Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Appeals court delivers blow to Trump’s attempt to send National Guard to Portland
A federal appeals court on Tuesday erased a ruling that would have allowed President Trump to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, saying the judges have decided to re-decide the case. Published October 28, 2025
Judge stiffens blockade on Trump’s reductions in federal workforce during shutdown
A federal judge put an indefinite hold on the White House's new reductions in the federal workforce, saying Tuesday that President Trump's team appeared to be violating the law. Published October 28, 2025
Judge scolds DHS over handling of anti-ICE protests in Chicago, moves to oversee operations
A U.S. district judge chastised the Homeland Security Department on Tuesday over agents' suppression of anti-ICE protests on the streets of Chicago and put herself in a position to oversee operations, demanding body-worn cameras for all personnel and ordering daily briefings from the commander on the scene. Published October 28, 2025
Jan. 6 defendant Jake Lang seeks to revive police brutality lawsuit
Jake Lang saw the Supreme Court rule in his favor last year, when the justices nullified a key criminal charge brought by the Biden Justice Department against defendants in its prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Published October 28, 2025
DHS video undercuts protesters’ claims about violent Chicago clash
The Department of Homeland Security released video Tuesday giving a broader view of the violent clash in Chicago last week between the Border Patrol and anti-ICE demonstrators that shows the unruly crowd harassing the agents, and an agent warning the crowd that tear gas would be used. Published October 28, 2025
Mexican cartel leader indicted in timeshare scam
Federal prosecutors secured an indictment against a figure from Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel, charging him with running a massive timeshare fraud that duped Americans into paying the cartel to have their shares sold or rented -- then never delivering on the service. Published October 28, 2025
Judge orders Trump officials to stop talking bad about Kilmar Abrego Garcia
A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to zip it when it comes to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying top officials are threatening his right to a fair trial by publicly calling him an MS-13 gang member, child predator or domestic abuser. Published October 27, 2025
Cartels stand to capitalize as Mexico eyes big tobacco tax hike
Mexico's Senate is pushing to pass a bill that would raise the country's tax on tobacco, figuring it will not only improve health by discouraging use, but also add to the government's bank account. Published October 27, 2025
Trump asks Supreme Court to allow firing of register of copyrights
President Trump asked the Supreme Court on Monday to allow him to move ahead with high-profile firings of the register of copyrights, saying a lower court's blockade tramples on his presidential powers. Published October 27, 2025
Questions mount over war on drug boats; taking cartel battle to high seas ups legal stakes for Trump
The Trump administration, by its own account, has sunk 10 drug boats and slain 43 crew, and it has yet to offer a firm legal justification. Published October 26, 2025
Abrego Garcia objects: Don’t send me to Liberia
Kilmar Abrego Garcia now says he fears persecution if he's sent to Liberia, as America's most prominent migrant tries again to derail a looming deportation. Published October 25, 2025
DHS sets Oct. 31 target to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia, says Liberia will take him
The Trump administration said Friday it's finally firmed up a country willing to take Kilmar Abrego Garcia off America's hands, with hopes of booting him out of the U.S. within a week. Published October 24, 2025
DHS uses riot response as anti-ICE protests become more violent in Chicago
Anti-ICE protesters are escalating their confrontations with federal immigration authorities in Illinois, forcing officers to use riot responses to suppress what the Department of Homeland Security called "one of the most violent days." Published October 24, 2025
DHS’ Chief Bovino accused of breaking judge’s order by using tear gas on Chicago crowd
Journalism advocates on Thursday accused a senior Homeland Security official of personally deploying tear gas into a Chicago protest "without justification" in defiance of a judge's orders. Published October 23, 2025
ICE says it doesn’t need to give Congress access to its facilities during government shutdown
One of the casualties of the shutdown showdown is that Democrats have lost their access to ICE facilities. Published October 23, 2025
Two federal judges admit to using AI in botched rulings after months of silence
Two federal judges have publicly admitted that they used artificial intelligence in their work, leading them to retract court orders after the AI introduced errors into their rulings. Published October 23, 2025
Winsome Earle-Sears embraces Trump’s tepid Va. governor endorsement: ‘The president wants me to win’
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears welcomed President Trump's tepid endorsement of her gubernatorial campaign this week, saying he made clear he "wants me to win." Published October 23, 2025
Texas scoured 18 million voter names, found 2,724 possible noncitizens
Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson has just completed a review of more than 18 million names on her state's voter list, and flagged 2,724 of them -- less than 0.02% -- as possible noncitizens. Published October 22, 2025
FEMA discriminated against pro-gun homes in disaster relief missions
Political targeting at the government's emergency management agency went deeper than Biden officials acknowledged, according to a new report that said FEMA employees not only skipped over pro-Trump homes but also avoided homes with pro-gun messages. Published October 22, 2025
Democrats escalate anti-ICE efforts, devise strategies to ‘blow the whistle’ on officers
Democrats are ramping up their confrontation with ICE, with one member of Congress announcing plans to run a "tracker" to reveal officers' actions and New York's attorney general setting up a tip line for leads to investigate the agency's operations. Published October 22, 2025
