Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Nancy Pelosi tells Trump not to arrest illegal immigrants
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Tuesday that illegal immigrants shouldn't be deported unless they have a "serious crime" history, as she urged President Trump to cancel plans for a major operation to deport illegal immigrants. Published June 22, 2019
Supreme Court rules gun-possession felons must know they’re breaking law
The Supreme Court has ruled that an immigrant living in the U.S. illegally who had a gun -- a crime -- can't be prosecuted if he didn't know he was in the country illegally. Published June 21, 2019
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struggles with ‘ambiguous’ law on border wall emergency
A federal appeals court raked both the Trump administration and border wall opponents over the coals Thursday, struggling with "ambiguous" law and complicated arguments to try to settle whether the president's emergency wall-building plans can go forward. Published June 20, 2019
Obama-appointed judge rules ICE can’t arrest illegals in Massachusetts courthouses
ICE cannot make civil arrests at Massachusetts courthouses, a federal judge ruled Thursday, dealing a major victory to activists who'd said immigrants were scared to show up for fear of being captured. Published June 20, 2019
Illegal immigrant ‘got aways’ at five-year high as border agents pulled from patrol duties
The Border Patrol has documented more than 100,000 immigrants who they know managed to illegally sneak past them and get into the interior of the country, the agency's chief told Congress on Thursday, saying it's the most in five years. Published June 20, 2019
Mitch McConnell shoots down congressional pay raise
Congress won't be getting a pay raise, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday, shooting down a bipartisan push for a cost-of-living adjustment. Published June 20, 2019
Bladensburg Peace Cross can stay, Supreme Court rules
Bladensburg's beloved Peace Cross can remain, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday, saying the memorial to soldiers killed in World War I has been consecrated by nearly 100 years of public devotion -- and that tearing it down would show unconstitutional "hostility" to religion. Published June 20, 2019
ICE details ramped-up deportations for illegal immigrant families
It's not the "millions" President Trump promised, but ICE's chief said Wednesday that his agency will put a renewed effort into trying to find and deport immigrant families living in the U.S. illegally who've already had their day in court and have been ordered removed but are defying those orders. Published June 19, 2019
Senate committee approves border crisis spending bill
Senate Republicans and Democrats linked arms and voted to push the first overwhelmingly bipartisan border bill in years through committee Wednesday, giving President Trump more money than he asked for to deal with the migrant surge -- but changing how he wanted it spent. Published June 19, 2019
Democrats say it’ll take a white male to beat Donald Trump in election
They preach diversity as a mantra, but Democratic voters are still gravitating toward white men as 2020 presidential candidates -- and a new poll suggests why. Published June 19, 2019
Donald Trump deportation vow kick-starts 2020 campaign
President Trump kicked off his 2020 presidential campaign on Tuesday by returning to the same issue he began with as he descended the golden escalator at Trump Tower in New York four years ago: the threat from immigration. Published June 18, 2019
Donald Trump: DHS aware of deportation plans
President Trump said Tuesday afternoon that he stands by his promise to step up deportations next week, and dismissed reports that Homeland Security officials had no idea what he was talking about. Published June 18, 2019
Study: Migrant families are showing up for deportation hearings
Most immigrant families who are living illegally in the U.S. are showing up for their initial hearings in immigration court, according to a report Tuesday that challenges the impression left by Trump administration officials that as many as 90% have skipped out on deportations. Published June 18, 2019
Mitch McConnell shuts down reparations talk
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday ruled out Congress passing reparations, saying nobody alive now was responsible for slavery and saying it would be unworkable to figure out who should benefit. Published June 18, 2019
Mitch McConnell says 9/11 victims will be taken care of
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that Congress will approve legislation extending relief to people suffering from the effects of the 2001 terrorist attacks, responding to accusations he's a roadblock. Published June 18, 2019
Key Democrats challenge Ken Cuccinelli appointment as USCIS chief
Top House Democrats on Tuesday challenged the appointment of Ken Cuccinelli to be acting director at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, saying President Trump appeared to be doing an end-run around the law. Published June 18, 2019
Same-sex couples to get tax do-over under House Dems’ bill
House Democrats announced new legislation Tuesday designed to give same-sex couples a chance to go back and refile tax returns from before 2013, making them eligible for back-refunds from before the IRS recognized same-sex marriages. Published June 18, 2019
ACLU issues advice to illegal immigrants after Trump tweets about deportations
The American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday told illegal immigrants to use their rights to remain silent and to demand their free phone call if they are snared in the new deportation effort President Trump teased this week. Published June 18, 2019
Chuck Schumer tells Trump to scratch campaign speech, talk Iran policy instead
President Trump should change his campaign kickoff speech and instead brief the country about his plans toward Iran, the Senate's top Democrat said Tuesday, saying the president has left everyone confused. Published June 18, 2019
Donald Trump says ‘millions’ of illegal immigrants to be deported
ICE deportation officers will soon begin to deport "millions" of illegal immigrants, President Trump said on Twitter Monday night, saying everyone is beginning to cooperate on the issue save for Democrats on Capitol Hill. Published June 18, 2019
