Stephen Dinan

‘Dreamer’ shutdown halts E-Verify, a key illegal immigration enforcement tool

One of the ironies of the immigration-fueled shutdown is that the government's most powerful tool for weeding out illegal-immigrant workers was also shut down. Published January 20, 2018

Lindsey Graham offers path out of ‘Dreamer’ shutdown

Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of the Republicans who joined Democrats' shutdown filibuster Friday night, offered a plan forward Saturday, saying he wants to see a 20-day funding bill passed along with a guarantee that the Senate will quickly move to debate immigration next month. Published January 20, 2018

Illegal immigrants cheer as Dreamer shutdown hits

Democrats called it the Trump shutdown. Republicans labeled it the Schumer shutdown. But in reality, it was the Dreamer shutdown. Published January 20, 2018

U.S. Government shutdown hits after Democrats block funding

The government careened into a shutdown Saturday morning as Democrats made good on their threat to withhold votes to fund the government until Republicans agree to grant citizenship rights to illegal immigrant "Dreamers." Published January 20, 2018

Shutdown showdown vote at 10 p.m. Friday

With a shutdown on the line, GOP leaders announced a 10 p.m. Friday vote on the last chance to keep the government open, daring Democrats to filibuster and force the government to run out of funding. Published January 19, 2018

Trump says talks going ‘excellent’ but Democrats need to pass short-term bill

President Trump said Friday that his meeting with Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer to try to head off a shutdown was "excellent," but said he's still pushing Congress to approve a four-week stopgap bill to give all sides space to work out a final deal. Published January 19, 2018

Supreme Court to hear Trump travel ban case

The Supreme Court said Friday it will take up the latest version of President Trump's travel ban, and in particular asked to hear arguments on whether the president showed illegal animosity toward Muslims. Published January 19, 2018

Trump summons Schumer in attempt to stave off shutdown

President Trump is getting personally engaged in the talks to end a government shutdown, holding an afternoon meeting at the White House Friday with Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer. Published January 19, 2018

Dems fail in impeachment vote hours before shutdown

The House easily defeated an effort Friday to try to begin impeachment proceedings against President Trump, with even most Democrats joining the GOP in shooting down the attempt. Published January 19, 2018

Major report finds ‘chaos’ in Trump’s first travel ban

Homeland Security was "caught by surprise" when President Trump issued his first travel ban last January, the department's inspector general said in a new report Friday that details the chaotic first days after the inauguration last year. Published January 19, 2018

Donald Trump’s tweets send mixed messages to Congress

For the second time in the span of a week, President Trump on Thursday went on Twitter to contradict the very deal his own White House was trying to sell to Capitol Hill. Published January 18, 2018

New York court breaks rules, refuses investigation into James Comey

The New York courts have refused to pursue an investigation against former FBI Director James B. Comey and several other major figures involved in the Clinton email scandal, seemingly breaking their own rules in the process. Published January 18, 2018

GOP challenges Schumer to avoid shutdown

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, who is threatening a government shutdown over immigration, opposed that exact strategy five years ago, saying in 2013 that it would be "governmental chaos" to threaten a shutdown over his own demands for immigration reform. Published January 18, 2018

‘Dreamer’ supporters oppose government shutdown: Poll

Even those who want to see illegal immigrant "Dreamers" get legal full status in the U.S. don't want to see the government shut down over their plight, according to a new poll Thursday. Published January 18, 2018

GOP demands probe of ‘abortion bonds’

Two Republicans in Congress are asking the government's chief watchdog Thursday to investigate how many abortion clinics have tapped taxpayer money in the form of tax-exempt bonds to fund their operations. Published January 18, 2018

Kirstjen Nielsen: Democrats insult Border Patrol with focus on ‘s—-hole’ comment

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Wednesday that the continued focus on President Trump's harsh comments at a meeting last week are doing a disservice to her department's law enforcement personnel. Published January 17, 2018

Republicans, Democrats agree on need for earmark spending

In a Capitol growing ever more fractious, Republicans and Democrats managed to forge bipartisanship Wednesday on one of the few things they can all agree to: returning to the days of pork-barrel, or earmark, spending. Published January 17, 2018

Mitch McConnell: Donald Trump’s approval key to immigration deal

The Senate won't vote on an immigration deal unless it has President Trump's support, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday, effectively dooming the Gang of Six bill even before a bipartisan group of lawmakers officially introduced it. Published January 17, 2018

ICE strikes deal with Florida sheriffs to hold illegal immigrants

More than a dozen Florida sheriffs announced a deal Wednesday that will allow them to hold illegal immigrants wanted by the federal government for deportation, in a key test case for cities and countries eager to cooperate but worried about legal problems associated with helping the Trump administration. Published January 17, 2018

Donald Trump asks Supreme Court to overturn DACA program

The Justice Department said Tuesday it will appeal directly to the Supreme Court to approve President Trump's decision to phase out the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals deportation amnesty, hoping to cut corners and get the justices to quickly overturn a lower court's ruling. Published January 16, 2018