Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
EPA to end mammal testing by 2035, reviving Trump-era goal
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin will commit the agency to ending testing on mammals by 2035, reviving a key goal of the first Trump administration and reversing a Biden-era walkback. Published January 22, 2026
ICE has secret policy allowing officers to enter private homes, whistleblowers say
ICE has created a secret policy that permits officers to enter the homes of illegal immigrant targets by force without getting a judicial warrant, according to a whistleblower revealed by a senior senator on Wednesday. Published January 21, 2026
Maine becomes latest target for ICE arrests
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Wednesday that it was surging people into Maine to conduct arrests of illegal immigrants, moving to push back on the "sanctuary politicians" who run the state. Published January 21, 2026
Appeals court opens the way for ICE’s use of pepper spray on Minnesota protesters
A federal appeals court issued a temporary stay Wednesday of a lower court ruling that had ordered federal officers to limit their use of pepper spray on observers and protesters who have been hounding ICE in Minnesota. Published January 21, 2026
Supreme Court casts doubt on Trump’s firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook
The Supreme Court expressed worry over President Trump's firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, suggesting Wednesday that the move undermines the independence of the central bank and would invite retaliation by future presidents. Published January 21, 2026
Court rejects independent monitor to oversee Epstein files release
A federal judge on Wednesday shot down a request by members of Congress to appoint an independent special master to oversee the Justice Department's handling of the release of the Epstein files, saying their request wasn't properly made. Published January 21, 2026
Inside job: County official took dead people, migrants’ identities in California food stamp scam
A woman who worked as a benefit assistant for a California county has pleaded guilty to scamming the state's food stamp program by stealing the identities of dead people and immigrants, then approving applications in their names. Published January 21, 2026
At one-year mark, Trump trumpets successes, unleashes on ‘sick’ rivals
A year in his second term in office has done little to cool President Trump's yen for settling scores with opponents, as he used a White House news conference Tuesday to lash his opponents left and right. Published January 20, 2026
100,000 illegal immigrants have taken DHS’ self-deportation bonus
Homeland Security has paid out roughly 100,000 bonuses to illegal immigrants who have registered to self-deport through the government's special app. Published January 20, 2026
Justice Dept. to subpoena Minnesota attorney general in probe of anti-ICE protests
The Justice Department has secured grand jury subpoenas for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Fox News reported Tuesday, as the Trump administration ramps up its investigation of state Democrats and anti-ICE protests. Published January 20, 2026
Supreme Court skeptical of Hawaii’s law restricting gun carrying on private properties
Gun control advocates went to the Supreme Court on Tuesday to defend Hawaii's law limiting the right to carry firearms on some private property, and found themselves in the uncomfortable position of justifying it by citing a racist Civil War-era law aimed at curtailing formerly enslaved people's gun rights. Published January 20, 2026
House spending bill would fund ICE over Democrats’ objections
Congressional leaders struck a deal Tuesday to keep money flowing to ICE, setting up a showdown for rank-and-file Democrats who have demanded deep cuts or even defunding the government's chief deportation agency. Published January 20, 2026
Supreme Court declines to hear challenges to ban on felons possessing guns
The Supreme Court shunted aside several gun rights cases Tuesday that tested the limits of the federal law that bans felons from possessing firearms. Published January 20, 2026
ICE’s new policy limiting congressional oversight visits survives court challenge
A federal judge has delivered a significant victory to ICE, refusing to halt the agency's new policy limiting the ability of members of Congress to conduct oversight of migrant processing and detention facilities. Published January 19, 2026
Republican state AGs use MLK holiday to dismantle affirmative action, DEI policies
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier each announced opinions Monday declaring affirmative action and DEI policies to be forbidden in their states -- on the holiday set aside to honor civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Published January 19, 2026
Appeals court revives case challenging Pelosi’s COVID-era proxy voting scheme
A federal appeals court said Thursday it will revisit the legality of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's COVID-era proxy voting system and erased a ruling that had upheld the plan as constitutional. Published January 19, 2026
Walz, Frey pan DOJ subpoenas as Pentagon reportedly prepared to deploy 1,500 troops to Minnesota
The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in what appears to be an expanding investigation into their strident stance against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Published January 18, 2026
Senators request fraud probe of Minneapolis charity favored by Ilhan Omar
Republican senators have asked the Justice Department to investigate a Minneapolis-based charity that nearly landed $1 million in taxpayer money courtesy of Rep. Ilhan Omar, saying it shows signs of being a fraud operation. Published January 18, 2026
Judges stifle Trump Justice Department’s attempt to collect states’ voter registration information
President Trump's push to clean up states' voter rolls suffered setbacks last week when two federal judges shut down a demand for information about registered voters in California and Oregon. Published January 18, 2026
Judge rules in favor of anti-ICE protesters; says they can legally shadow DHS vehicles
A federal judge ruled Friday that federal agents in Minnesota have been too harsh in dealing with anti-ICE protesters, and specifically forbade them from taking action against people who trail their vehicles as long as they keep a reasonable distance. Published January 17, 2026
