Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
DHS holiday deal for illegal immigrants: Leave now and get $3,000 — or face arrest
The Homeland Security Department has offered illegal immigrants a Christmas season deportation bargain: Go home for the holidays and stay there, and you can get a $3,000 bonus from Uncle Sam. Published December 22, 2025
Judge’s conviction in ICE obstruction case vindicates courthouse arrests
The Trump administration landed its first major victory in its bid to quell anti-ICE resistance with the conviction of Hannah Dugan, the Wisconsin state judge who obstructed officers trying to arrest an illegal immigrant in her courtroom. Published December 21, 2025
Supreme Court rebuffs Justice Dept. in case involving gag order on immigration judges
The Supreme Court has delivered a rare setback to the Trump Justice Department, declining to get involved right now in a case challenging a gag order the government had tried to place on its immigration judges. Published December 19, 2025
Trump orders end to diversity visa lottery after university shooter entered through program
President Trump ordered Homeland Security to shut down the diversity visa lottery after learning that the gunman who attacked two U.S. universities this month entered the country under that program. Published December 19, 2025
Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan guilty of obstruction for helping an immigrant evade feds
A federal jury convicted a Wisconsin judge Thursday night of a felony obstruction charge after she tried to help an illegal immigrant escape ICE officers at her courthouse earlier this year. Published December 18, 2025
Congress orders Defense Department to stop painful experiments on dogs and cats
The Pentagon is now barred from carrying out painful experiments on dogs and cats, thanks to new language in the defense policy bill President Trump signed Thursday. Published December 18, 2025
ICE detainer ignored: Immigrant charged with murder one day after release from custody
A Salvadoran immigrant man who was out on the streets after Fairfax County authorities refused to turn him over to ICE now stands accused of killing another man. Published December 18, 2025
Senators accuse immigration agents of constitutional violations during Chicago enforcement surge
Illinois' senators asked the Justice Department on Thursday to open a criminal investigation into Homeland Security personnel over the Chicago deportation surge, saying agents used excessive force to arrest migrants and deal with protesters, crossing constitutional lines. Published December 18, 2025
Non-dangerous felons shouldn’t lose gun rights forever, appeals court says
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
