Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Sanctuary officials could get 5 years in prison under ‘Libby Schaaf Act’
Tipping illegal immigrants off to a looming immigration sweep could net sanctuary city leaders jail time, under a new bill announced Monday by Rep. Steve King. Published May 21, 2018
Don Blankenship announces spoiler’s bid in West Virginia Senate race
Don Blankenship, who was defeated in his maverick bid for the Republican nomination to run for Senate in West Virginia, said Monday he'll run as a third party candidate in November, tossing the race in turmoil. Published May 21, 2018
Jeff Sessions ends Obama-era ‘de facto’ court amnesty for illegal immigrants
Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a directive to immigration judges Thursday telling them they can no longer shunt deportation cases off onto permanent wait lists and leave illegal immigrants free to roam the U.S. Published May 17, 2018
Trump doubles down on ‘animals,’ scolds press: ‘You know I’m referring to the MS-13 gangs’
President Trump stood by his description of MS-13 gang members as "animals" and scolded reporters Thursday, saying he was surprised so many of them were twisting his words to apply to all illegal immigrants. Published May 17, 2018
Paul Ryan: Discharge petition ‘would guarantee nothing goes into law’
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Thursday that rebel Republicans' petition drive to force a vote granting citizenship rights to illegal immigrant "Dreamers" can't succeed because the president will not sign the legislation they're pushing. Published May 17, 2018
House Democrats launch petition to restore ‘net neutrality’
House Democrats announced a petition drive Thursday to try to force a vote on restoring the "net neutrality" policy, hoping to give Americans a target for their ire over the Trump administration's efforts to cancel the policy. Published May 17, 2018
Immigrant-rights groups: Trump is ‘racist’ to call MS-13 ‘animals’
After President Trump called some illegal immigrants "animals" in a plea for better enforcement this week, immigrant-rights activists blasted him for using a "racist dog whistle." Published May 17, 2018
Sanctuary battle pits states against own cities, counties
While President Trump still dominates the sanctuary city conversation, the battleground has shifted from feds versus the states to one that pits states against their own cities and counties. Published May 16, 2018
Border police surge arrests 13 illegals, recovers a gun on federal lands
The 22 new police officers the Interior Department added to national parks and wildlife refuges along the U.S.-Mexico border have already arrested 13 illegal immigrants and recovered one gun, the government said Wednesday. Published May 16, 2018
DACA rebellion picks up steam in House
The pro-Dreamer GOP rebellion is now just five votes shy of success after two more Republicans signed onto the petition drive Wednesday seeking to force the House to vote on legal protections for illegal immigrants in the DACA program. Published May 16, 2018
Trump Jr. says he never told his father about Russia meeting
Donald Trump Jr. says he never told his father, then-candidate Donald Trump, about the meeting he took during the campaign with Russian operatives who'd suggested they had dirt on Hillary Clinton, according to documents released by a congressional probe Wednesday. Published May 16, 2018
Gina Haspel, CIA pick, easily clears intel committee
Gina Haspel's nomination as the next CIA director looked assured on Wednesday, triggering questions over what changes she could bring to the CIA's direction and clout with President Trump when she formally replaces Mike Pompeo as director. Published May 16, 2018
Kirstjen Nielsen: Cartels make $500 million a year from smuggling illegals into U.S.
Smuggling cartels are making at least $500 million a year bringing migrants into the U.S., Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told Congress on Tuesday, outlining the scope of the problem for lawmakers as illegal border crossings continue to surge. Published May 15, 2018
Donald Trump’s tweets could derail efforts to end DACA, appeals court says
Federal appeals court judges signaled Tuesday that President Trump's tweets could sink his efforts to end the Obama-era DACA deportation amnesty. Published May 15, 2018
Feds say no discrimination in migrant caravan prosecutions
The Border Patrol targeted the migrant caravan for enforcement but didn't go after them because they were from Central American countries, the Trump administration said in new court filings this week meant to push back against accusations of illegal discriminatory prosecutions. Published May 15, 2018
Senate bill would give DHS power to shoot down ‘threat’ drones
Key senators announced new legislation Tuesday authorizing Homeland Security or the Justice Department to shoot down drones that are deemed to be threatening critical infrastructure, staking out an aggressive posture toward a growing danger. Published May 15, 2018
Mexican woman stole American’s identity to vote in elections: Texas AG
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday he will prosecute a Mexican woman charged with stealing an American citizen's identity and then using it to cast ballots in three presidential election years. Published May 14, 2018
DHS doubles focus on businesses that hire illegal immigrants
Homeland Security has already more than doubled the number of businesses it's scoured this year for breaking immigration hiring laws and nearly quadrupled the number of arrests it's made, officials said Monday. Published May 14, 2018
Donald Trump’s illegal immigrant ‘zero tolerance’ border policy fails
The Trump administration's "zero tolerance" vow to pursue criminal charges against all illegal border crossers is already stumbling, with one judge cutting migrants loose without any bail payment and federal prosecutors telling Border Patrol agents that they are full up and can't bring cases against everyone. Published May 13, 2018
Donald Trump to huddle with Senate GOP next week
President Trump will make the short trip to the Capitol on Tuesday to meet with Senate Republicans, where he's expected to take a victory lap on the ongoing North Korea negotiations and to plot strategy for selling the improving economy to voters. Published May 11, 2018