Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Smugglers posing as border wall construction crew in shootout with border patrol
A Border Patrol agent was involved in a shooting last week with a smuggler who was posing as part of the construction crews working on President Trump's border wall in Arizona, The Washington Times has learned. Published April 5, 2020
Trump power limited in coronavirus pandemic by Constitution
Americans have been getting a serious civics lesson over the past month as they turn to Washington for answers to the coronavirus crisis -- only to find out their state governors have far more control over what goes on in their daily lives. Published April 5, 2020
Marijuana business hide income, use illegal deductions to cut tax bill
Majority of the businesses have been bilking Uncle Sam to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars from illegal deductions or hidden income, the IRS inspector general said in a report released Thursday. Published April 2, 2020
Gun sales up 85% in March amid coronavirus fears
A record 2.5 million guns were sold in March, up 85% compared with the same month last year, according to an analysis released Wednesday by Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting that said all the speculation about pandemic-induced buying was accurate. Published April 1, 2020
Feds have 10,469 total ventilators available
The federal government announced Wednesday it has 10,469 ventilators in reserve, ready to dole out to needy states amid the coronavirus crisis. Now it will make what could be literally life-and-death decisions about where they'll go. Published April 1, 2020
Sex and smuggling under HHS as feds charge shelter worker with helping illegal immigrant teen escape
Federal agents have exposed a shocking tale of illicit relationships between a worker at a government-sponsored shelter and an illegal immigrant boy she was supposed to be taking care of -- and a plot by three employees to orchestrate a jailbreak, freeing him from custody. Published March 31, 2020
Immigration activists take to streets, demand ICE release migrants being held in custody
Immigration activists stepped up their campaign to force ICE to release migrants amid the coronavirus crisis, taking to the streets in California in a drive-by protest Tuesday demanding the governor issue an emergency shutdown order for federal detention facilities in the state. Published March 31, 2020
How the FDA is thwarting distilleries trying to make hand sanitizer amid coronavirus pandemic
Scott Harris, co-founder of Catoctin Creek distillery in Purcellville, Virginia, has been eager to convert 55 gallons of disposal alcohol he already had into hand sanitizer and ordering another 1,000 gallons from his supplier. As one of those with easy access to alcohol, the key ingredient in sanitizer, he says he felt a "moral responsibility" to step up. Published March 31, 2020
U.S., Mexico bust drug-smuggling border tunnel; agents seize $30 million in drugs
Federal agents discovered and shut down a "sophisticated" smuggling tunnel between the U.S. and Mexico, officials announced Tuesday, and seized what one prosecutor called "a jaw-dropping" $30 million in drugs. Published March 31, 2020
FBI’s FISA problems run deeper than Carter Page, Trump probe: Inspector general
The FBI's bungling of FISA applications runs far deeper than the already well-known problems with the bureau's snooping on the Trump campaign, according to a new inspector general's audit Tuesday that found agents either lost or never compiled backup information for some applications, and made errors in others. Published March 31, 2020
Distillers making hand sanitizer threatened by FDA regulations
The Food and Drug Administration has issued guidelines that distilleries say could shunt them to the sidelines, unable to use their stocks of alcohol any more to help out. Published March 30, 2020
Judges ordering release of high health risk illegals from ICE custody
Federal judges have begun to order release of high health risk illegal immigrants from ICE custody amid the coronavirus crisis, saying the agency is showing "callous disregard" by keeping them in group facilities where they are at risk of infection. Published March 29, 2020
Former Sen. Tom Coburn, Washington’s top waste watcher, dead at 72
Tom Coburn, a medical doctor turned politician died Saturday morning at age 72 after a lengthy battle with cancer, according to his family, leaving one of the most substantial legacies in recent congressional history. Published March 28, 2020
Coronavirus can’t stop border wall
The coronavirus has shut down much of the country, left Capitol Hill a ghost town and even sidelined aircraft carriers. But it hasn't been able to dent construction of the border wall. Published March 28, 2020
Dreamers to Supreme Court: Coronavirus is reason to preserve DACA
Illegal immigrant "Dreamers" told the Supreme Court on Friday they are a key resource to combat the coronavirus crisis and that it's another reason the high court should reject President Trump's attempt to end the DACA program. Published March 27, 2020
Americans get year reprieve on REAL ID deadline after coronavirus
Americans will have an extra year to update their state-issued driver's licenses and other official identification used to board a commercial airplane under the Real ID Act, Homeland Security announced Thursday. Published March 26, 2020
Coronavirus relief deal will become most expensive ever
The $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief deal will shatter spending records, and if it passes it will go down in history as the law with largest price tag -- by far. Published March 25, 2020
ICE uses deportation flights to rescue Americans stranded by coronavirus
ICE announced Wednesday that it has been able to use two deportation flights taking illegal immigrants back to Central America to rescue more than 200 Americans stranded in that region, bringing them back on the return flights. Published March 25, 2020
Nancy Pelosi retreats on coronavirus stimulus ‘wish list’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi beat a retreat Tuesday from the massive coronavirus wish list of Green New Deal projects, immigration measures and other non-virus changes she and fellow Democrats had proposed just hours earlier. Published March 24, 2020
ICE detainee tests positive for coronavirus in New Jersey
An illegal immigrant being detained by ICE in New Jersey tested positive for COVID-19, the agency announced Tuesday, forcing a suspension of new detainees at the Bergen County Jail. Published March 24, 2020
