Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Obama illegal immigration prevention spending in Central America backfires, entices migrants
Confusing and lenient U.S. policies pushed illegal immigrants to cross the border, and watchdogs say President Obama's 2012 deportation amnesty for so-called Dreamers did entice some of the surge. Published July 29, 2015
Judge threatens to hold Obama’s lawyers in contempt over Lerner’s IRS emails
A federal judge Wednesday rebuked the Obama administration's IRS for refusing to divulge documents, including Lois G. Lerner's emails, and warned that he would hold in contempt those who break his orders. Published July 29, 2015
Lois Lerner’s lost IRS email shows agency tried to block congressional scrutiny: watchdog
The IRS sent one of its intrusive scrutiny letters to a nonprofit group in order to throw up a smokescreen and prevent the group from complaining to Congress about poor treatment, according to one of Lois G. Lerner's apparently lost emails, which were recovered by auditors and released by an interest group Tuesday. Published July 28, 2015
Hispanic rights groups protest fed plan to revoke amnesties
Hispanic rights advocates are protesting the government's plans to revoke amnesties for potentially hundreds of illegal immigrants who refuse to return their erroneous three-year work permits, saying that the illegal immigrants shouldn't be punished for the Obama administration's mistake. Published July 26, 2015
Judge rules illegal immigrant parents with children should be released
A federal judge's ruling presaging the release of the largest number of illegal immigrant mothers and children from U.S. detention centers has erased the last get-tough immigration policy of the Obama administration, leaving the law even more of a mess and authorities with even fewer tools to try to deter another surge of border crossers. Published July 25, 2015
Banks can challenge legality of Dodd-Frank consumer protection board
A bank can challenge the constitutionality of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau now, and doesn't have to wait until the CFPB issues rules that punish the bank, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. Published July 24, 2015
House passes bill to punish sanctuary cities in wake of Steinle killing
The House voted Thursday to punish sanctuary cities that shield illegal immigrants from deportation, moving swiftly to crack down on San Francisco after 32-year-old Kathryn Steinle's killing this month elevated the issue to the forefront of the immigration debate. Published July 23, 2015
Obama shields 9M illegals from deportation
President Obama's executive actions on immigration shield more than 80 percent of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country from any danger of being deported, a top immigration think tank reported Thursday. Published July 23, 2015
Congress headed for potential shutdown as GOP admits spending bills stalled
Congress won't get its spending bills done in time for the new fiscal year, House Speaker John A. Boehner said Thursday, saying they'll need to pass a short-term stopgap to prevent a government shutdown. Published July 23, 2015
Feds leave illegal immigrant children in lurch: Report
The federal government doesn't follow up with the vast majority of the illegal immigrant Central American children it caught at the border and released into communities over the last two years, leaving them to uncertain care and potential abuse in their new homes, according to a new report Thursday from the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Published July 23, 2015
White House defends sanctuary cities, threatens to veto crackdown bill
The White House vowed Thursday to veto a bill to punish sanctuary cities, instead calling on Congress to legalize illegal immigrants as the way to solve the problem of criminals who shouldn't be on the streets. Published July 23, 2015
IRS risks ‘unfair’ audits of nonprofits: Watchdog
The IRS's process for picking which nonprofits it audits is so loose that it could be abused, with the potential for political targeting, the government's chief watchdog said Thursday. Published July 23, 2015
San Francisco moves to cancel sanctuary policy
San Francisco moved this week to try to cancel its sanctuary policy that protected an illegal immigrant murder suspect, but Congress pressed ahead nonetheless with legislation aimed at punishing the California city and any others who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Published July 22, 2015
John Kerry’s chief of staff compelled to testify on Benghazi
Secretary of State John Kerry's right-hand man has been called to Congress to testify about the slow pace of information being released to the congressional committee probing the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack, the probe's chairman announced Wednesday. Published July 22, 2015
Advocate: Sanctuary crackdown won’t go far enough
Congress is rushing to write a new law punishing sanctuary cities who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, but the father of a man killed by an immigrant said Wednesday he doubts it will go far enough to save enough lives. Published July 22, 2015
Pelosi blames feds for sanctuary city killing
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi put the blame for the release of an illegal immigrant implicated in the July 1 murder of Kathryn Steinle on federal agencies and bad communication Wednesday, rather than on San Francisco's sanctuary policy. Published July 22, 2015
Obama defends IRS, says tea party targeting didn’t happen
President Obama defended the IRS Tuesday in an interview with "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, saying the tea party targeting scandal was actually Congress's fault for passing "a crummy law" and that the real problem is the agency doesn't have enough money. Published July 21, 2015
Mother of son killed by illegal immigrant thanks Donald Trump: ‘I felt heard’
Laura Wilkerson, mother of a young man killed by an illegal immigrant, on Tuesday thanked Donald Trump for giving voice to Americans' outrage over lax enforcement policies, saying he's brought attention to something that's been percolating for years. Published July 21, 2015
Illegal immigrant victim’s mother: ‘We are at war right here in this country’
Choking back tears, parents whose children were slain by illegal immigrants said Tuesday the federal government and so-called sanctuary cities both share blame for their children's deaths, and pleaded with Congress for an all-out effort to secure the border and deport those who already snuck in. Published July 21, 2015
114th Congress breaking gridlock, The Washington Times Legislative Futility Index shows
The 114th Congress is off to the fastest start since the first year of President Obama's tenure, according to The Washington Times Legislative Futility Index, a measure of floor action that shows the House leading the way in getting more done. Published July 20, 2015
