Stephen Dinan

State Department nixed interviews for Afghan allies seeking evacuation

More than 450 Afghan allies awaiting final interviews to evacuate to the U.S. had those interviews canceled when Americans withdrew from Afghanistan in August, the State Department revealed. Published February 13, 2022

Americans will be cleaning up from the coronavirus for years, experts warn

Americans are eager for a post-omicron lull in the pandemic, but experts warn that the coronavirus isn't finished. New variants aside, the pandemic over the past two years has carved scars across society that the country hasn't begun to face. Published February 11, 2022

Audit: IRS lost more than $400 million because of broken mail machines

The IRS cost the government more than $400 million over the last three years because it didn't bother to fix broken mail machines, the agency's inspector general said in a new report Thursday. Published February 10, 2022

Border smugglers use social media to recruit kids, urge reckless driving to evade Border Patrol

Smugglers are turning to social media to recruit kids to drive illegal immigrants -- including some who were just 13 years old, the Border Patrol revealed. Published February 10, 2022

GOP senators warn National Archivist not to certify Equal Rights Amendment

Republican senators are seeking assurances from the archivist of the U.S. National Archivist that he will not move to add the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution before federal courts have a chance to rule. Published February 9, 2022

DHS citizenship agency drops security from revised mission statement

The Department of Homeland Security's citizenship agency revealed a new mission statement Wednesday, removing Trump-era references to security and safeguards and instead focusing on welcoming newcomers. Published February 9, 2022

In costliest U.S. fight, little cash goes to actually fight COVID-19

Congress has approved about $6 trillion for the fight against COVID-19, or more than it spent to defeat Nazi Germany and imperial Japan in World War II. Published February 9, 2022

Arizona AG rules states can deploy forces to fight border ‘invasion’

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has officially ruled that the chaos on the Mexican border constitutes an "invasion" under the U.S. Constitution, clearing the way for the state's governor to defend the boundary with police or troops of his own. Published February 8, 2022

Arizona AG rules border surge is an ‘invasion,’ state can defend itself

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich issued an official opinion Monday saying the surge of illegal immigrants coming across the border meets the legal definition of an "invasion" under the U.S. Constitution. Published February 7, 2022

Afghan evacuee who served as liaison to Wisconsin community arrested in sexual assault investigation

A man brought to the U.S. as part of last year's chaotic Afghan evacuation was arrested in Wisconsin on Monday after being accused of sexual assault. Published February 7, 2022

IRS abandons plans to subject website users to facial recognition

The IRS said Monday it is abandoning its push to use facial recognition technology on taxpayers, after massive bipartisan pushback from senior lawmakers who called the idea a disaster for privacy and security. Published February 7, 2022

Iraqi man’s guilty plea reveals massive scope of refugee fraud ring

A special program giving Iraqi refugees direct access to the U.S. remains shut down a year after authorities revealed a massive fraud ring operating inside the government, and new court documents are shedding light on just how bad the situation was. Published February 6, 2022

DACA paves path to better jobs, ties to society: Study

For immigrants who are in the country illegally, getting even tentative legal status can mean finding better jobs, doubling their pay and paving pathways to education, according to a study released Thursday that looked at how the DACA program has helped "Dreamers." Published February 3, 2022