Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Republicans tee up fast votes on Laken Riley Act to deport illegal immigrants who steal, shoplift
Congressional Republicans are speeding their first immigration crackdown bill through Congress with an initial vote scheduled later this week on the Laken Riley Act, which would pressure Homeland Security to detain and deport illegal immigrants who shoplift or steal. Published January 7, 2025
Merrick Garland defends aggressiveness of Jan. 6 prosecutions ahead of Trump’s promised pardons
Attorney General Merrick Garland praised the FBI and his Justice Department prosecutors on Monday as heroes for their zealous pursuit of those who stormed the Capitol four years ago, and said the cases they are building against the participants are a defense of democracy. Published January 6, 2025
How the House GOP upended Democrats’ Jan. 6 narrative
Four years after the day of the fateful attack on the U.S. Capitol -- and two years after congressional Democrats' investigation laid blame largely at Donald Trump's feet -- that narrative has been severely altered thanks to a two-year GOP probe that has rewritten the script. Published January 5, 2025
Sanctuary cities pledge showdown with Trump; defiance stronger than in first term
In President-elect Donald Trump's first term, Democrat-led sanctuary cities refused to help with deportations. This time around, they're pondering a more active resistance. Published January 2, 2025
The politics of creating — or killing — a government website
If the government can't even cut its digital footprint, how can it be expected to cut something important -- like the budget? Published January 1, 2025
For Uncle Sam, Buy American mandate comes with a cost — $130,000 per job
Among the few things Democrats and Republicans in Washington agree on is the need to buy American with taxpayers' dollars. But that consensus does not extend among economists, who say there are real costs to the idea. Published January 1, 2025
Drug cartels now Mexico’s 5th-largest employer
Some 175,000 people now actively work for Mexico's smuggling cartels, according to a shocking new estimate that would make them the country's fifth-largest private employer. Published December 31, 2024
Fraudsters go free unless Congress acts; expiration nears for pursuing ill-gotten pandemic relief
The coronavirus pandemic began five years ago -- which means the first round of fraudsters is about to get away with their crimes. Published December 30, 2024
Biden administration says it’s done selling off border wall materials — for now
The Biden administration told a federal judge Friday that it's done selling off border wall materials for now and won't get rid of anything else until President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Published December 27, 2024
America’s new IT consultant: Musk slams outdated tech plaguing federal government
The IRS receives 375,000 pieces of mail a day during its busy filing season, so when the letter-opening machines in the agency's Kansas City facility got too old to use, it was a big deal. Published December 25, 2024
Google lets you review members of Congress, and the appraisals are brutal
Take the average American voter, combine that with an Amazon product review-style forum where five stars max means the best, and you get Google's reviews of the members of Congress. Some are useful, some are rants, and some are pretty funny. Published December 24, 2024
Trump resisters urged to stay in government — if they can stomach it
Anti-Trump federal government lawyers are being begged to "ride it out" in the new administration, with activists encouraging them to act as a bulwark against the incoming president's policies and actions. Published December 23, 2024
Trump asks court to stop sell-off of materials needed for wall construction
The battle over the border wall is heating up as the Biden administration sells off materials, seemingly defying the plans of President-elect Donald Trump, who has asked a federal court for an "immediate stop" to the sales to ensure he can restart building the wall next year. Published December 22, 2024
Immigrant student at George Mason University charged with plotting mass attack
An Egyptian man who was a student at George Mason University has been accused of plotting a terror attack against Israel's consulate at the U.N. in New York. Published December 20, 2024
Fed workers secretly cheering for shutdown, hoping for extra vacation
Some federal workers are "secretly hoping" for a government shutdown in the coming weeks, figuring it will earn them extra time off. Published December 20, 2024
7.6 million known illegal immigrants at large in U.S.; number doubled under Biden
Homeland Security is supposed to be tracking more than 7.6 million illegal immigrants who have been caught and released into the country over the years, according to the latest numbers that show a department struggling to monitor them all, much less make new arrests inside the country. Published December 20, 2024
‘Just tell the truth’: Nation’s sheriffs blast Biden over drone ‘stonewalling’
The National Sheriffs' Association spanked the Biden administration Thursday for a lack of candor about the drones spotted in New Jersey and surrounding states, saying federal officials have been giving local cops a stiff-arm. Published December 19, 2024
As Biden exits, the border is finally coming under control
President Biden has finally managed to get the southern border back to the low levels of illegal immigration he inherited from President Obama, according to the latest data that shows fewer than 100,000 migrants nabbed at the U.S.-Mexico boundary in November. Published December 19, 2024
Moderate drinking actually lowers risk of death, major National Academies study finds
The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine just scrambled millions of Americans' New Year's resolutions with its latest report this week, finding that those who consume a moderate amount of alcohol actually do better on a host of health indicators. Published December 19, 2024
American men drop out of economy as immigrants claim jobs: Study
Americans clamoring for more immigrants to fill out the workforce are ignoring a labor source already here -- men who have given up on the economy, according to a new study. Published December 19, 2024