Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Federal judge blocks citizenship question on 2020 census
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from asking about citizenship on the 2020 census, ruling that the government cut too many corners in its decision-making on adding the question. Published January 15, 2019
Freedom Caucus: Congress must cancel vacation to work on shutdown
House conservatives on Monday demanded the chamber cancel its upcoming vacation scheduled for next week and remain in town until the government shutdown is solved. Published January 14, 2019
Steve King stripped of committee assignments after racism remarks
House Republicans stripped Rep. Steve King of his committee assignments Monday, moving to punish the Iowa congressman for recent controversial comments he made about race and white nationalism. Published January 14, 2019
Donald Trump blamed for shutdown; border wall plans fall flat
President Trump's prime-time plea to Americans to support his plans for a border wall fell flat, and the public increasingly blames him for the government shutdown. Published January 14, 2019
Dems eye censure of Steve King over white nationalism
An influential Democratic congressman announced Monday that he will introduce a resolution formally censuring Rep. Steve King, seeking to put the entire House on record against the Iowa Republican whose recent comments have landed him in the middle of controversy. Published January 14, 2019
Trump’s TV address flopped as voters believed Pelosi, Schumer
President Trump's prime-time plea to Americans to support his plans for a border wall fell flat, with opposition to the idea still running strong -- and with the public increasingly blaming Mr. Trump for the government shutdown. Published January 14, 2019
Supreme Court declines to hear case challenging CFPB
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to continue operating by refusing to hear a challenge that had argued the agency set up after the 2008 financial collapse was unconstitutional. Published January 14, 2019
Unaccompanied child immigration loophole releases MS-13 gang members
All three of the illegal immigrants entered the U.S. in 2016 as unaccompanied alien children, meaning they crossed the border without parents -- a status that earned them a quick release into the country, where they were quickly reunited with their family and began to live while awaiting deportations that never came. Published January 13, 2019
Senate Democrats to force Russia-meddling showdown with sanctions vote
Senate Democrats will force a vote this week to overturn the Treasury Department's move to relax sanctions on companies connected to a Russian oligarch, pushing the various tentacles of the 2016 Russia election meddling probe back to the forefront. Published January 13, 2019
Justices take case on illegal immigrant possessing guns
The Supreme Court said Friday that it will take a case involving an illegal immigrant who claims he didn't know his status had lapsed when he went to shoot a gun at a range, thus violating a law against illegal immigrants possessing weaponry. Published January 11, 2019
John Cornyn warns Trump over source of wall money
A top Republican who just two days ago visited the border with President Trump on Friday cautioned the president against redirecting disaster relief money to build his border wall. Published January 11, 2019
Puerto Rico warns Trump over emergency funds for wall
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello blasted the administration Friday over reports that President Trump would take emergency funds aimed at rebuilding California, Texas and Puerto Rico and use them to build his border wall. Published January 11, 2019
Dem chairman rules out ‘Abolish ICE’
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson flatly ruled out any efforts to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying that while the agency may need a "tweak," he supports its mission. Published January 11, 2019
Donald Trump near declaring national emergency to build border wall
President Trump edged closer to declaring a national emergency Thursday that would allow him to build a barrier on the southern border without Democrats' approval, even suggesting he might outsource some of the work to the state of Texas. Published January 10, 2019
Senate passes bill to pay all federal employees — after shutdown ends
Senators passed a bill Thursday to ensure all federal employees, whether they are still working or were furloughed, will be paid in full when the partial government shutdown ends. Published January 10, 2019
Lindsey Graham: Trump should use military to build wall
Sen. Lindsey Graham urged President Trump on Thursday to tap his emergency powers to have the military build the border wall, saying he's fed up with Democrats' refusal to negotiate. Published January 10, 2019
Mike Pence: ‘No wall, there’s no deal’
Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday that the administration is willing to negotiate on parts of the shutdown showdown, but he said there will have to be some money for border barriers. Published January 10, 2019
Donald Trump alters claim on Mexico paying for wall
President Trump said Thursday he never intended to ask Mexico to write out a check for the border wall. Published January 10, 2019
‘Whatever it takes’: Brother of slain officer backs Trump on border
Reggie Singh, brother of the police officer killed in California by an illegal immigrant last month, told President Trump Thursday that their family is "fully" behind whatever the White House needs to do to stop illegal immigration. Published January 10, 2019
Border agents: Steel fence not impenetrable but still needed
The steel bollard border fence President Trump is now talking about building is not impenetrable, but it is the best design available and will slow down immigrants who are trying to cross the border illegally, border agents say. Published January 10, 2019