Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Judge cites Shakespeare as she rules Trump’s attack on liberal law firms is illegal
Quoting Shakespeare's "kill all the lawyers" line, a federal judge ruled that President Trump strayed well beyond the bounds of propriety when he sought to punish a Democrat-connected law firm for working against him. Published May 2, 2025
Supreme Court asked to lift block on DOGE access to Social Security data
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court Friday to put a hold on a lower court order that is blocking Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from gaining access to Social Security records. Published May 2, 2025
Florida proposes state-run deportation flights for illegal immigrants
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis released a blueprint for immigration enforcement Friday that proposes having the state deputize National Guard lawyers to serve as immigration judges and to orchestrate its own deportation flights to oust migrants. Published May 2, 2025
Justice Department files second anti-sanctuary lawsuit against Illinois
The Trump administration filed a new immigration lawsuit Thursday against Illinois, arguing the state illegally discourages businesses from signing up for E-Verify, the federal system that can weed illegal immigrants out of the workforce. Published May 1, 2025
Trump appeals to Supreme Court to shut down deportation amnesty for Venezuelan immigrants
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to step in and allow Homeland Security to shut down a Biden-era deportation amnesty that's protecting hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans from deportation, saying lower courts have trampled on President Trump's powers. Published May 1, 2025
Feds begin charging illegal immigrants with trespassing on military land
The Justice Department is bringing a new tool to the border fight, charging the first set of migrants with entering a restricted military zone in southern New Mexico. Published May 1, 2025
Judge rules Trump can’t use Alien Enemies Act to deport Tren de Aragua gang members
The Alien Enemies Act can't be used to detain and deport Venezuelan gang members, a federal judge ruled Thursday, a significant blow to President Trump's claims of expansive deportation powers. Published May 1, 2025
How Mexico’s stolen oil is fueling smuggling cartels
Having sapped Mexican cartels' income from migrant smuggling, the Trump administration moved Thursday to go after another source of income: fuel theft. Published May 1, 2025
State Department employee stole $650,000 by writing checks to herself
A State Department employee managed to steal more than $650,000 over two years by using her access to a government checkbook account to write herself 60 checks. Published May 1, 2025
Hunter Biden drops lawsuit against IRS
Hunter Biden on Wednesday canceled a lawsuit that had accused the IRS of illegally trying to "embarrass" him by sharing his private tax information with the public. Published April 30, 2025
Another domestic abuse case surfaces for MS-13 suspect who Democrats want to un-deport
Homeland Security said Wednesday that it discovered Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the MS-13 gang suspect at the center of a political and legal battle, had a second domestic violence allegation lodged against him when he was living in the U.S. illegally. Published April 30, 2025
WATCH: Fate of nation’s first religious charter school rests with Supreme Court
Supreme Court justices struggled Wednesday to decide whether Oklahoma can open the nation's first religious charter school in a case that goes to the heart of whether charters are public or private institutions. Published April 30, 2025
HHS quits paying for kids’ ‘gender-affirming care’ that was promoted under Biden administration
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday said his department has "ended funding for gender mutilation surgeries and other kind of gender dysphoria practices." Published April 30, 2025
Judge sets free Palestinian student Trump is trying to deport
A federal judge ordered the release Wednesday of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student the Trump administration has been trying to deport for pro-Palestine activism, saying the government appeared to be trying to silence him. Published April 30, 2025
Feds charge Ukrainian mother and daughter with illegal voting
Federal authorities brought charges this week against a Ukrainian mother and daughter they say cast illegal ballots in Florida in last year's presidential election. Published April 30, 2025
Judge accused of helping man evade ICE suspended by Wisconsin Supreme Court
The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily relieved Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan of her duties after she was arrested for trying to prevent law enforcement from arresting an illegal immigrant in her courtroom. Published April 29, 2025
House GOP votes to stop Democrats’ Signal chat inquiry and other anti-Trump probes
Republicans rallied around President Trump and his team Tuesday by voting to halt Democratic attempts to release potentially embarrassing information about Elon Musk and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Published April 29, 2025
Modest deportations: Trump’s ICE booting 650 people per day
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested about 65,000 people over the first 100 days of the new administration, marking a major increase over the Biden years but far from the mass deportations that President Trump promised. Published April 29, 2025
Iraqi man charged with illegal voting in U.S. election
Federal prosecutors have filed a charge against an Iraqi citizen, accusing him of illegally voting in the 2020 election. Published April 29, 2025
Border shutdown tops list of Trump’s successes at 100 days
As he hits the 100-day mark, President Trump has answered the biggest question on immigration: You can shut down the border through sheer willpower. Published April 28, 2025
