A UMD student addresses City Council.

DEARBORN
– The Social Justice League (SJL) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn wants
the City Council to pass a resolution that would welcome Syrian refugees.

Members
of the organization say they drafted the resolution following Governor Snyder’s
controversial decision to put a halt to plans that would’ve resettled thousands
of Syrian refugees in the state.

Following
Snyder’s decision, a string of cities across the state have stood firmly
against pausing the resettlement of refugees. In recent weeks, East Lansing and
Hamtramck were among the cities to pass resolutions combating the governor’s
stance.

Bayan
Jaber, 20, has spearheaded an initiative, along with other SJL members, to get
Dearborn on board.

“We noticed the city had not taken a firm stance against
Snyder’s indefinite pause,” Jaber said. “While we noted the some of the Council
members made statements on the website and social media, we didn’t feel that
was enough. We wanted a unified stance against what’s been shaping
legislation.”

Jaber and other SJL members attended the City Council meeting on
Tuesday, December 8, seeking to convince
Council members and the mayor to adopt the resolution.

“I don’t think there’s another city that has the percentage of
Arabs we have, so I think it’s important for Dearborn to be making this kind of
statement,” Jaber said.

Mayor Jack O’Reilly addressed Jaber during the meeting, telling
her the city has had a long history of harboring refugees from the Middle East
and that the Syrian crisis will be no different.

The city is already in the process of providing housing for
refugees in partnership with Lutheran Social Services, a grassroots refugee
resettlement program that provides publicly funded services to refugees.
O’Reilly said passing a resolution wouldn’t change the course of the city’s
plans.

“We haven’t passed resolutions, we’ve simply acted,” O’Reilly said.

Council members said it’s not the city’s place to get involved
with international affairs and suggested the SJL members contact their state
senators and representatives in Congress.

Council President Susan Dabaja said she supports welcoming
refugees into the city, but echoed the mayor’s stance that actions speak louder
than words.

“The city of Dearborn has always been welcoming to people,”
Dabaja said. “We all recognize that security concerns are something that should
be addressed, but we also recognize that this is a very human issue; and while
it’s our nation’s responsibility to protect citizens and U.S. residents, it’s
also important for us to recognize that we need to open our hearts for those
that are fleeing from terror.”

Councilman Mike Sareini said that he would back the resolution,
adding that there would be no harm in taking a stance.

“I think this resolution, like the one passed in East Lansing,
is something that this body should consider,” Sareini said.

With the resolution still up in the air, Jaber said the SJL will
reach out to each Council member individually until it has four of the seven
members on board for the resolution. The organization believes standing mute on
the subject is only feeding into persecution.

“I
think that being silent in times like this signals being complacent and
accepting of this oppression,” Jaber said. “The city shouldn’t just hide in a
corner until it goes away. Dearborn needs to come out and take a stance for
peace and justice. Our community should not be afraid of ignorance.”

SJL
members plan on returning to the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 12
at 7:30 p.m., in hopes of having increased backing for the resolution.