Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
EcoHealth’s COVID bat-testing lab upended by feds’ spending ban
When the federal government shut down taxpayer money for EcoHealth Alliance, the company linked to the Wuhan virus lab, it may have doomed plans to start a bat research laboratory in the U.S. Published May 18, 2024
Migrants caught making incursion at Marine Corps Base Quantico were Jordanians, DHS says
Two men who were arrested after disregarding Marines' orders and trying to bust into the base at Quantico are Jordanian migrants, Homeland Security confirmed Thursday night. Published May 16, 2024
States ask for federal help to block noncitizen voting
The federal government needs to give states access to critical databases to weed out noncitizens who are registering and casting ballots in elections, Florida's secretary of state told Congress on Thursday. Published May 16, 2024
Illegal immigrant used ‘rape dungeon on wheels’ to attack women: Report
California authorities have charged a man with rape after they say he assaulted two women in the Angeles National Forest, and a TV news station identified the man as an illegal immigrant. Published May 16, 2024
Supreme Court rules CFPB funding structure is lawful, jarring attempt to undo Wall Street cop
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the funding framework for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is proper, delivering a blow to conservatives who have sought for years to do away with the agency. Published May 16, 2024
Border cools as migrants use Biden ‘parole’ to enter elsewhere
The southern border saw one of its least chaotic months under President Biden in April as migrants flock to take advantage of the administration's invitation for would-be illegal immigrants to come through "parole" programs. Published May 15, 2024
Democrats abandon ‘defund the police’ movement; rallying cry changes after crime waves
Politicians are making clear during National Police Week that the days of "defund the police" are firmly in the past. Published May 15, 2024
Texas defends floating border wall to appeals court as defense against migrant ‘invasion’
Texas brought its border "invasion" argument to a federal appeals court Wednesday, asking the judges to allow the state to keep its floating border wall in a portion of the Rio Grande despite the Biden administration's objections. Published May 15, 2024
Biden administration stops funding to U.S. firm that paid for Wuhan research
The federal government came down hard on EcoHealth Alliance on Wednesday, announcing it has stopped federal funding for the firm that helped pay for research at China's Wuhan virus lab that's been linked to the initial outbreak of COVID-19. Published May 15, 2024
Feds arrest Marine for threatening mass killing of White people
Federal prosecutors have charged a Marine with threatening mass shootings of White people, in a case that sheds startling light on the poisonous mix of mental illness, guns and violence. Published May 14, 2024
Justice Department vows to sniff out election threats in 2024 campaign
The Justice Department told Americans on Monday to cool their anger against election officials and workers as the country approaches the November vote, and warned in particular against attempts to use artificial intelligence to conduct the threats. Published May 13, 2024
Just 46% of new immigrants are working, census data show
President Biden has overseen the fastest expansion of immigration -- legal and illegal -- in history, but less than half of the newcomers are holding jobs, according to a new report released Monday. Published May 13, 2024
Federal workers rebuff Biden decree; few heed call to return to offices a year after pandemic’s end
A year after President Biden officially ended the pandemic, his agencies have struggled mightily to get employees back into their offices -- and some of them are still trying to figure out how to monitor them when they're at home. Published May 12, 2024
GOP congressman calls Biden’s border handling ‘treasonous’
Rep. Eli Crane is accusing President Biden of "treasonous" conduct in mishandling the border. Published May 10, 2024
Border Patrol agent jailed for charging illegal to stay in U.S.
A Border Patrol agent was sentenced this week to a year and a half in prison for trying to sell a free pass into the U.S. to an illegal immigrant. Published May 10, 2024
Fake nursing home was used to smuggle illegal immigrants
Border Patrol agents were miffed when they saw an ambulance roll up to a Texas highway checkpoint in August 2022 and discovered an illegal immigrant being smuggled inside. Published May 10, 2024
DHS announces plans to speed deportation for dangerous asylum seekers
The administration announced new plans Thursday to speed up deportations for border migrants who are deemed to be safety risks, moving to adopt a Trump-style policy as President Biden seeks to gain control of the border. Published May 9, 2024
GOP proposes stiffer penalties for IRS leakers after Trump tax return leak
House Republicans announced legislation Thursday to double the maximum prison time to 10 years for anyone convicted of leaking secret taxpayer information, saying the current penalty wasn't strong enough to prevent the unprecedented leak of President Trump's taxes. Published May 9, 2024
House passes bill to add citizenship to census, block noncitizens from House apportionment
The House approved legislation Wednesday to add a question on citizenship into the decennial census and to change the way seats in the House are doled out, slicing noncitizens from of the count. Published May 8, 2024
Perjury questions dog Michael Cohen ahead of Trump trial testimony
Top House Republicans sent a criminal referral Wednesday prodding the Justice Department to investigate Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former lawyer, over allegations he lied to Congress in several pieces of testimony. Published May 8, 2024