Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Biden administration on track for $1 trillion in improper payments
The federal government blows nearly half a million dollars every minute of every day on erroneous payments, according to a new report that hopes to shock Washington to clean up its act. Published September 26, 2024
Sen. Lindsey Graham announces bill to end birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants
Citing the surge in illegal immigrants who've come into the U.S. over the last few years, Sen. Lindsey Graham on Wednesday announced new legislation to prevent children born to them from becoming automatic citizens. Published September 25, 2024
Michael Hart pleads guilty in first-ever greenhouse gas smuggling case: ‘Clean air not for sale’
A California man pleaded guilty this week to smuggling greenhouse gases into the U.S. in a first-of-its-kind prosecution under federal law. Published September 25, 2024
U.S. taxpayers funded Chinese labs that carried out grisly experiments on beagle puppies
The federal government has been paying Chinese labs that carry out animal testing including experiments that involved severing beagle puppies' spines to study how they would react to such a horrific injury. Published September 25, 2024
‘There’s IDs everywhere’: How illegal immigrants erase their identities at the border
Passports, identity cards and other documents are strewn on the ground at the U.S.-Mexico border, cast aside by illegal immigrants who are erasing their old lives as they slip across the boundary. Published September 24, 2024
Blinken ducks subpoena on Afghanistan bungles, House begins contempt proceedings
Secretary of State Antony Blinken defied a subpoena Tuesday demanding he appear before Congress to talk about the failures of the 2021 Afghanistan troop withdrawal. Republicans said they will move to hold him in contempt. Published September 24, 2024
FBI agent Nicholas Williams admits stealing silver during raid on Jan. 6 defendant Alexander Fan
An FBI agent has pleaded guilty to stealing from targets during raids and arrests, including from a man who was part of the mob that invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Published September 24, 2024
Child smuggler admits to using gummies to knock out kids at border
Federal prosecutors announced a guilty plea Monday for a woman who smuggled illegal immigrant children into the U.S. without their parents, and in at least one case used melatonin "gummies" to knock the kid out to sneak her in. Published September 23, 2024
IRS allowed contractors to keep access to tax files after jobs ended
The IRS repeatedly allowed contractors to keep their active access to the tax agency's systems and buildings after their projects ended, an inspector general reported Monday. Published September 23, 2024
Reported crime rate fell in 2023, FBI says
The rate of reported crimes dipped in 2023, the FBI said Monday, with a 3% drop in the number of violent crimes reported to police and a 2.4% drop in property crimes. Published September 23, 2024
Harris puts up First Amendment fight but loses first round in court
Kamala Harris as California attorney general went after donor lists of nonprofit groups, and the Supreme Court slapped her down. Published September 23, 2024
America’s allies and enemies pick Harris as world weighs in on U.S. election
The revelation that Iran tried to leak Trump campaign materials to the Biden campaign has left little doubt who the Islamic Republic wants to see win -- or, more to the point, lose -- America's looming presidential election. Published September 22, 2024
Older Americans emerge as top fraud targets as scammers go high-tech
Older Americans are at the spear tip of what experts describe as a "tsunami of fraud," most of it run by scammers operating abroad, often with the backing of organized crime syndicates and sometimes with the backing of adversarial nations. Published September 19, 2024
Migrant gang war: Border expert says Mexican Mafia ‘green-lighted’ killing of Tren de Aragua members
Worried by the growing power and recklessness of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, the Mexican Mafia has "green-lighted" killings of TdA members, according to a homeland security expert who tracks cartel behavior. Published September 18, 2024
Illegal immigrants in Texas struggle to get abortions, ACLU says
Immigrants who live illegally in southern Texas -- and even some legal residents -- are struggling to obtain abortions, the American Civil Liberties Union said in a new report Wednesday. Published September 18, 2024
Federal buildings deemed dangerous for child care; audit suggests closing, moving sites
The federal government is delaying basic security improvements to its buildings that house day care centers, according to an inspector general's audit, which found 80 of the 93 facilities still have "significant security vulnerabilities." Published September 17, 2024
Illegal immigration ticks down after Biden paused fraud-filled ‘parole’ program
Homeland Security on Monday reported its best border numbers since just after President Biden took office after being forced to limit a fraud-filled "parole" program that had been admitting as many as 30,000 people a month. Published September 16, 2024
Trump assassination attempt exposes Secret Service gaps, raises calls for more protection
A gunman wouldn't have been able to get so close if it were President Biden on the golf course this weekend instead of former President Donald Trump. A second assassination attempt against Mr. Trump is raising more questions about the resources allocated to security for the former president and current presidential candidate, with much of the focus on why the Secret Service hasn't done more. Published September 16, 2024
Cuban regime members go free in U.S. under Biden’s ‘parole’
The Biden administration has allowed relatives of Cuba's prime minister, senior political figures -- and even a former military colonel who helped to shoot down humanitarian airplanes -- to enter the U.S. under its special "parole" program, according to the Cuban-American community. Published September 16, 2024
Whistleblower: ‘Low-caliber agent’ led Trump security during rally assassination attempt
Sen. Josh Hawley released whistleblower allegations Monday that the lead agent in charge of the scene at the first assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in July was known to be a "low-caliber agent." Published September 16, 2024
