons shouldn’t lose gun rights forever
A federal appeals court has overturned the gun conviction of a man who had failed to pay child support, saying that sort of crime shouldn't have cost him his gun rights for the rest of his life. Published December 18, 2025
Judge orders Trump to stop reductions in force, rehire fired workers
A federal judge ordered the administration to quit moving ahead with reductions in force, saying Wednesday that the law President Trump signed to reopen the government last month forbids them. Published December 17, 2025
Congressional Democrats win legal battle with ICE over access to facilities
A federal judge ruled Wednesday against ICE's new policy attempting to limit the ability of members of Congress to carry out oversight on places where migrants are being detained, saying the law gives lawmakers the right of access. Published December 17, 2025
Wuhan virus lab sues to silence Sen. Eric Schmitt in COVID origins showdown
The Chinese lab blamed for sparking the coronavirus pandemic has lashed out with a lawsuit against Sen. Eric S. Schmitt, saying he has ruined Wuhan's reputation and needs to pay for it -- to the tune of roughly $50 billion. Published December 17, 2025
Trump can keep National Guard troops in D.C., appeals court says
A federal appeals court gave President Trump permission to keep National Guard troops deployed to the streets of Washington for the foreseeable future, saying presidents have unique powers when it comes to the capital city. Published December 17, 2025
Federal judge seems unconvinced that White House should stop ballroom construction
A federal judge warned the administration against building President Trump's new White House ballroom just yet, but said Tuesday he's inclined to let the contractors continue below-ground work to clear and prepare the space. Published December 16, 2025
Trump expands travel ban to new countries
President Trump added new countries to his general travel ban on Tuesday and added restrictions to some travel from other nations, saying the country conditions make it too dangerous to allow unfettered admission. Published December 16, 2025
IRS law enforcement expanded reach in 2025: Helped ICE, policed D.C. streets
Nearly a century ago, the IRS' criminal investigators built the case that landed Al Capone behind bars for tax evasion. Published December 16, 2025
Secret Service says halting ballroom poses security risk; historic trust seeks to stop construction
Stopping President Trump's plans for a ballroom on the White House could disrupt the president's security, the Secret Service told a federal judge, but officials promised more transparency and approvals before construction gets too far along. Published December 15, 2025
DOJ battles judge to keep Kilmar Abrego Garcia in jail
The Trump administration is once again battling to keep Kilmar Abrego Garcia in detention, telling a federal judge to butt out of what the government says are core executive branch determinations about whether an illegal immigrant needs to be kept in custody while awaiting deportation. Published December 15, 2025
Dead people, criminals, ‘Elvis Presley’ among sponsor applicants for Biden migrant parole programs
Elvis Presley may have died in 1977, but somehow he was among the people who applied to sponsor migrant "parolees" under the Biden administration, according to a new government audit that excoriated the Department of Homeland Security for how it handled the now-defunct parole programs. Published December 14, 2025
Court pauses Judge Boasberg’s criminal contempt pursuit of Trump officials
A federal appeals court paused Judge James Boasberg's plans to have hearings next week to see if he should hold Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in criminal contempt, with the judges saying they need more time to figure things out. Published December 12, 2025
DOJ tries to block Boasberg’s contempt hearings against the Trump administration
The Trump administration rushed to a federal appeals court Friday asking judges to head off Judge James Boasberg's investigation into whether Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should face a criminal contempt of court investigation over controversial deportation flights. Published December 12, 2025
New York gave illegal driver’s licenses to foreign truck drivers: Feds
New York has intentionally been giving out truck driver's licenses to illegal immigrants in violation of federal rules, the Transportation Department said Friday, adding that unless the state fixes things it will be stripped of tens of millions of dollars in highway money. Published December 12, 2025
18,000 confirmed and suspected terrorists entered U.S. under Biden
The government has identified 18,000 known or suspected terrorists who reached the U.S. during the Biden administration, senior officials told Congress on Thursday. Published December 11, 2025
Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson calls National Guard killing ‘unfortunate accident’
A senior House Democrat on Thursday called the shooting that took the life of a National Guard soldier an "unfortunate accident" and an "unfortunate situation." Published December 11, 2025
Court orders DHS to release illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration on Thursday to "immediately" release Kilmar Abrego Garcia, ruling that the migrant's detention violates his rights. Published December 11, 2025
Trump’s tariffs spur government’s improving deficit
The deficit has ticked down in the new fiscal year, and analysts said there's one obvious reason for the improvement: President Trump's tariffs. Published December 10, 2025
Environmentalists sue to erase Trump’s ‘bloated’ face from appearing on national parks pass
An environmental group filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking a judge to stop the government from putting President Trump's face on a new national parks and monuments pass, saying the country doesn't want to see his "bloated, fragile, attention-seeking" headshot. Published December 10, 2025
Is IQ of 72 too low to dodge death penalty? Supreme Court wrestles with cutoff
The Supreme Court struggled Wednesday to determine when someone is too mentally disabled to be executed for crimes, with the justices pondering when IQ tests or more subjective yardsticks are sufficient methods to determine intellectual ability. Published December 10, 2025
