Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Second judge issues halt to revised travel ban, rules on ‘extreme vetting’
A federal judge in Maryland added a new legal blockade to President Trump's travel ban early Wednesday, ruling that the White House's third attempt at "extreme vetting" is still poisoned by the president's campaign-season "religious animus" toward Muslims. Published October 18, 2017
Judge William Alsup says Trump sending conflicting signals on Dreamers
The Trump administration can't even agree on which agency was responsible for officially ending the Obama-era deportation amnesty for Dreamers, a federal judge ruled Tuesday, as he ordered the government to disclose more documents about how the decision was reached. Published October 17, 2017
Trump urges Americans to use ‘Merry Christmas’ at holidays
President Trump on Tuesday said he wants Americans to be comfortable wishing each other "Merry Christmas" during the December holiday, setting a standard for yet another hot-button issue. Published October 17, 2017
Sharafat Ali Khan sentenced in ‘terrorism’ illegal immigrant smuggling plot
A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced the mastermind of a smuggling ring who brought dozens of illegal immigrants from terrorist hot-spots into the U.S. to 31 months in prison, rejecting the man's pleas for leniency and saying he could have ended up getting Americans killed. Published October 17, 2017
Judge blocks Trump’s travel ban for third time
A federal judge blocked a large part of President Trump's revised travel ban Tuesday, just hours before it was to take effect, saying the White House's latest attempt to impose extreme vetting on travelers from dangerous countries is just as illegal as the last two versions. Published October 17, 2017
Jeff Flake demands database for tax-loophole transparency
The government has gotten better about transparency in spending, with a fairly comprehensive online database detailing most contracts, grants and loans. Published October 17, 2017
Hillary Clinton’s lawyers defended by state of Maryland amid ethics probe
Maryland officials appear to have begun to circle the wagons in defending Hillary Clinton's lawyers, according to the lawyer trying to get them punished by the state bar. Published October 16, 2017
Judge promises ruling on latest Trump travel ban
A federal judge who'd ruled President Trump's previous travel ban illegal seemed more sympathetic to the latest version in a hearing Monday, casting doubt on whether the president's opponents can continue to use his campaign rhetoric about Muslims to besmirch everything he does at this point. Published October 16, 2017
Illegal immigrants get 2 million work permits in 2017
The government will dole out nearly 2 million work permits this year to immigrants who for the most part came to the country illegally or have some other tentative status, but who have been granted a foothold in the U.S. thanks to a loose immigration policy, according to statistics released last week. Published October 15, 2017
2 Dreamers caught smuggling immigrants into Texas
Two young illegal immigrant "Dreamers" in the U.S. under protection of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals deportation amnesty were caught smuggling illegal immigrants in separate incidents in Texas, authorities announced last week. Published October 15, 2017
Social Security recipients to see 2 percent cost-of-living increase
Social Security beneficiaries will receive a 2 percent cost-of-living payment increase next year, the agency announced Friday. Published October 13, 2017
White House to end Obamacare subsidies to health insurance companies
The White House announced late Thursday that the administration has concluded it can no longer legally make critical Obamacare "cost-sharing" payments, dealing another blow to the struggling 2010 health law. Published October 12, 2017
Two ‘Dreamers’ caught smuggling illegal immigrants into U.S.
Two young illegal immigrant "Dreamers" in the U.S. under protection of the Obama-era DACA deportation amnesty were caught smuggling illegal immigrants in separate incidents in Texas, authorities announced Thursday. Published October 12, 2017
Citizenship application backlog overwhelms agency
First it was the Obama administration, and now Trump administration officials are struggling with a massive influx of people applying for citizenship, overwhelming the agency that approves the applications and sending wait times soaring. Published October 12, 2017
House approves $36.5 billion in disaster relief
The House overcame a conservative rebellion Thursday to pass a new round of disaster relief, saying the $36.5 billion is needed to replenish funds that are quickly depleting in the wake of one of the worst hurricane seasons in recent history. Published October 12, 2017
Donald Trump says DHS pick won’t need ‘on-the-job training’
President Trump introduced his new Homeland Security secretary nominee Thursday, saying former Bush administration official and current deputy White House Chief of Staff Kirstjen Nielsen is the right person to carry out his campaign promises. Published October 12, 2017
San Juan mayor accuses Trump of ‘genocide’ after hurricane
The House overcame a conservative rebellion Thursday to pass a new round of disaster relief, saying the $36.5 billion is needed to replenish funds that are quickly depleting in the wake of hurricanes that have battered Texas, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Published October 12, 2017
Bipartisan think tank proposes Dreamer framework; dismisses Trump priorities
The Bipartisan Policy Center released a framework Thursday it said could cut through the immigration clutter and provide the outlines of an agreement to legalize illegal immigrant "Dreamers," while also making some updates to border security. Published October 12, 2017
Immigrant smuggling operation broken up along U.S.-Canada border
Federal agents broke up an immigrant smuggling operation on the U.S.-Canada border in Vermont this week, exposing what appears to be a growing option for illegal immigrants desperate to get into the U.S. but worried about getting caught by stiffer security along the southwestern border. Published October 11, 2017
D.C. gun laws defended, likely to tighten
D.C. officials said Wednesday that they are looking at ways to expand the city's strict gun laws, hoping to recapture some of the ground lost after a federal appeals court struck down the city's restrictions on issuing concealed-carry permits. Published October 11, 2017
