DEARBORN — On Thursday, the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) held a press conference at its office to announce a class action lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against Huntington National Bank,  regarding the mass bank account closures which have swept through the Detroit Arab American community. 

The law firms representing the class action are Nabih H. Ayad and Associates, P.C. Barry Seifman, P.C., and Jaafar and Mahdi Law Group, P.C. According to the ACRL, it received hundreds of complaints from community members, who have had their bank accounts closed for no apparent reason by their banking institutions. 

Most of these reports are from successful professionals/business owners, who have banked with Huntington and other banks for years. Other than a letter, informing them of the bank’s decision to close their accounts, these individuals have received no further explanation.   The ACRL believes that, based on the number of complaints that have come through its hotline in recent months, it is apparent that a concerted effort is now being made to close the accounts of individuals who fit a certain profile. To contact the ACRL call 313.633.0231.