Stephen Dinan

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

March 18, 2025

Judge rules against Musk in USAID case, says DOGE shutdown attempt likely unconstitutional

A federal judge issued a stinging rebuke of Elon Musk on Tuesday, ruling that he and the Department of Government Efficiency likely violated the Constitution by attempting to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development.

March 18, 2025

Congressman announces articles of impeachment against federal judge blocking Trump

Rep. Brandon Gill revealed an article of impeachment Tuesday against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, accusing him of running political interference to stop President Trump.

March 18, 2025

Murder suspect, sex offenders, gun wielders were on deportation flight judge tried to stop: DHS

Homeland Security said a murder suspect, a man accused of a sex offense against a teen girl, and another involved in smuggling illegal immigrants were among the Venezuelans deported under President Trump's orders over the weekend, in flights that skirted a judge's orders.

March 18, 2025

Illegal immigrant pleads guilty to voting, having gun

An illegal immigrant in Florida pleaded guilty to registering and voting in U.S. elections and to possessing a gun.

March 18, 2025

Trump calls for impeachment of judge who’s blocking deportation flights

President Trump and fellow Republicans began an impeachment effort Tuesday against a federal judge Mr. Trump labeled a "troublemaker and agitator" for trying to thwart his deportation of Venezuelan gang members.

March 18, 2025

Trump admin. promotes IRS agents who exposed Hunter Biden sweetheart plea deal

The two IRS whistleblowers who revealed the Biden administration's lenient treatment of Hunter Biden have been given promotions and are now senior advisers to the Treasury Department secretary.

March 18, 2025

Trump goes all-in on deportation fight, claims national security powers

President Trump cloaked himself in core national security powers Monday as his lawyers told federal courts to butt out while he deports suspected gang members.

March 17, 2025

Justice Dept. cites Trump’s commander-in-chief powers to defend deportations to El Salvador

President Trump was using his commander-in-chief powers when he had the military fly Venezuelan gang suspects to El Salvador, government lawyers said Monday, arguing that a judge has no right to interfere and stop the planes.

March 17, 2025

DHS says Lebanese doctor blocked at airport had photos of Hezbollah leaders

Homeland Security officers found photos of Hezbollah "militants" on the phone of a Lebanese doctor, causing them to deny her entry and to ultimately have her deported from the U.S., the government told a federal judge on Monday.

March 17, 2025

Appeals court refuses to block order forcing Trump administration to rehire fired workers

A federal appellate court said Monday it will not come to President Trump's rescue and block a lower court order forcing him to rehire thousands of probationary workers who were fired.

March 17, 2025

‘Oopsie’: Leaders laugh at judge’s order to stop deportations

El Salvador's president and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to celebrate a deportation flight that carried illegal immigrants out of the country even after a federal judge asked for the plane to be turned around.

March 17, 2025