Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Donald Trump demands waiver for Gen. James Mattis to serve as Defense secretary
President-elect Donald Trump warned Democrats not to try to use a law prohibiting recently retired military officers from serving as Defense secretary. Republicans in Congress are planning to pass a waiver allowing Gen. James N. "Mad Dog" Mattis to serve notwithstanding the law. Published December 6, 2016
Spending bill: Republicans unveil stopgap legislation to keep government open through April
Republicans announced a stopgap spending bill Tuesday to keep the government open through April 28, which would buy them enough time to give President-Elect Donald Trump a chance to get his administration up and running next year. Published December 6, 2016
John Koskinen, IRS commissioner, spared impeachment by House Republicans
Republican leaders managed to derail impeachment of IRS Commissioner John Koskinen on Tuesday, forcing the debate back to a committee for more study, where it will die when Congress adjourns at the end of this year. Published December 6, 2016
Chairmen tell Obama to release secret refugee agreement with Australia
The Obama administration has written a secret deal that could let Australia ship more than 2,400 refugees waiting to enter its borders over to the U.S. instead, including refugees from terrorist-connected countries such as Somalia and Syria, two top congressmen said Tuesday. Published December 6, 2016
Congress plans stopgap spending bill through April 28
Congress will vote this week on a stopgap bill to keep the government funded through April 28, Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Tuesday, pushing the deadline nearly a month longer than initially planned as GOP leaders predict a crowded schedule at the beginning of next year. Published December 6, 2016
Donald Trump choices for Cabinet lack executive experience to run massive federal agencies
Forget "Team of Rivals." President-elect Donald Trump is instead assembling what critics are calling a team of novices -- government outsiders or politicians who have little executive experience at the helm of the kinds of massive federal agencies they'll be running. Published December 5, 2016
Federal court halts Obamacare appeal, deals setback to president
A federal appeals court halted a key Obamacare case on Monday, agreeing to put off proceedings until after President-elect Trump takes office and figures out how he wants to proceed -- and dealing a blow to President Obama in the meantime. Published December 5, 2016
Illegal immigrants seek asylum, claim fear of home country as ‘magic words’
Nearly one out of every 10 illegal immigrants crossing the southwest border is now demanding asylum, using "magic words" to claim they fear their home country, and turning a program intended to be a humanitarian lifeline into a new path for unauthorized migrants to gain a foothold in the U.S. Published December 4, 2016
Obama administration fails to check immigrants against FBI databases, approves citizenship
Some 175 immigrants were approved for citizenship even though their names weren't properly run through the FBI's name-check databases, potentially missing red flags that may have disqualified them from naturalization, the Obama administration admitted this weekend. Published December 4, 2016
Michael McCaul proposes ‘security toll’ on Mexico to fund Donald Trump border wall
House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul on Friday proposed a new "security toll" he said the U.S. could assess on all visitors from Mexico. Published December 4, 2016
Donald Trump announces 35 percent punishment tax on companies that offshore jobs
Donald Trump vowed to whiplash companies that offshore jobs then try to sell goods back into the U.S. Published December 4, 2016
Feds halt new citizenship approvals after spotting hole in background checks
The government suspended naturalization ceremonies and banned officers from approving any new applications for citizenship earlier this week after realizing its background check system was broken and ineligible people may have been slipping through, a key congressman revealed Friday. Published December 2, 2016
Hispanic voting bloc proved to be not crucial in Trump win
Hispanics, who for more than a decade insisted they were the key to American politics, are now grappling with a life on the outside -- stunned that a Republican managed to capture the White House without winning at least a third of their support. Published December 1, 2016
Illegal immigrant Dreamers get help from senators for full legal status
After the White House ruled out a pardon for illegal immigrant Dreamers, a bipartisan group of senators vowed Thursday to write a bill next year granting them full legal status -- though they will need to persuade a President Trump to back their effort. Published December 1, 2016
Congressional panel recommends charges against fetal tissue organizations
The special committee of Congress looking into the sale of fetal tissue has recommended that prosecutors investigate one Planned Parenthood affiliate and referred a handful of other organizations for criminal or regulatory probes, a panel member revealed Thursday. Published December 1, 2016
Border Patrol complains of administering to needs families and children
Border Patrol agents have been reduced to "professional child care providers" for illegal immigrants, warming burritos and babysitting the families and unaccompanied children who are surging across the border at an increasing rate, the agents' frustrated chief told Congress on Wednesday. Published November 30, 2016
Jeh Johnson gives Michael McCaul vote of confidence on border security
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson gave one of his potential successors a stamp of approval on Wednesday, saying Rep. Michael McCaul is the strongest member of Congress when it comes to border security. Published November 30, 2016
Steve Mnuchin picked by Donald Trump to head Treasury Department
Donald Trump will nominate Steve Mnuchin, who has ties to both Wall Street and Hollywood, to be treasury secretary, according to a report Tuesday. Published November 29, 2016
Congress to boost troop levels, duck gay-rights fight in final defense bill
Congress agreed to boost the active-duty strength of the military and maintained a ban on shipping terrorism suspects from Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. in the annual defense policy bill, negotiators said Tuesday. Published November 29, 2016
White House says Obama won’t pardon illegals
The White House's top immigration staffer said President Obama won't pardon illegal immigrants before the end of his term, dashing hopes of activists who had pleaded for Mr. Obama to use his powers to shield hundreds of thousands of Dreamers from deportation. Published November 29, 2016
