Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
DHS cancels Obama policies, orders agents to expand deportations
Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly officially unleashed federal agents this week to begin arresting and deporting more illegal immigrants, unshackling the handcuffs the Obama administration had imposed and putting millions of people in the country without authorization at risk. Published February 21, 2017
Donald Trump immigration actions could shift thinking of Mexico, illegal immigrants
After years of neglect, immigration enforcement is proving to be a fertile space for action -- and for speculation, as draft reports leak out of Homeland Security, frightening immigrant rights groups and thrilling President Trump's backers who have longed to see this sort of crackdown. Published February 20, 2017
Donald Trump’s tweets give public ‘unfiltered’ look; freewheeling style continues
The first month of the Twitter Presidency has shown President Trump has no inclination to rein in the freewheeling style that got him elected -- while also making him one of the most unpopular candidates ever to reach the White House. Published February 20, 2017
IRS offers extended customer service hours this weekend to get a jump on filings
The IRS is offering extended telephone help desk Saturday and even Monday, a federal holiday, to help taxpayers get a start on their filings. Published February 18, 2017
Border agents searched 23,000 phones, laptops in 2016
The number of electronic device searches conducted by border officers surged some 500 percent in 2016, as the agency said a changing threat environment caused more people to trip their radars. Published February 17, 2017
White House says National Guard won’t be used for immigration roundups
The White House shot down reports Friday that the administration was considering using the National Guard to round up illegal immigrants, saying that is not a part of President Trump's plans. Published February 17, 2017
Daniel Ramirez, Illegal immigrants have constitutional rights under Obama amnesty, lawyer says
Federal agents attempted to alter evidence and fabricate a story about gang ties for a Dreamer the government is trying to deport, the illegal immigrant's lawyers said in court filings Thursday night, escalating a case that's become a major test of President Trump's immigration policies. Published February 16, 2017
Feds say border fence has been cut 9,200 times since 2010
The wrong type of border wall could actually make Border Patrol agents less safe, according to a new report Thursday from the government's chief watchdog, which said walls that block lines of sight can become ambush sites for attackers looking to get the drop on agents. Published February 16, 2017
Donald Trump promises to treat Dreamers with ‘great heart’
President Trump said Thursday he will issue a new executive order on extreme vetting that will tailor his policy to comply with adverse rulings from federal courts, insisting he'll be able to "get just about everything" done that he'd intended with a scaled-down policy. Published February 16, 2017
Daniel Ramirez Medina: Gang tattoo, relationships led to arrest of immigrant Dreamer, police say
The illegal immigrant Dreamer arrested in Washington state last week had an arrest record and had ties to at least two criminal gangs, the Justice Department said in a filing Thursday, raising the stakes in a case that's come to be a major test of President Trump's immigration policies. Published February 16, 2017
Alexander Acosta picked as Donald Trump’s nominee for labor secretary
President Trump on Thursday named former National Labor Relations Board member R. Alexander Acosta as his new nominee for labor secretary, moving quickly to replace the administration's first casualty of the Senate confirmation process. Published February 16, 2017
Mick Mulvaney approved by Senate as White House budget chief
The Senate confirmed Rep. Mick Mulvaney to be the new White House budget director Thursday in yet another tight vote, elevating a committed budget hawk to the center of President Trump's policy-making apparatus. Published February 16, 2017
Cost of wall is less than cost of services for illegals: Report
If President Trump's border wall stopped just 10 percent of new illegal immigrants it would pay for itself by saving American taxpayers from spending money on services for those migrants over their lifetimes, according to a new report from the Center for Immigration Studies. Published February 16, 2017
Immigrant group tells illegals not to sign up for Obama deportation amnesty
A prominent immigrant rights advocacy group said Wednesday that it is telling folks not to sign up anymore for President Obama's 2012 deportation amnesty, saying the risks of turning over information to the Trump administration are simply too great, particularly after recent raids. Published February 15, 2017
Andrew Puzder, Trump’s labor secretary pick, withdraws nomination
Andrew Puzder withdrew from consideration to be labor secretary Wednesday after it became clear that he would struggle to win confirmation amid allegations of wife abuse and employing an illegal immigrant as a maid. Published February 15, 2017
Top Republican says wall can be built with money seized from cartels
Money seized from Mexican drug cartels would be used to build the border wall, under a new bill introduced Wednesday by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., the House Republican who oversees immigration. Published February 15, 2017
Dems demand independent counsel to probe Michael Flynn, Donald Trump
Democrats demanded Wednesday that an independent special counsel be appointed to probe the Trump White House and potential ties to Russia, saying Attorney General Jeff Sessions is too tainted to oversee the investigation. Published February 15, 2017
Law allows Donald Trump to strip visas from countries who won’t take back deported citizens
Even if President Trump can't convince the courts to approve his extreme vetting executive order, he may have another tool at his disposal that would allow him to strip visas from some of the seven countries he's trying to target, crackdown supporters say. Published February 14, 2017
Daniel Ramirez, illegal immigrant Dreamer, arrest sparks protests
Immigration officials said Tuesday they are detaining an illegal immigrant Dreamer because of his gang ties, sparking a new round of protests from immigrant-rights groups who said President Trump is breaking his own promises by trying to deport the young man. Published February 14, 2017
Paul Ryan: Donald Trump right to oust Michael Flynn
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said President Trump made the right move in ousting his national security adviser this week, but said he's not going to prejudge any of the other details about the story. Published February 14, 2017
