Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
DOJ says ICE gave court wrong policy on arrests at immigration courthouses
Department of Justice lawyers have told a federal judge that ICE provided wrong information about the deportation agency's policy on arrests at immigration courthouses -- information that was used by a judge in a major ruling last year. Published March 26, 2026
Dems, GOP tee up new debate on major changes to Social Security
Social Security has long been known as the third rail of politics, given that every attempt to fix the program over the past 30 years has proven politically toxic -- but a valiant group of senators is plowing ahead anyway Published March 25, 2026
DHS’ strict detention policy for migrants gets OK from appeals court
A federal appeals court said Wednesday that the Trump administration is likely on solid legal ground with its new interpretation allowing mandatory detention of illegal immigrants as they await their deportation hearings. Published March 25, 2026
Trump’s cost-cutting at IRS blunts tax agency’s AI plans
President Trump's moves to slash the IRS have severely dented the tax agency's ability to harness artificial intelligence, according to a new audit. Published March 25, 2026
Federal appeals court says El Salvador’s prisons aren’t bad enough to justify U.S. asylum
El Salvador's prisons may be notorious for their harsh approach to law and order, but they aren't bad enough to justify someone gaining asylum or similar protections in the U.S., a federal appeals court ruled this week. Published March 25, 2026
Venezuelan man files $1.3 million wrongful deportation lawsuit against DHS
A Venezuelan man who spent months in a Salvadoran terrorist prison after he was deported from the U.S. last year has filed a $1.3 million lawsuit saying he was the victim of President Trump's hateful rhetoric and an illegal use of the Alien Enemies Act. Published March 24, 2026
Jack Smith obtained secret subpoenas for Kash Patel’s phone records
Special Counsel Jack Smith's team, which was pursuing Donald Trump in the period between his presidencies, obtained two secret subpoenas for phone records from Kash Patel, the man who would go on to become head of the FBI. Published March 24, 2026
Minnesota sues to get evidence from DHS shootings
Minnesota filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday asking a judge to force the Trump administration to turn over evidence from the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two Americans killed by Homeland Security personnel in Minneapolis in January. Published March 24, 2026
Supreme Court tries to define where the U.S. border begins for asylum purposes
It turns out that where the U.S. border begins, at least for purposes of asylum, is not actually clear. Published March 24, 2026
Senate confirms Mullin to lead Homeland Security
The Senate voted Monday to install one of its own, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, as the new secretary at Homeland Security, giving President Trump a chance to change the narrative of a department many Americans say has crossed lines in its zeal to arrest illegal immigrants. Published March 23, 2026
Judge says embarrassing videos of DOGE staffers can be posted to YouTube
A federal judge gave approval Monday for a group to post online videos of former DOGE staffers struggling to answer questions about how they chose targets for the White House's attack on the federal bureaucracy, saying the public's right to know outweighed any threats or risk of harm. Published March 23, 2026
Supreme Court skeptical of states receiving mail-in ballots past Election Day
Several Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism Monday over states that allow ballots to be received and counted days after Election Day, though they worried about where to draw lines and whether tossing out late-arriving ballots would also eliminate early voting. Published March 23, 2026
Sen. John Cornyn announces legislation to defund Cesar Chavez national park site
Sen. John Cornyn said Friday he will try to boot Cesar Chavez's home and burial place from the national park system, saying the monument to the now-disgraced Hispanic rights icon doesn't deserve taxpayer support. Published March 20, 2026
House committee subpoenas Arlington’s prosecutor over handling of threats against Stephen Miller
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan issued a subpoena Friday to the chief prosecutor in Arlington County, saying she appears to have stymied an investigation into a "left-wing agitator" who was harassing White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Published March 20, 2026
New Jersey sues to block ICE detention facility
New Jersey sued Friday to try to head off ICE's plans to turn a massive warehouse in Roxbury into a detention facility, saying the Trump administration is flouting immigration, environmental and procedural laws as it rushes to refurbish the building. Published March 20, 2026
DOJ sues Harvard over antisemitism, says school ‘tolerated’ harassment of Jewish students
The Justice Department sued Harvard University on Friday for civil rights violations, saying the school has discriminated against its Jewish students by not forcefully cracking down on antisemitic behavior. Published March 20, 2026
ICE bars staffer for Democratic representative from visiting detainees
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Thursday that it has banned a staffer from the office of Rep. Veronica Escobar from entering any of its detention facilities, saying the man lied and broke the rules by letting detainees use his phone. Published March 19, 2026
From hero to zero: U.S. grapples with how to cancel Cesar Chavez
American communities spent the past few decades memorializing Cesar Chavez in their roads, schools, a National Park Service site and even a U.S. Navy ship. Now the rush is on to erase them. Published March 19, 2026
Senate committee approves Trump’s DHS nominee; Fetterman’s support overcomes Rand Paul’s opposition
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, President Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, cleared his first hurdle Thursday by winning approval in a Senate committee, overcoming the opposition of fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul. Published March 19, 2026
‘Anger issues’: Rand Paul denounces Trump’s DHS nominee Markwayne Mullin as unfit for job
Senators on Wednesday questioned whether one of their colleagues, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, has the temperament to helm the Homeland Security Department -- with Sen. Rand Paul, a fellow Republican, calling the nominee "a man with anger issues." Published March 18, 2026
