Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Supreme Court struggles with immunity for presidents over official acts
Supreme Court justices clashed Thursday over former President Donald Trump's claims of "absolute immunity" from prosecution for his official acts in the White House as they sorted through competing dangers of an unleashed president on the one hand or a crippled commander in chief on the other. Published April 25, 2024
Biden takes another avenue to push nationwide abortion
The Biden administration on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to declare federal law supreme and to force states with severe abortion bans to allow exceptions in emergency cases where a woman's health is at risk. Published April 24, 2024
Justice Sotomayor bungles state abortion laws during Supreme Court argument
Justice Sonia Sotomayor botched the status of abortion laws Wednesday when she said some states bar all abortions, even in cases where the mother's life is at stake. Published April 24, 2024
Biden sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars in unspent border wall money
The government's top watchdog ruled that President Biden has not broken the law by slow-walking construction of the border wall, but did say he has left hundreds of millions of dollars still unspent. Published April 24, 2024
ICE attempts a rebrand designed to win over sanctuary cities
Stung by resistance from sanctuary cities, the Biden administration moved Tuesday to rebrand the government's immigration law detective force, saying Homeland Security Investigations does far more than pursue immigration cases. Published April 23, 2024
Supreme Court ponders marriage rights limits in quirky immigration case involving MS-13 suspect
The Supreme Court battled Tuesday over marriage rights and whether a couple's desire to live together can trump the government's decision to block gang members and other dangerous persons from immigrating to the U.S. Published April 23, 2024
Elon Musk’s X bans post about illegal immigrant voting, calls it hate speech
Elon Musk's X banned a post that claimed noncitizens are registering and voting in U.S. elections on a wide scale, saying it was "hate speech" and violated the platform's terms because it attacked a "protected group." Published April 22, 2024
Supreme Court to review federal regulation on ghost guns, firearms without serial numbers
The Supreme Court announced Monday it will take up a dispute over ghost guns -- firearms that can be assembled and lack serial numbers -- during its next term. Published April 22, 2024
Absolute immunity? Supreme Court to hear arguments in Trump election interference case
The Supreme Court will take up former President Donald Trump's "absolute immunity" defense Thursday, and a favorable ruling could nullify many of the criminal charges against him. Published April 22, 2024
Spies get green light to snoop, for now, as Biden signs FISA extension reaching into Americans’ data
The intelligence community won a new expansion of snooping powers from Congress but opponents managed to cut the extension to just two years, meaning Capitol Hill will revisit the fight a lot sooner than the spy community had wanted. Published April 21, 2024
States strike back as Biden’s border chaos drags on
The Oklahoma House of Representatives approved a bill last week that would give police the power to arrest illegal immigrants for "impermissible occupation," becoming the latest state to try to plug gaps President Biden has opened in the country's border defenses. Published April 21, 2024
You’re on your own: Dems want to send Trump to prison without Secret Service protection
Key Democrats revealed new legislation Friday that would strip former President Donald Trump of his Secret Service agents if he is convicted and sentenced to prison. Published April 19, 2024
GOP pushes bill to tell DHS if illegal immigrant tries to buy a gun
Senate Republicans announced new legislation Friday requiring Homeland Security notification every time an illegal immigrant tries to buy a gun, giving deportation officers a chance to take action. Published April 19, 2024
‘Do you have any remorse?’: Mayorkas battered by senators in post-impeachment return to Capitol Hill
Fresh off his partisan exoneration from House impeachment charges, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made a rocky return to Capitol Hill on Thursday, facing furious Republicans who laid blame for dead Americans directly at his feet. Published April 18, 2024
Laken Riley murder suspect had been released over lack of detention space
Homeland Security had released the illegal immigrant accused of killing Laken Riley into the U.S. because it lacked the detention space, according to his confidential immigration file. Published April 18, 2024
Mayorkas says he never read articles of impeachment
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday said he never read the articles of impeachment against him, drawing a rebuke from senators. Published April 18, 2024
Gunpowder shortage: GOP prods Biden on supply chain woes, fears of ammo crunch as U.S. arms Ukraine
Members of Congress announced legislation Thursday to prod the Biden administration to conduct an inventory of the U.S. gunpowder supply chain and offer suggestions to ensure enough will be available for the military and the average consumer. Published April 18, 2024
Democrats shatter precedent with fast-track dismissal of Mayorkas impeachment
The Senate made history on Wednesday as it voted to dismiss articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, marking the first time the chamber has exonerated someone without holding a trial or reviewing evidence. Published April 17, 2024
Playing hardball: National Park Service browbeats baseball team over trademark infringement
A lower-level minor league baseball team says the National Park Service is trying to bully it into giving up its arrowhead logo, complaining that people might somehow not be able to tell the difference between the federal agency and a baseball club. Published April 17, 2024
While Congress deals with impeachment, Mayorkas focuses on child safety
As Congress is carrying out impeachment proceedings against Alejandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security secretary is in New York on Wednesday to announce a new campaign to raise awareness about online exploitation of children. Published April 17, 2024
