Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Immigration activists disillusioned with Obama, Democrats as amnesty afterglow fades
The heady sense of victory immigrant rights activists had last year after President Obama announced his deportation amnesty has faded in recent weeks as the advocates sense they've lost ground among the very Democratic leaders they were counting on to deliver at the national and state levels. Published March 30, 2015
Hillary Clinton email release delayed as lawyers sort through them
The Obama administration told a federal court Monday that it needs "several months" more to go through former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's government emails, saying it's proving time-consuming to sort out exactly what information they can release to the public, Published March 30, 2015
Harry Reid calls whistleblowers ‘a bunch of whiners’
An inspector general called them courageous, but Sen. Harry Reid said Friday that the government whistleblowers who accused him of using political pressure to try to win special treatment for a Las Vegas casino were "a bunch of whiners." Published March 29, 2015
Immigration agency says original amnesty still approving Dreamers’ applications
The administration encouraged Dreamers Friday to keep signing up for President Obama's amnesty, saying the original "deferred action" program he announced in 2012 remains in effect even though the expanded version from late last year has been halted by a federal court. Published March 27, 2015
Hillary Clinton wiped email server clean, refuses to turn it over
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has refused to turn her email server over to an independent third party and claims she has wiped the server clean, dealing a setback to the special investigative committee looking into the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack, the probe said late Friday. Published March 27, 2015
Charles Schumer declares bid to replace Harry Reid
Sen. Charles E. Schumer said Friday afternoon he already has support of "so many of my colleagues" in his bid to become the next Senate Democratic leader, moving quickly to secure the position just hours after current Minority Leader Harry Reid announced he would retire at the end of this Congress. Published March 27, 2015
Catholic bishops demand Obama release illegal immigrant families
Catholic and Lutheran bishops on Friday urged the federal government to release illegal immigrant families who have been detained awaiting deportation, saying it is "shameful" for the federal government to keep them in detention. Published March 27, 2015
Harry Reid to retire, will not be seeking re-election; he served for 5 terms
Sen. Harry Reid announced Friday morning he will retire at the end of this Congress, ending a tremendously influential career that has reshaped the Senate he served for five terms. Published March 27, 2015
Senate demands faster deportations for illegal immigrant children
The Senate approved non-binding language as part of its budget late Thursday calling for the law to be changed to speed deportations of illegal immigrant children from Central America — but fell just short of the 60 votes that would be needed to force a bill into law later. Published March 26, 2015
Senate Republicans defend balanced budget; Democrats see fodder
Republicans defended their balanced budget and Democrats walked away with dozens of votes they think can be used against the GOP in upcoming elections as the Senate passed a blueprint Friday morning to govern spending and provide a path for repealing Obamacare. Published March 26, 2015
Jeh Johnson: Court should have known part of amnesty was in effect
A federal judge should have known Homeland Security was carrying out at least part of President Obama's new deportation amnesty beginning last year, department Secretary Jeh Johnson told Congress on Thursday as the administration continued to struggle with what's become a thorny legal issue. Published March 26, 2015
Jeh Johnson, DHS secretary, says Alejandro Mayorkas will keep his job
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Thursday that he won't fire his deputy for showing favoritism to high-profile Democrats in key immigration cases, insisting that the problem lay not with Alejandro Mayorkas but rather with a broken visa program. Published March 26, 2015
Latinos say deportation a top concern
More than a third of Hispanics in the U.S. say they personally know someone who's been put through deportation proceedings here, underscoring the personal nature of the immigration debate for one of the fastest-growing voter demographics. Published March 25, 2015
Chris Christie attacks Obama over deportation amnesty
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has been difficult to pin down on immigration, finally took a firm stand this week against President Obama’s deportation amnesty, filing court papers arguing the president’s action was illegal. Published March 25, 2015
Congress subpoenas EPA chief’s cellphone records
Sensing a cover-up, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology issued a subpoena Wednesday demanding the EPA chief turn over her cellphone records and emails so investigators can try to figure out if she hid or deleted text messages in what one critic called a "cyberbonfire." Published March 25, 2015
Obama budget defeated 98-1 in Senate vote
President Obama's budget suffered its latest ignominious defeat when the Senate rejected it on a 98-1 vote Tuesday evening, capping off the first votes of the budget season. Published March 24, 2015
Alejandro Mayorkas shows ‘favoritism’ to wealthy, Dem-connected immigrants: report
A top Obama administration official caved to political pressure to approve immigration applications from well-connected wealthy foreigners, ignoring warnings from career officers who said the investor visas should be denied, an inspector general concluded in a report Tuesday. Published March 24, 2015
Obama lawyers fight to stop ‘Redskins’ trademark
The Washington Redskins' name is commercial speech and isn't the kind of free expression protected by the First Amendment, the Obama administration told a federal court this week in defending a ruling that has stripped the football team of trademark protections. Published March 24, 2015
Obama scrambles to limit Hillary Clinton email scandal damage
Hillary Rodham Clinton's email practices are now becoming a legal headache for the Obama administration, which for the first time has admitted to a court that the former secretary of state withheld her emails. Published March 23, 2015
Hispanics demand more Latinos on Sunday political talk shows
Hispanic groups are accusing the major broadcast networks of discrimination in the Sunday political talk shows, arguing in a letter Monday that the programs don't include enough Latino guests nor give enough attention to Hispanics' issues. Published March 23, 2015