Stephen Dinan

Supreme Court casts doubt on Trump’s firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook

The Supreme Court expressed worry over President Trump's firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, suggesting Wednesday that the move undermines the independence of the central bank and would invite retaliation by future presidents.

January 21, 2026

Court rejects independent monitor to oversee Epstein files release

A federal judge on Wednesday shot down a request by members of Congress to appoint an independent special master to oversee the Justice Department's handling of the release of the Epstein files, saying their request wasn't properly made.

January 21, 2026

Inside job: County official took dead people, migrants’ identities in California food stamp scam

A woman who worked as a benefit assistant for a California county has pleaded guilty to scamming the state's food stamp program by stealing the identities of dead people and immigrants, then approving applications in their names.

January 21, 2026

At one-year mark, Trump trumpets successes, unleashes on ‘sick’ rivals

A year in his second term in office has done little to cool President Trump's yen for settling scores with opponents, as he used a White House news conference Tuesday to lash his opponents left and right.

January 20, 2026

100,000 illegal immigrants have taken DHS’ self-deportation bonus

Homeland Security has paid out roughly 100,000 bonuses to illegal immigrants who have registered to self-deport through the government's special app.

January 20, 2026

Justice Dept. to subpoena Minnesota attorney general in probe of anti-ICE protests

The Justice Department has secured grand jury subpoenas for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Fox News reported Tuesday, as the Trump administration ramps up its investigation of state Democrats and anti-ICE protests.

January 20, 2026

Supreme Court skeptical of Hawaii’s law restricting gun carrying on private properties

Gun control advocates went to the Supreme Court on Tuesday to defend Hawaii's law limiting the right to carry firearms on some private property, and found themselves in the uncomfortable position of justifying it by citing a racist Civil War-era law aimed at curtailing formerly enslaved people's gun rights.

January 20, 2026

House spending bill would fund ICE over Democrats’ objections

Congressional leaders struck a deal Tuesday to keep money flowing to ICE, setting up a showdown for rank-and-file Democrats who have demanded deep cuts or even defunding the government's chief deportation agency.

January 20, 2026

Supreme Court declines to hear challenges to ban on felons possessing guns

The Supreme Court shunted aside several gun rights cases Tuesday that tested the limits of the federal law that bans felons from possessing firearms.

January 20, 2026

ICE’s new policy limiting congressional oversight visits survives court challenge

A federal judge has delivered a significant victory to ICE, refusing to halt the agency's new policy limiting the ability of members of Congress to conduct oversight of migrant processing and detention facilities.

January 19, 2026

Republican state AGs use MLK holiday to dismantle affirmative action, DEI policies

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier each announced opinions Monday declaring affirmative action and DEI policies to be forbidden in their states -- on the holiday set aside to honor civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

January 19, 2026

Appeals court revives case challenging Pelosi’s COVID-era proxy voting scheme

A federal appeals court said Thursday it will revisit the legality of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's COVID-era proxy voting system and erased a ruling that had upheld the plan as constitutional.

January 19, 2026

Walz, Frey pan DOJ subpoenas as Pentagon reportedly prepared to deploy 1,500 troops to Minnesota

The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in what appears to be an expanding investigation into their strident stance against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

January 18, 2026

Senators request fraud probe of Minneapolis charity favored by Ilhan Omar

Republican senators have asked the Justice Department to investigate a Minneapolis-based charity that nearly landed $1 million in taxpayer money courtesy of Rep. Ilhan Omar, saying it shows signs of being a fraud operation.

January 18, 2026

Judges stifle Trump Justice Department’s attempt to collect states’ voter registration information

President Trump's push to clean up states' voter rolls suffered setbacks last week when two federal judges shut down a demand for information about registered voters in California and Oregon.

January 18, 2026

Judge rules in favor of anti-ICE protesters; says they can legally shadow DHS vehicles

A federal judge ruled Friday that federal agents in Minnesota have been too harsh in dealing with anti-ICE protesters, and specifically forbade them from taking action against people who trail their vehicles as long as they keep a reasonable distance.

January 17, 2026

Justice Dept. sues Virginia to demand access to voter list

The Trump Justice Department has sued to get access to Virginia's full voter registration list, saying the state has illegally refused to turn it over.

January 16, 2026

Justice Dept. issues subpoenas probing Minnesota leaders for obstructing federal enforcement

The Trump Justice Department is pursuing an investigation into top Minnesota political leaders for impeding federal law enforcement and has issued subpoenas, according to news reports Friday.

January 16, 2026

DHS closes out first year under Trump with record-low border numbers

The Department of Homeland Security continued its record streak of border calm, announcing another drop in illegal immigrants caught at the southern border in December.

January 16, 2026

Supreme Court to hear challenge to cops’ use of ‘geofence’ warrants

The Supreme Court said it will take up a case challenging the constitutionality of "geofence warrants," which police use to try to identify suspects by poring over cellphones in the vicinity of a crime.

January 16, 2026