DEARBORN — Arab American community leaders are to gather for a roundtable discussion with regional law enforcement officials in Dearborn on April 30 at 11:30 a.m. to discuss various rising issues of concern. Congress of Arab American Organizations officials said the meeting was scheduled as in addition to similar, regular BRIDGES meetings in part because of growing concerns over accusations that the FBI is aggressively recruiting informants to spy on community gatherings.

Immigration reform and border patrol issues are also to be discussed. Email mhabhab@adc.org for more information.

A 2007 May Day march along West Vernor Highway in Detroit.  PHOTO: Pan-African News Wire

March for immigrant rights scheduled
DETROIT — An immigrants’ rights march through two Detroit parks is expected to take place on May 1 beginning at 10 a.m.

“It will include an appeal to pass the DREAM Act and to get a more humane U.S. policy toward immirgants — no raids, no family disruptions, a fair process, stop profiling,” said advocate Mike Kelly.

The march is to begin at George Patton Park along Vernor Highway in southwest Detroit, culminating in a noon rally at Clark Park at Clark Street and Vernor. Contact Rosendo Delgado at 313.580.5474 or rosendo@luum.org for more information.

Report delays in naturalization processing

DEARBORN — The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) says it continues to receive complaints of delays in naturalization petition processing despite public releases from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) that said the backlog had been cleared.

The ADC also said it applauds the USCIS and FBI in their announcement that they had cleared backlogs due to security background checks, but problems remain.

The ADC is asking people who have 1) been waiting more than 120 days after their N-400 interviews or 2) haven’t had their interview and have been waiting more than a one year or 3) have been asked more than once to submit an extra background check after waiting to complete their first clearance to call ADC Michigan ASAP at 313.581.1201 or to e-mail nfadel@adc.org.

Election deadline approaches

DEARBORN — Applicants for the positions of Dearborn mayor, city clerk, and city council member have until Tuesday, May 12 at 4 p.m. to file a petition. Petitions can be picked up at the city clerk’s office.

The petitions must be returned with signatures of between 100-200 registered Dearborn voters by the deadline.

For the mayoral race, six petitions had been pulled as of Tuesday afternoon according to City Clerk Kathy Buda. Current mayor Jack O’Reilly, Hassan Cheaib, Ziad Abdul Malik, and Michael J. Prus have pulled petitions. Doug Thomas, a current city council member, had a petition pulled for him by Dearborn resident Innam Cheaib.

For city council, 26 people have pulled petitions including Khalil Dakhlallah, David W. Bazzy, Ali Sayed, Rabih Hammoud, Michael Berry, and six of seven current city council members, with City Council President Tom Tafelski as the lone abstainer thus far.

The city clerk race could be the smallest as Buda has filed while John J. Hubbard is the only other person who has pulled a petition for candidacy.

Lebanese ambassador to visit Dearborn

DEARBORN— The Lebanese ambassador to the U.S. is scheduled to visit the area on April 25 to meet with local Arab American leaders.

A reception for Ambassador Antoine Chedid is scheduled at the Lebanese American Heritage Club in Dearborn at 6 p.m. that day.

Chedid is also scheduled to attend a May 1 breakfast at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center, 6220 Miller Road, and a May 2 luncheon at the Arab American National Museum, 13624 Michigan Avenue.

Lebanon to honor Ohio Arab American

TOLEDO — A Toledo-area Arab American activist is to be honored on April 26 with an award from the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

Rabha Eidi will receive “The Expatriates’ Medal,” issued by Lebanon’s General Directorate of the Expatriates, at the Sylvania Country Club, 5201 Corey Road in Sylvania, Ohio at 6 p.m. Email rreidi@yahoo.com for information.

Cultural club to hold scholarship dinner

DEARBORN — The Bint Jebail Cultural Center will hold its annual scholarship banquet on Friday night, April 24. Each year, the Bint Jebail Education Committee awards high school seniors who earned high grades and showed leadership skills. Over 15 years, the group has given more than $500,000 in scholarships to more than 500 students.

Groundbreaking on new east Dearborn complex

DEARBORN — A groundbreaking ceremony for Dearborn Town Center, the new medical center development set to replace the old Montgomery Ward building, is to take place on April 29 at 11 a.m. at the Arab American Museum, 13624 Michigan Avenue, across from the construction site.

Oakwood Healthcare, Midwest Health and REDICO Holdings officials are to speak, along with Mayor Jack O’Reilly. Email mschaefer@redico.com for information.

Federal agency to hold recruitment event

DEARBORN — U.S. Customs and Border Protection is to hold a recruiting event at the Marriott Dearborn Inn, 20301 Oakwood Boulevard on April 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The agency is seeking field operations officers, air and marine agents, administrative professionals, agriculture specialists, IT specialists, import specialists, mechanics, paralegals and more.

Visit www.cbp.gov/careers.

Starbucks picket scheduled

DEARBORN — A picket of the west Dearborn Starbucks coffee shop is to take place on Saturday, April 25 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The picket will be lead by advocate Susan Hajhassan, who has led other protests at the same location in the past. The protests are held to demonstrate opposition to Starbucks due to Chairman Howard Schultz’ alleged finiancial support of the Israeli occupation.

Palestine Michigan Office Director Hassan Newash described the Dearborn boycott of Starbucks as “long overdue” in January and claimed that evidence of Schultz’s Zionist ties has been covered up by the company on its Web site.