Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Immigration activists court Luis Gutierrez for presidential bid
Stung by President Obama's on-again, off-again attitude on immigration, one prominent activist is launching a Draft Gutierrez petition designed to convince Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, an Illinois Democrat, to run for president in 2016 as an independent. Published October 7, 2014
Obamacare opens door for inmates to get taxpayer-funded Medicaid: study
Obamacare has made most prison and jail inmates eligible for Medicaid in states that expanded the federal-state health program, according to a new study Monday from the Government Accountability Office — but few inmates are actually getting the kinds of services that can be reimbursed by federal taxpayers. Published October 6, 2014
Disease plagues illegal immigrants; lack of medications, basic hygiene blamed
Communicable diseases continue to be a problem at the New Mexico facility built to house illegal immigrant families surging across the U.S.-Mexico border, and the immigrants themselves aren't taking their own health care very seriously, according to an audit released Monday. Published October 6, 2014
One in five in the U.S. don’t speak English at home, immigration report says
Nearly half of all California school-age children speak a language other than English at home, as do a third of Texans and Nevadans, a report being released Monday by the Center for Immigration Studies found. Published October 6, 2014
Voting rights on docket as Supreme Court term opens; gay marriage, Obamacare fights possible
With the country's voters so evenly split, both Republicans and Democrats are increasingly turning attention to the rules for voting, hoping to gain an edge — and their disputes will make their way to the Supreme Court in the term that begins Monday. Published October 5, 2014
Sen. Thad Cochran’s Democratic opponent signs no-amnesty pledge
Travis Childers, Democrats' Senate candidate in Mississippi, signed the Federation for American Immigration Reform's "No Amnesty" pledge on Thursday, making him the first Democratic Senate candidate to sign this year. Published October 3, 2014
Ebola fears prompt calls for travel restrictions between U.S., West Africa
The first case of Ebola diagnosed within the U.S. is prompting calls for heavy travel restrictions between the U.S. and those West African countries hardest hit by the outbreak — and one advocate is even warning against the possibility of "Ebola tourism" by patients seeking better care here. Published October 2, 2014
Indiana Gov. Pence tops 2016 GOP field on fiscal scorecard
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence was named a "champion tax cutter," in the Cato Institute's new statehouse report card, released Thursday, which puts Mr. Pence at the top of all of the GOP governors mentioned as potential 2016 presidential contenders. Published October 2, 2014
Hispanics promised executive action this year on illegal immigrant deportations
President Obama deployed a top Cabinet secretary Wednesday to assure Hispanic leaders that the White House will take executive action this year to stop deportations for more illegal immigrants, trying to revive Hispanic voters' backing of Democrats ahead of November's elections. Published October 1, 2014
Dubious anniversary for both parties: One year since Obamacare, shutdown
Democrats and Republicans each celebrated dubious anniversaries on Wednesday: For the GOP, it was a year from the day they orchestrated a government shutdown over Obamacare. For Democrats, it was the beginning of the health law's rocky rollout, which sent President Obama's poll numbers tumbling. Published October 1, 2014
Julia Pierson resigns as Secret Service director
Secret Service Director Julia A. Pierson resigned Wednesday amid intense pressure from lawmakers on Capitol Hill who feared the president and his family were being endangered by security lapses — highlighted by an intruder forcing his way into the White House last month. Published October 1, 2014
Boehner to Obama: You should consider firing Secret Service chief
House Speaker John A. Boehner urged President Obama on Wednesday to consider firing U.S. Secret Service Director Julia A. Pierson, and called for a blue ribbon commission Wednesday to investigate the agency after its latest security lapse. Published October 1, 2014
Voters say illegal children should be denied schooling, legal rights
Voters overwhelmingly reject extending legal protections to the new illegal immigrant children who surged across the U.S.-Mexico border this year, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll released Wednesday. Published October 1, 2014
Nancy Pelosi sounds pessimistic note about Dems’ chances to take House
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi seemed less than confident Democrats can retake the House in November's elections, telling reporters on Wednesday that this year is preparation for retaking control of both chambers in 2016. Published October 1, 2014
Nancy Pelosi supports call for Secret Service chief to go
Secret Service Director Julia Pierson House should be ousted from her job, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday, agreeing with the recommendation of the top Democrat on the oversight committee. Published October 1, 2014
Feds to spend $9 million on attorneys for illegal immigrant kids
The Obama administration will pay $9 million over the next two years to give taxpayer-funded attorneys to some of the illegal immigrant children who have surged across the U.S. border this year, the Health and Human Services Department said Tuesday. Published September 30, 2014
Six fence-jumpers breached White House this year; 16 in past five years
Six people have jumped the fence at the White House this year alone, and 16 have jumped the fence over the past five years, Secret Service Director Julia A. Pierson told Congress on Tuesday as she tried to explain how an intruder managed to cross the lawn and get into the president's iconic residence. Published September 30, 2014
Rep. Frank Wolf demands Oklahoma beheading be investigated as terrorism
A top congressman sent a letter Tuesday demanding the Justice Department investigate last week's beheading in Oklahoma as a possible terrorist incident, rather than dismissing it as workplace violence. Published September 30, 2014
Obama could stop 50,000 deportations a year by carving out traffic crimes: report
As many as 50,000 illegal immigrants a year could be allowed to remain in the U.S. if President Obama decides that traffic crimes no longer rise to the level of deportation, according to a report being released Tuesday by the Center for Immigration Studies. Published September 30, 2014
IRS doesn’t do enough to collect on tax debts: audit
The IRS wrote off nearly $7 billion in tax debts in cases where it said it couldn't locate the taxpayer in 2012, but an audit released Monday found that more than half of the time the agency gave up too soon and didn't show it had done everything needed to prove it could never get the money. Published September 29, 2014
