Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
‘Nazis got better treatment’: Judge scolds Trump administration over gang deportations
An appeals court judge blasted the Trump administration on Monday for giving Venezuelan gang suspects fewer rights than Nazis had in defending themselves against emergency deportations. Published March 24, 2025
After judge’s blockade, Trump will try to deport Venezuelan gang suspects to Chile
The Trump administration will extradite three Venezuelan gang members to Chile where they are wanted for major crimes, officials said Monday, finding a new outlet for deportations of Tren de Aragua migrants. Published March 24, 2025
Trump asks Supreme Court to block order for rehiring of probationary employees
The Trump administration on Monday made an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court to block a lower court order demanding that the government rehire thousands of probationary employees who were fired as part of the president's federal bureaucracy house cleaning. Published March 24, 2025
Federal judge rules DOGE broke privacy rules in accessing Education Department files
A federal judge in Maryland issued an injunction Monday against President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, ruling that it trampled on privacy rules when it gained "seemingly unfettered" access to the Education Department's personnel files. Published March 24, 2025
‘Out-of-control judge’: Trump administration goes to war with federal courts
The Justice Department has asked for two judges at the heart of anti-Trump rulings to be kicked off the cases, saying they are showing an increasing level of personal "hostility" to the president and his agenda. Published March 23, 2025
Trump revokes Biden’s ‘parole’ for 500,000 migrants, sets 30-day deadline to leave
Homeland Security announced it is revoking the legally iffy "parole" status former President Biden gave to more than 500,000 unauthorized migrants over the last three years, setting a 30-day deadline for them to depart the U.S. Published March 21, 2025
Justice Dept. asks for judge to be booted off case after ruling against Trump
The Justice Department accused Judge Beryl Howell of "hostility" to President Trump and asked that she take herself off a case in which she blocked the president's attempt to punish a Democrat-connected law firm that helped sponsor the infamous "Steele dossier." Published March 21, 2025
U.S. extradites illegal immigrant accused of killing Sarah Root in drunk-driving crash
Homeland Security said it has secured extradition of Eswin Mejia, bringing back from Honduras one of the highest-profile illegal immigration targets of the last decade to stand trial on charges of killing a young woman in a drunk driving car crash. Published March 21, 2025
Judge Boasberg calls Trump lawyers ‘intemperate and disrespectful’ as fight over deportees heats up
A federal judge called government lawyers "intemperate and disrespectful" as he spanked the Trump administration for carrying out deportations of Venezuelan gang suspects even after the judge had ordered airplanes to be turned around. Published March 21, 2025
Appeals court revives Coast Guard’s vaccine mandate case
A federal appeals court breathed new life into a lawsuit challenging a Biden-era coronavirus vaccine mandate against Coast Guard employees, ruling that the case is still live because the agency has never formally sworn off punishing people who refused. Published March 21, 2025
Trump might invoke ‘state secrets’ to hide deportation details
The Trump administration is considering invoking the state secrets doctrine to shield itself from having to answer questions about some of the controversial deportation flights of Venezuelan gang suspects. Published March 21, 2025
Gang tattoos and hand signs: How ICE identified Venezuelan gang members to deport as terrorists
Immigration officers looked at Jerce Reyes Barrios and saw tattoos with a crown and the word "Dios" -- both of which are considered by law enforcement to show someone is associated with Tren de Aragua, the violent criminal gang President Trump has declared a terrorist organization. But his lawyer said to look closer. The crown sits atop a soccer ball, and is actually the logo for his favorite team, Real Madrid. Published March 20, 2025
New York City’s noncitizen voting law ruled illegal by top state court
New York City's attempt to allow noncitizens to cast ballots in local elections violates the state constitution, the state's top court ruled Thursday. Published March 20, 2025
Federal government’s landlord agency loses track of one of its own offices
The federal government's chief landlord agency can't keep track of its own office space, an inspector general said this week in a devastating study of the General Services Administration's operations. Published March 20, 2025
Woman sentenced for vandalizing monument during pro-Hamas rally near Capitol
A woman who vandalized a monument during pro-Hamas protests at Union Station last year was spared a prison sentence but ordered to spend six months on probation. Published March 19, 2025
Justice Department tells judges to stop second-guessing Trump on deportation flights
The Justice Department on Wednesday renewed its demand to federal judges to stop interfering in the president's attempt to deport Venezuelan gang members, saying the roadblocks thrown up by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg are an unconstitutional intrusion on foreign policy. Published March 19, 2025
Mexico’s cartels ‘boxed in’ by Trump’s success at the border
What President Trump has done at the border is almost unfathomable. A year ago in February, more than 23,000 Guatemalans made a run at the southern border. Last month, agents reported fewer than 1,500. Published March 19, 2025
Judge rejects U.S. Institute of Peace request against DOGE over ‘illegal seizure’ of office
A federal judge on Wednesday rebuffed the U.S. Institute of Peace's demand for a restraining order against Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, saying the agency hadn't proved it would suffer an irreversible harm right now. Published March 19, 2025
Judge blocks EPA from taking back $20 billion Biden earmarked for climate groups
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from terminating $14 billion in grants awarded to three climate groups by the Biden administration, saying the government's "vague and unsubstantiated assertions of fraud are insufficient." Published March 18, 2025
Judge orders Pentagon to allow transgender troops, calls Trump ban ‘unabashedly demeaning’
A federal judge on Tuesday issued an injunction blocking the administration's new policy ushering transgender troops out of the military, spanking President Trump's team for what she called an "unabashedly demeaning" ban. Published March 18, 2025
