Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
IRS audits plummet as wealthy escape scrutiny, poorest taxpayers get hit
The IRS has dramatically cut back on audits of the wealthiest Americans over the last decade and the poorest taxpayers are now audited at a higher rate than the middle class, Congress' chief watchdog reported Tuesday. Published May 17, 2022
Feds bust major cross-border drug tunnel
Federal authorities discovered a sophisticated cross-border tunnel used to smuggle millions of dollars of drugs from Mexico, and nabbed six people accused of running the operation on the U.S. side, the government revealed Monday. Published May 16, 2022
DHS released more than 100,000 illegal immigrants at the border in April
Homeland Security released more than 100,000 illegal immigrants caught at the border in April, according to new numbers the department provided to a federal judge Monday. Published May 16, 2022
Biden administration releases 35,000 foreign worker visas for summer season
The Biden administration on Monday finalized the release of 35,000 new guest-worker visas for the summer season, belatedly delivering on a promise made months ago to the country's resort and landscaping businesses. Published May 16, 2022
Supreme Court limits the ability of illegal immigrants to appeal deportation decisions
Illegal immigrants have only limited grounds to appeal deportation orders to the federal courts, the Supreme Court ruled Monday. Published May 16, 2022
Arizona governor urges social media to block cartel ads seeking drivers to smuggle illegals
Sebastian Gamino-Solis, nabbed this month with five illegal immigrants in his BMW, told a Border Patrol agent that he had responded to an ad seeking drivers while trolling through Facebook. Published May 15, 2022
Arizona busing migrants to D.C., follows Texas’ lead in sending border woes to Biden’s doorstep
Arizona has started its own busing campaign to deliver newly arrived illegal immigrants straight to Washington, following in the footsteps of Texas, which pioneered the policy last month. Published May 12, 2022
DHS launches ad campaign begging illegal immigrants not to come
Homeland Security unveiled a new Spanish-language ad campaign Wednesday aimed at would-be migrants, urging them not to put their lives into the hands of smugglers who are convincing them to make the journey. Published May 11, 2022
Immigration activists accuse Biden DHS of being ‘anti-immigrant’ to Black migrants
Immigrant rights groups demanded Wednesday that President Biden launch an investigation into his administration's decision-making on granting deportation amnesties, saying predominantly Black and Latino countries are being treated worse than White countries. Published May 11, 2022
ICE leaving thousands of detention beds empty as feds beg for help from Supreme Court
President Biden's lawyer, defending the government's immigration policies to the Supreme Court late last month, painted a picture of an administration eager to detain illegal immigrants to the full extent of the law but stymied by a stingy Congress that won't give them any more beds. The numbers, however, don't back that up. Published May 10, 2022
Voters blame Biden for border woes, poll shows
Voters overwhelmingly want stiffer enforcement of America's immigration laws and a clear majority says President Biden's border policies have sparked a drug surge that has cost lives, according to new polling. Published May 9, 2022
Angolan child migrant drowns in Rio Grande, brother’s body still missing
Mexican authorities agents recovered the body of a 7-year-old child from the Rio Grande and they and U.S Border Patrol agents were still searching for his 9-year-old brother, who was also believed to have drowned in the river, authorities said Friday. Published May 6, 2022
Justice Alito’s legal reasoning for ending Roe rests on history, the right to life
A crucial part of Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s draft majority opinion dismantling the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision came at the back end, with a 31-page appendix detailing myriad state abortion bans in effect at the time the court ruled, including some on the books since the early 19th century. Published May 6, 2022
Texas Bar Foundation under investigation for allegedly encouraging, financing illegal immigration
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation Friday into the Texas Bar Foundation, saying he's heard complaints the lawyers' group is funneling taxpayers' money to organizations that encourage and fund illegal immigration. Published May 6, 2022
Democrats blast Biden over looming border surge
Democrats lashed out at administration officials Thursday, saying there's no indication that Homeland Security is ready to handle the massive surge of illegal immigrants that experts say is coming. Published May 5, 2022
White House blew off public input on policy extending work permits for illegal immigrants
The Biden administration cut corners in its rush to announce new rules extending work permits for foreigners in the U.S., including many illegal immigrants, and the divergence from standard procedures could imperil the legality of the policy. Published May 5, 2022
Republicans ask DHS disinformation chief to appear
Congressional Republicans have asked Homeland Security's new disinformation chief to appear and brief them on how she sees her role at the helm of the controversial disinformation board. Published May 5, 2022
Mayorkas vows more deportations after record-low number of removals last year
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas promised senators on Wednesday that he's pushing ICE to deport more people, as he defended the agency's record-low number of removals last year. Published May 4, 2022
Calls to impeach DHS Secretary Mayorkas spread to immigrant rights supporters
Immigration Law Weekly, a publication for immigrant rights lawyers, said this week that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is acting in an "anti-immigrant" manner and should be impeached. Published May 4, 2022
Homeland Security chief Mayorkas: VA staff won’t be drafted to help at Mexican border
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday he will not ask the Department of Veterans Affairs to send staff to the border to help with the expected surge of illegal immigrants, bowing to critics who said the shift would hurt American veterans' care. Published May 4, 2022
