Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Trump opponents sue to force census to report number of illegal immigrants
Civil liberties groups and a coalition of states, cities and counties filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Trump's new policy to discount illegal immigrants when the census reports the population for purposes of apportioning congressional districts next year. Published July 24, 2020
Ivan Robles Navejas Obama-era Dreamer, accused in DUI that killed three
An illegal immigrant who stands accused of killing three motorcyclists in a drunken-driving crash last week in Texas was once a "Dreamer," approved for the Obama-era DACA deportation amnesty in 2013, and protected from removal in 2016 despite another drunken-driving arrest. Published July 23, 2020
DOJ inspector general to probe federal forces in Portland, D.C.
The Justice Department's inspector general said Thursday he has opened an investigation into allegations that some federal law enforcement officers used excessive force in dealing with violent protests in Portland, Oregon, and in Washington, D.C. Published July 23, 2020
DHS flew air mission over Portland Wednesday
Customs and Border Protection deployed an air unit to Portland, Oregon, overnight Wednesday to give officers and agents on the ground real-time live video of the situation on the ground, where another night of riots dominated. Published July 23, 2020
Federal prison had 75% coronavirus infection rate
One federal prison saw more than 1,000 inmates test positive for the coronavirus, exposing serious holes in the Bureau of Prisons' operations during the pandemic, according to a new inspector general's report that found employees coming to work with symptoms and not bothering to test or isolate an inmate who reported symptoms back in March. Published July 23, 2020
ACLU asks Supreme Court to halt Donald Trump’s border wall
The ACLU and Sierra Club filed an emergency request Wednesday for the Supreme Court to step in and halt construction of President Trump's border wall, saying the administration has lost in nearly every court yet has still managed to build hundreds of miles of fencing. Published July 22, 2020
Judge rejects coronavirus release of illegal immigrant families
A federal judge rejected a demand for to free all illegal immigrant families being held in detention during coronavirus, ruling Wednesday that even with heightened risks of the disease in detention facilities, it was too far of a leap to do a "blanket release." Published July 22, 2020
Chamber of Commerce sue to stop Trump immigration crackdown
The country's big business groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday to block President Trump's new coronavirus immigration crackdown, begging the court to keep the pipeline of foreign labor flowing. Published July 21, 2020
Illegal immigrant who avoided deportation under Obama accused of killing three in DUI
An illegal immigrant whom the Obama administration declined to deport after a DUI arrest in 2016 is now accused of another DUI -- and this time, authorities say, three people were killed. Published July 21, 2020
Judge orders restart to DACA, includes new applications, indirect pathway to citizenship
A federal judge is forcing the Trump administration's hand on DACA, ruling late last week that the deportation amnesty for "Dreamers" must be restarted in full, the way it ran back before President Trump tried to phase it out in 2017. Published July 19, 2020
Free speech, free press, free Molotov cocktails: Fire-starter claims 1st Amendment protection
The federal government says it was arson. The protester charged with igniting a Molotov cocktail outside the District of Columbia police station during the recent race riots says it is protected First Amendment speech. Published July 19, 2020
Immigration groups say judge has ordered DACA to accept new applicants
A federal judge on Friday ordered the government to revive the DACA program as it existed before President Trump tried to phase it out in 2017 -- which a key immigrant-rights group says means it will start accepting brand new applicants. Published July 17, 2020
Jarrett Pace claims lighting Molotov cocktail protected by First Amendment
The federal government says it was arson. The protester charged with igniting a Molotov cocktail outside the District of Columbia police station during the recent race riots says it is protected First Amendment speech. Published July 16, 2020
Audit faults DHS for ignoring alternatives in push to build Trump’s border wall
The Border Patrol has had tunnel vision in building President Trump's border wall, ignoring potentially cheaper options for securing the border and using "outdated" models in a rush to get it built, according to a new inspector general audit released Thursday. Published July 16, 2020
DHS urges Portland to accept federal help in snuffing riots
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf renewed the federal government's office of help in quashing violent riots in Portland but said Wednesday local leaders in the Oregon city appear more interested in trying to appease a mob. Published July 16, 2020
Homeland Security inspector general says Border Patrol agents blameless in migrant children’s deaths
Border Patrol agents were blameless in the highly publicized deaths of two juvenile undocumented immigrants, and also showed "great concern" for the two children and rushed to get them medical care, the Homeland Security inspector general said Wednesday. Published July 15, 2020
Feds file unprecedented terrorism charges against MS-13 leader
Federal prosecutors announced groundbreaking terrorism charges against a leader of MS-13 on Wednesday, saying the man, who was an undocumented immigrant in the U.S. before being deported twice back to El Salvador, ran the violent gang's Eastern U.S. operations. Published July 15, 2020
Democrats advance immigration spending bill to slash ICE funding, block Trump asylum policies
Brushing aside worries of spurring a new border surge, House Democrats led the push Wednesday to slash ICE funding, saying they were determined to punish the agency for "willful disregard of Congress's role" in setting immigration priorities. Published July 15, 2020
Trump vows to help ‘Dreamers’ with immigration act
President Trump vowed Tuesday that upcoming actions on immigration will be "taking care of people from DACA," as he insisted he wants to solve the issue. Published July 14, 2020
Trump administration retreats on foreign student coronavirus policy
Harvard beat President Trump on Tuesday, with the administration retreating on plans to make foreign students have to attend at least one class in person this fall or else risk losing their visas and facing deportation. Published July 14, 2020
