Stephen Dinan

House Democrats announce cuts to Border Patrol, ICE

It's not "abolish ICE," but House Democrats took their best shot Monday, announcing a bill to slash the Department of Homeland Security's deportation operations by 25%, blocking new hiring of Border Patrol agents and trying to erase dozens of miles of President Trump's border wall. Published July 6, 2020

Manufacturers warn recovery could falter without more immigration

President Trump's coronavirus immigration pause could stunt the recovery by preventing key managers from multinational companies from being able to come into the U.S. to get their operations moving again, the National Association of Manufacturers warned Monday. Published July 6, 2020

Michael Avenatti reputation at George Washington University law school tarnished

Michael Avenatti used to be the golden boy of George Washington University's law school, having been awarded its Alumni Achievement Award in 2010, served on its dean's board of advisers and been the subject of a fawning profile in its alumni magazine. Published July 2, 2020

Manassas battlefield hit with Black Lives Matter graffiti

Vandalism against Confederate statues has now spread beyond cities and to Manassas National Battlefield itself, with vandals painting "BLM" on the base of an iconic statue of Stonewall Jackson. Published July 2, 2020

ICE tests for COVID-19 among migrant families, finds general population is clean

ICE announced Thursday that it has tested for the coronavirus at all of its family detention facilities, as the agency tries to figure out how to combat the pandemic while facing a judge itching to force releases. Published July 2, 2020

CBO predicts V-shaped recovery, GDP growth to top 12% for rest of 2020

The Congressional Budget Office is predicting the economy will come roaring out of the coronavirus recession with growth surging to 12.4% the rest of this year, before settling back into the longer-term trend of about half that. Published July 2, 2020

Supreme Court won’t speed Texas vote-by-mail case

The Supreme Court said Thursday that it won't speed a case challenging Texas' restrictions on mail-in voting, leaving in place lower court rulings that said fear of contracting the coronavirus isn't a valid reason under state law. Published July 2, 2020

D.C. sued over Black Lives Matter painted on city streets

Judicial Watch filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday demanding access to D.C.'s streets to paint its own messages, after the city painted Black Lives Matter on one street and allowed protesters to paint their own "Defund the police" message next to it. Published July 1, 2020

Judge erases key Trump asylum crackdown policy

A federal judge struck down a key part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown framework late Tuesday, ruling that Homeland Security cut too many corners when it tried to block asylum seekers from picking and choosing which country they settle in. Published July 1, 2020

DHS sets up task force to protect federal statues and monuments

Homeland Security is setting up a new task force to prepare to surge personnel to locations where riots threaten statues, monuments or other historic landmarks on federal property, the department announced Wednesday. Published July 1, 2020

ICE cooperation surges as deportation agreements triple

Despite feverish anti-ICE sentiment and some high-profile defections, the Trump administration has quietly managed to expand the number of jurisdictions that have agreed to scour their jails and cooperate with Homeland Security to spot migrants with criminal records who should be deported. Published June 30, 2020

Mitt Romney 2012 campaign veterans backing Joe Biden over Donald Trump

Veterans of Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign are eyeing an alliance with Joseph R. Biden, looking to make a splash in announcing they have turned their backs on the Republican Party this year and will support the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee instead. Published June 30, 2020

China gets free pass on taxes on U.S. debt dividends

China holds more than $1 trillion in U.S. government debt -- and thanks to a decades-old tax treaty doesn't have to pay tax to Uncle Sam on the income it derives from dividends from the interest on that debt. Published June 30, 2020

Nancy Pelosi extends vote-by-proxy for House into August, citing coronavirus

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Monday that she is extending the vote-by-proxy period to Aug. 18, saying the coronavirus crisis is still too hot to force lawmakers to come back to the Capitol to participate in legislating. Published June 29, 2020

Supreme Court rejects environmental challenge to Trump’s border wall

The Supreme Court refused Monday to hear a case involving environmental challenges to President Trump's border wall plans, giving him a green light to build without having to comply with the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act and other major protections. Published June 29, 2020

Supreme Court rules Obama/Warren Wall Street cop is illegal

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau -- the Wall Street cop agency devised by then-Harvard professor Elizabeth Warren and launched under President Obama -- puts too much power in a single director, making it unconstitutional, the Supreme Court ruled Monday. Published June 29, 2020

Feds charge four men with attack on Andrew Jackson statue

Four men have been charged with damaging and trying to tear down the Andrew Jackson statue near the White House, federal prosecutors announced Saturday night. Published June 27, 2020

Andrew Cuomo’s praise for BLM protests sinks his coronavirus church shutdown

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo can't on the one hand praised Black Lives Matter protesters for defying his coronavirus orders, and at the same time get angry at churches that want to open, a federal judge ruled Friday. Published June 26, 2020

Supreme Court rejects attempt to expand mail-in voting in Texas

The Supreme Court refused Friday to take a case attempting to force Texas to allow mail-in voting for anyone who fears contracting COVID-19. Published June 26, 2020

Appeals court rejects Trump’s border wall funding

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Trump did not have the legal power to siphon money from the Pentagon to build his border wall, erecting another legal hurdle in the path of his most flamboyant campaign promise. Published June 26, 2020