Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Obama pressed to halt deportations as immigration debated
Immigration rights groups see such good prospects for legalizing illegal immigrants this year that President Obama should go ahead and halt deportations right now, saying it's unfair to kick people out just ahead of possible legalization. Published May 13, 2013
Independent study raises the bar for border security, immigration reform
The yardstick used in the immigration bill to determine border control may produce too rosy a picture of how well the Border Patrol is doing in cracking down on illegal crossings, according to an independent study released Monday that threatens to upend the immigration debate. Published May 13, 2013
Senators kill amendments tied to bill on immigration; border security issue put on back burner
The Senate immigration bill survived its first tests Thursday as a core group of Republicans and Democrats held together, killing efforts to require full border security requirements before legalizing illegal immigrants. Published May 9, 2013
Republicans boycott vote for EPA nominee Gina McCarthy
Gina McCarthy's already bumpy road to becoming Environmental Protection Agency administrator took another detour Thursday morning when Senate Republicans boycotted a committee vote on her nomination, blocking it for now. Published May 9, 2013
Senate bill doesn’t stop most illegal immigration: Fed study
The Senate immigration bill would put about 8 million illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship, boost the economy and stop about 2 million would-be illegal immigrants — about half of the expected total over the next decade — from entering the U.S., according to the first government evaluation of the proposal released Wednesday. Published May 8, 2013
Senate defeats expansion of gun rights
The Senate beat back a new push to expand gun rights Wednesday, defeating a plan to let gun owners carry their weapons on federal lands in states where it would otherwise be legal. Published May 8, 2013
Two-thirds of senators to vote on U.S.-Mexico border without having seen it
Border security is a key sticking point in this year's immigration debate, but only a little more than one-third of senators have been to the southwestern border during their time in office to get a firsthand look at the security situation, according to a survey of the chamber's members by The Washington Times. Published May 7, 2013
Obama administration tries to nix ICE agents’ lawsuit
Trying to head off a potentially devastating court defeat, the Obama administration said Monday that ICE agents' lawsuit to overturn the president's non-deportation policy should be thrown out because the agents themselves initially wanted to handle the matter in collective bargaining. Published May 7, 2013
Tax increases begin to ease budget deficit
Federal tax revenues are up 16 percent this year compared to 2012, helping power a major drop in the federal deficit, according to the latest estimate Tuesday from the Congressional Budget Office. Published May 7, 2013
Border Patrol: Rules hinder effort to oust drug spotters
The chief of the U.S. Border Patrol said Tuesday that his agents have a tough time ousting armed drug cartel spotters from the tops of U.S. mountains because the rules of engagement constrain them. Published May 7, 2013
DHS management problems could hinder immigration bill: audit
The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee introduced amendments Tuesday to grant gay couples the same immigration rights as other married couples, setting up a key hurdle for the immigration bill. Published May 7, 2013
Report: Legalizing illegal immigrants to cost $6.3 trillion
The Heritage Foundation said Monday that legalizing illegal immigrants would cost taxpayers a net $6.3 trillion over the next 50 years — releasing a report that ignited a venomous battle over an immigration bill and who is truly representing the conservative movement in the debate. Published May 6, 2013
‘Fiscal cliff’ debt truce nears its end with no solution in sight
A three-month truce on the debt-limit war is about to expire, and Congress and President Obama will enter a no-man's land with nobody quite knowing how things will shake out when the debt peace ends in two weeks. Published May 5, 2013
Duck and cover: Feds reinstate ‘duck stamp’ crown to 6-year-old
The federal government late Thursday reinstated the 6-year-old winner of this year's Junior Duck Stamp, after earlier accusing her of plagiarism and rescinding her award. Published May 3, 2013
CBO to issue estimates more favorable to immigration-reform bill
The Congressional Budget Office said Thursday it will use a type of "dynamic scoring" to evaluate the new Senate immigration bill, dealing a major victory to the legislation's backers. Published May 2, 2013
Feds accuse 6-year-old of plagiarism, strip her duck stamp victory
The federal government accused a 6-year-old of plagiarism and stripped her of her victory in this year's national Junior Duck Stamp contest, leaving the youngest-ever winner in tears and igniting a fierce debate in the wildlife art community over artistic techniques, precocious youngsters and catty parents. Published May 2, 2013
Amendment extends E-Verify
The latest version of the Senate immigration bill still repeals E-Verify but keeps it operational in the meantime so businesses in states that require its use can keep using it over the next five years. Published May 1, 2013
Senators file amended immigration bill to keep E-Verify running
Moving to quell concerns, the newest version of the Senate's immigration bill keeps the E-Verify electronic check system in place so that states that already require its use can continue to do so, even while the rest of the country is getting up to speed. Published April 30, 2013
Obama casts himself as final arbiter on immigration
President Obama on Tuesday said he'll be the final arbiter of whether an immigration bill can succeed this year, saying it must boost border security and rewrite the legal system, but also must give illegal immigrants a definite path to citizenship. Published April 30, 2013
Feds hide behind potential text message loophole in sunshine law
The researcher who exposed former EPA chief Lisa P. Jackson's private email account is now taking aim at her potential successor — and is expanding the inquiry into the world of mobile phone text messages, which are shaping up as the next frontier in open-records legal battles. Published April 29, 2013
