DEARBORN —  Most Arab and Muslim local organizations have a core mission to represent their community to the best of their abilities, especially in a climate infused with numerous civil rights challenges.   

 However, recently some locals have expressed concerns that the community’s most prominent organizations are lacking unified objectives in pursuit of their own agendas. Whether it’s at the expense of the greater community just depends on who you ask.  

For example, this week the American Arab Chamber of Commerce hosted its 9th Annual Arab Professionals Network “Celebrating Success” Banquet, co-sponsored by Chase Bank. 

On the surface, nothing might seem wrong with this picture. But those knowledgeable about community issues would know that JP Morgan is one of several banks that has allegedly been closing accounts held by Arabs and Muslims without valid explanation for the last few years or so.

Last year, The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) announced that it was filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Treasury asking it to investigate the bank shutting down accounts of Arab and Muslim residents and business owners. 

CAIR-MI was not alone in this battle. The Arab-American Civil Rights League (ACRL) looked into over 50 cases related to various bank companies that have been closing down Muslim and Arab-held accounts as well. Together, both civil rights groups have cited Huntington Bank, Chase and Comerica as some of the companies guilty of the practice.

The Chamber is not the only community organization that has close ties with one of the financial institutions on the list. ACCESS last month held its 43rd Annual “Power to Empower” dinner in partnership with Comerica.

ACCESS and Comerica have maintained a healthy partnership for over two decades now. A few weeks ago, ACCESS even issued a press release boasting about its partnership with the bank. 

“From serving as chief sponsor of ACCESS’ annual holiday gift giving event at Salina Elementary School to donating tens of thousands of dollars through the Comerica Charitable Foundation, Comerica Bank has been a valued partner for more than two decades,” the press release said. “Comerica was one of the first corporate donors to invest in the development of the Arab American National Museum, as well as the Concert of Colors, a four-day annual music festival held in Detroit.”

While some may question whether Comerica has been a great contributor to the community, it is apparent that it has been a great contributor to ACCESS and its subsidiaries, including the Arab American National Museum. 

But should these long term relationships involving national corporations and local organizations suddenly be questioned just because at the other end of the spectrum, the companies are allegedly targeting Arab and Muslim residents?

Dawud Walid, Executive Director of CAIR-MI, says local organizations should consider reevaluating their partnerships with those banks.

“Community organizations have a broader responsibility than just their direct services, but also to the constituents who they give services to. If there are community organizations who are getting sponsorships from the banks in question that CAIR MI and ACRL have raised concerns about, then those organizations have a moral duty to talk to us and/or raise these concerns with the banks,” Walid says. 

Walid was unaware of the bank partnerships with local organizations, but now says he plans to reach out to the local groups to discuss the issue. He adds that he would like to give local leaders the benefit of the doubt, believing that they might not be aware of the allegations CAIR-MI and ACRL have launched against those institutions. 

He says Chase is one of the biggest culprits of the bunch, because they aren’t just targeting Arab-owned individuals and businesses.

“The troubling issue about Chase is that they closed down the account of an Islamic center in the state, as well as one Muslim charity. I’m not at liberty to give the names, but we do know that it hasn’t been just individual accounts or business accounts. It’s even been religious institutions that have had their accounts closed and that’s highly problematic,” Walid adds. 

Earlier this month, the American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee of Michigan (ADC-MI) addressed this issue at its 15th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Dinner, when newly appointed Executive Director Fatina Abdrabboh told the crowd that those banking institutions responsible for closing the accounts of several Arab Americans were not invited to the dinner.  

However, while ADC-MI appeared to stand in solidarity with ACRL and CAIR-MI’s continued battle against the financial institutions, some chatter arose about ADC’s stance on another issue pertaining to the community. 

At the gala, ADC-MI gave a leadership award to Stephen Henderson, editor of the Detroit Free Press. 

While Henderson is undoubtedly accomplished, as he is a Pulitzer Prize winner, a dedicated reporter, and editor for the Free Press for a number of years now, some questioned whether the timing of the recognition was appropriate. It came off the heels of a recent controversy involving the Free Press that targeted the local community. 

Last month, Detroit Free Press reporter Niraj Warikoo published a misleading article that claimed multiple local Muslim parents were outraged that flyers promoting an Easter egg hunt had been distributed at local public schools, when in fact it was only one parent who had made that complaint. 

Warikoo’s article spawned a national media frenzy, and the topic was even covered on Fox News, who depicted the inaccurate version of the story. 

That hadn’t been the first time Warikoo had come under fire for his reporting on the Arab community. In previous years, multiple community organizations, including CAIR-MI,  ACRL, and the NAACP went as far as to write an open letter to Detroit Free Press Publisher Paul Anger about their decision to boycott Warikoo for his irresponsible reporting.   

But even following the community outcries, the Detroit Free Press remained silent about the controversies pertaining to Warikoo. In fact, it appears it has let him conduct his business as usual.  Just last week, the newspaper published an unbalanced article by Warikoo about a local Dearborn cleric who was described as inspirational to militants in West Syria.

Abdrabboh tells The Arab American News that ADC’s agenda was to recognize Henderson’s contributions in the journalism field, not to honor the Detroit Free Press. She says she’s fully aware of the concerns regarding Warikoo. 

“I have yet to do an interview with Niraj, but I’m aware of the major concerns our community has with his coverage on our issues. In terms of Steve Henderson’s suitability for this appropriate event, it’s important to note that it’s a Martin Luther King event. It is the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act and Henderson’s record on the coverage of civil rights issues in Detroit is what prompted us to honor him,” Abdrabboh says. 

Who local organizations have been choosing to honor seems to be another focal point lately. ACCESS was also criticized for honoring Ray LaHood at its annual dinner last month, a Republican politician who has had a shaky voting record when it comes to U.S.-Middle East relations. 

Regardless of how community leaders feel about these concerning issues mentioned above, it’s evident that representing the local community might no longer be a top priority. In the beginning, these organizations might have been established on a united front, but these days they seem to be too busy carving their own paths and asking us to choose a side.