Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Ralph Northam, Dick Saslaw thwart Virginia liberals agenda
Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, a Democrat from Fairfax County, has been waiting 26 years for his party to regain unified control of state government in Virginia. Published January 8, 2020
Heraclio Osorio-Arellanes gets life sentence in Brian Terry ‘Fast and Furious’ killing
A man convicted of shooting a U.S. Border Patrol agent nine years ago in a case that exposed a botched federal gun operation known as "Fast and Furious" was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison. Published January 8, 2020
Eileen Filler-Corn sworn in as first female House speaker in Virginia’s 400-year history
Virginia swore in its first woman speaker of the House of Delegates Wednesday, kicking off a state General Assembly session for the history books. Published January 8, 2020
Justice Department says Equal Rights Amendment is dead; Virginia ratification can’t revive it
The Equal Rights Amendment has been dead for more than four decades, the Justice Department ruled Wednesday, and neither ratification by Virginia nor an effort to revive it by Congress can bring it back to life. Published January 8, 2020
DHS announces pilot program to take DNA samples from people arrested at border
The Department of Homeland Security announced a new pilot program to begin taking DNA cheek swabs from people arrested by Border Patrol agents in Detroit and by officers at on border crossing in Texas, covering everyone including migrants and U.S. citizens. Published January 7, 2020
Illegal immigrants rescued after getting stuck on Trump’s wall
The Border Patrol had to ride to the rescue of three migrants Sunday after they got stuck on top of President Trump's border wall in San Diego. Published January 7, 2020
Nancy Pelosi effort to limit Trump moves on Iran likely to be thwarted
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's new effort to rein in President Trump on Iran is likely to end in defeat — just as Congress's past attempts to constrain Mr. Trump on Yemen and to block President Obama on Libya and Syria were also doomed. Published January 6, 2020
Governors buck Trump on denying refugees
America's governors have overwhelmingly refused President Trump's offer to exercise a veto over new refugees being sent to their states, in what activists say is a stunning and heartening affirmation of the Statue of Liberty. Published January 6, 2020
Activists accuse Boston schools of aiding ICE deportations
Boston's public schools have for years been indirectly providing information to ICE on unruly illegal immigrant students, resulting in at least one of them getting deported, civil rights groups claimed Monday. Published January 6, 2020
Nancy Pelosi: War Powers Resolution vote to limit Iran retaliation set
House Democrats will hold a vote this week to try to block President Trump from escalating the conflict with Iran, using the War Powers Resolution to impose a time limit on his military action. Published January 5, 2020
Donald Trump gives Congress justification for missile strike, shields document from public view
President Trump officially notified Congress on Saturday of the drone missile strike that killed a top Iranian general in Iraq, in a move that checks off a key legal box but left Democrats with even more questions about the president's motives. Published January 4, 2020
DHS issues terror bulletin amid Iran tension, warning of lone wolf terrorism, cyberattacks
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf issued a new terrorism threat assessment bulletin on Iran on Saturday, saying there is still no specific credible threat but warning Americans to step up their vigilance. Published January 4, 2020
DHS: No credible threat from Iran to U.S. homeland
Homeland Security said Friday there is as yet no real threat to the U.S. from Iran after this week's American drone strike took out the Islamic Republic's top general. Published January 3, 2020
ICE nabs illegal immigrant released by New York town despite hit-and-run homicide case
ICE officials said Friday they swooped in to arrest an illegal immigrant accused of a hit-and-run Christmas Eve traffic death after local New York officials released him without bail. Published January 3, 2020
‘Remain in Mexico’ policy expands after surge in Arizona
The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday expanded President Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy in an attempt to push back a surge in illegal immigration in southern Arizona. Published January 3, 2020
Founding fathers never discussed wall of separation between church and state
School civics classes teach that the Constitution guarantees the right to remain silent, freedom of speech, equal protection under the law, and a wall of separation between church and state. Published January 2, 2020
2020 census questions unnerve Americans
The groans must have been audible at the Census Bureau two years ago when then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, testifying to Congress, told Americans they could skip any questions they don't like. Published January 1, 2020
St. Francis of Assisi a guide for revival in modern church
Twelfth century Italy faced many of the same tendencies and upheavals as modern day America. Published December 30, 2019
Losing our Religion: America becoming ‘pagan’ as Christianity cedes to culture
The Rev. Stephen M. Koeth, a Catholic priest and Ph.D. history candidate at Columbia University, was teaching a class one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s sermons that mentioned the road to Jericho. He found it striking that none of the students got the reference to the road, which is where the parable of the Good Samaritan takes place. Published December 30, 2019
Baby names avoid politicians over partisan division
For much of the last century, politics was as important a factor in shaping new Americans' identities. Published December 26, 2019
