Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Obama uses Thanksgiving address to scold Americans over Syrian refugees
Dubbing the Pilgrims the country's first refugees, President Obama used his weekly radio address Thursday to chide his fellow Americans for their reluctance to accept Syrian refugees and to insist that the U.S. has a duty to accept them and other immigrants. Published November 26, 2015
Google deems Bernie Sanders’ economic plan a ‘phishing scam’
Democratic presidential hopeful Bernard Sanders' economic plan triggered Gmail's "phishing scam" antenna, with the mail system saying the senator's liberal campaign promises -- including lower prescription drug prices and free college for all -- sound like frauds. Published November 25, 2015
Obama administration released illegal immigrant children to criminals’ homes
The Obama administration released thousands of illegal immigrant children to sponsors with criminal records, including arrests on charges of child molestation, human trafficking and homicide, a top senator charged Tuesday. Published November 24, 2015
IRS audits target wealthy taxpayers as agency seeks best return on investment
Tea party targeting may be out, but wealth targeting is still very much in vogue at the IRS, where auditors target the wealthy and those with high incomes at much higher rates than other taxpayers. Published November 23, 2015
Illegal immigrant children, non-Mexicans surge across U.S. Southwest border at record rate
The Southwest border has broken open in recent weeks, with non-Mexicans -- and illegal immigrant children in particular -- crossing at a record rate in October, according to Border Patrol statistics that suggest the administration's victory lap earlier this year was premature. Published November 22, 2015
Obama administration asks Supreme Court to approve executive amnesty
The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to reinstate President Obama's deportation amnesty Friday, filing papers appealing a federal appeals court's decision blocking the amnesty exactly a year after the program was first announced. Published November 20, 2015
Obama actions shield most illegal immigrants from deportation even as court stalls amnesty
President Obama's marquee deportation amnesty has been stalled by the courts, but the rest of his executive actions on immigration, announced exactly a year ago, are moving forward -- including his move protecting more than 80 percent of illegal immigrants from any danger of deportation. Published November 19, 2015
House defies Obama, votes to ‘pause’ Syrian refugees
Distrust with President Obama's approach to terrorism boiled over Thursday as a bipartisan House voted overwhelmingly to "pause" his plans to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in the U.S. this year. Published November 19, 2015
Obama’s Syria refugee push at odds with security-first stance on Bush Dubai Ports deal
President Obama's rising indignation at opponents of his open-door Syrian refugee policy is all the more striking because a decade ago he was one of those opponents, chastising then-President George W. Bush for trying to speed through a deal to transfer operations of major U.S. ports to a company from a predominantly Muslim country. Published November 18, 2015
Obama admin vows to veto Syrian refugee bill
The White House vowed Wednesday to veto the bill to pause Syrian refugees, saying that stiff requirements that the FBI and Homeland Security certify each refugee are "untenable." Published November 18, 2015
Honduras stops Syrians with fake passports headed for U.S.: report
Police in Honduras have detained five Syrians they said were trying to reach the U.S. using stolen Greek passports, Reuters reported Wednesday in another development likely to hurt President Obama's efforts to welcome Syrian refugees. Published November 18, 2015
Chicago council votes to welcome Syrian refugees
Chicago's city council voted Wednesday to welcome Syrian refugees to their city, passing a resolution that, while nonbinding, is meant to push back against the growing number of governors who have said they'll try to refuse resettlement. Published November 18, 2015
House introduces bill to ‘pause’ Syrian refugees
Homeland Security, the FBI and the intelligence community would have to sign off on every Syrian refugee President Obama wants to bring to the U.S. under a bill House Republicans introduced Wednesday and are speeding toward a vote later this week. Published November 18, 2015
Obama stands firm on Syrian refugee plan amid rising opposition
Administration officials and charities that aid refugees fought a feverish rearguard action Tuesday to defend President Obama's plans to bring 10,000 Syrian refugees to the U.S. this year, but with opposition building, Republicans and even a key Democrat said it may be time for the White House to hit "pause." Published November 17, 2015
Republicans say phone snooping might undermine Islamic State
A Republican senator launched a last-ditch effort to save the NSA's phone-snooping program Tuesday, introducing legislation that would force the Obama administration to keep collecting and storing Americans' phone data until the government can prove its replacement program is as effective. Published November 17, 2015
House Republicans plan bill to ‘pause’ Obama’s Syrian refugee resettlement plans
House Republicans are rushing to try to vote this week on a bill that would halt President Obama's Syrian refugee resettlement plans, with the emerging proposal calling for the Homeland Security, FBI and national intelligence chiefs to have to sign off on each refugee. Published November 17, 2015
Larry Hogan, Chris Christie join calls to stop refugees in Md., N.J.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan joined the chorus of governors asking President Obama to stop sending Syrian refugees to his state, saying Tuesday that the security situation is too tenuous. Published November 17, 2015
Refugees headed to 180 towns, but avoid D.C. and other expensive cities
As President Obama presses communities to accept Syrian refugees, his current hometown of Washington, D.C., is likely to be spared much of the trouble. Published November 17, 2015
Congress approves Space Act, paves way for private companies to own resources mined from asteroids
The stuff of science fiction is about to be U.S. law after Congress approved the Space Act on Monday, paving the way for private companies to own any natural resources they manage to mine from asteroids. Published November 16, 2015
Governors reject Syrian refugees; Obama officials defend 10,000 target
President Obama called them un-American, but opponents rallied Monday to resist his plans to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in the U.S. this year and enlisted the help of some two dozen governors -- Democrats and Republicans -- who signaled that they would try to resist having refugees sent to their states. Published November 16, 2015