Stephen Dinan

Melania Trump shocked by smugglers’ cruelty during border visit

First lady Melania Trump, visiting Arizona to get another firsthand look at the immigration situation, was told that the government is doing all it can for the children and families streaming across the border, including rescuing them from danger and providing them top-notch care. Published June 28, 2018

Melania Trump in Arizona to look at immigration detention

First lady Melania Trump has landed in southern Arizona Thursday for another look at the border situation and illegal immigrant children and families being held in government custody. Published June 28, 2018

House imposes July 6 deadline for DOJ to turn over Russia documents

The House voted Thursday to impose a one-week deadline on the Justice Department to turn over sensitive documents detailing the FBI's handling of investigations during the 2016 election, ramping up the heat in a major separation of powers battle. Published June 28, 2018

Mitch McConnell on court schedule: ‘This is not 2016’

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell renewed his vow to vote on a new Supreme Court justice this fall, taking to the Senate floor Thursday to reject Democrats' demands to put it off until next year. Published June 28, 2018

Border children must be reunited with parents, judge rules

The Trump administration struggled to respond Wednesday after the federal courts took control of the family separation crisis, ordering a halt to most separations and setting deadlines for reunification. Published June 27, 2018

Anthony Kennedy retirement ends tenure as nation’s decider-in-chief

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who announced his retirement Wednesday, has been the decider-in-chief on most of the major controversial cases to rise to the Supreme Court ever since 2006, which is when the court's balance shifted to him, after Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement. Published June 27, 2018

Chuck Schumer: Don’t vote on new justice until next year

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised the country Wednesday that a new justice will be confirmed to the Supreme Court this fall, setting out an ambitious goal for himself to approve a key seat with the narrowest of majorities. Published June 27, 2018

House slams door on GOP immigration bill; Trump’s support not enough to pass bill

The Republican compromise immigration bill suffered a crushing defeat in the House on Wednesday in a vote that stood as a rebuke to President Trump and a signal that Republicans remain irrevocably deadlocked on the issue. Published June 27, 2018

Chuck Schumer shoots down calls to abolish ICE

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer shot down suggestions to abolish ICE, saying Wednesday that the government's top deportation agency does things that are "very much needed." Published June 27, 2018

Democrats’ new immigration solution is foreign aid, better paths for asylum in Central America

Senate Democrats said Wednesday that the solution to America's illegal immigration problem begins to the south, and proposed a massive new infusion of aid to try to improve conditions in Central America to try to keep people from making the treacherous journey north. Published June 27, 2018

Feds to begin distributing grant money to non-sanctuary cities

The Justice Department said Wednesday it has begun distributing hundreds of millions of dollars in grant money that had been tied up in a major court battle over sanctuary cities. Published June 27, 2018

Immigration judge accused of anti-GOP behavior

President Trump has been complaining over the last week about immigration judges -- and on Wednesday his complaints were bolstered by a federal watchdog who accused one judge of actively promoting Hillary Clinton during a 2016 deportation trial. Published June 27, 2018

Judge orders illegal-immigrant children reunited with parents

A San Diego federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reunite illegal-immigrant children with their parents in the coming few weeks. Published June 26, 2018

Social Security now running a deficit; insolvency set at 2034

Social Security will spend more than it collects this year, the program's trustees said Tuesday, marking the first time in more than 35 years that it will run an annual deficit as it slides toward insolvency by 2034. Published June 26, 2018

Joe Crowley upset by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York Democratic primary

Rep. Joe Crowley, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, lost his primary election in New York Tuesday to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an acolyte of Sen. Bernard Sanders. Published June 26, 2018

Immigration bill struggles to win support, but GOP leaders won’t admit defeat

Republicans struggled Tuesday to corral support for their compromise immigration bill ahead of a final showdown in the House on Wednesday, with many members already anticipating a defeat and planning a quick pivot to the family separation issue. Published June 26, 2018