DETROIT — The Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) and the Detroit branch of the NAACP held the First Annual Justice Award Tribute on Friday, May 1, honoring Barbara McQuade, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan and U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts.

The event, which took place at the United Auto Workers (UAW) headquarters, started with prayers recited by Imam Husham Al Hussainy and Rev. Darren K. Penson.

In the opening remarks, representatives of the Detroit NAACP, ACRL and Freedom Institute highlighted the role of the justice system in protecting civil rights. 

Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit NAACP, who presented the award to Roberts, said judges have profound impact on others and are in a unique position to ensure justice.

Roberts had worked as a research attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals and as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. She was working in private practice when President Clinton nominated her to the federal bench. 

“Victoria has been a woman who used her skills as a lawyer and as a judge to listen to the resumes of women,” Anthony said. 

He added that Roberts has always been concerned about the community, citing her recent efforts to bring preachers together to inform residents about the Detroit bankruptcy.

ACRL Chairman Nabih Ayad presented the award to McQuade, describing her as a pillar in the community. He said the U.S. attorney has taken courageous stands in support of Arab Americans.

“We have always known Barb to be a genuine, responsive and caring individual, but at the same time as tough as they come on certain matters,” he said. “We are not saying that we agree on everything that our U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade does, but we must agree that she is definitely deserving of this special recognition.”

He said McQuade stood on the steps of the Dearborn City Hall last year to refute a leaked federal report that falsely claimed the city has the second highest concentration of suspected terrorists in the country. 

He added that the report gave bigots a document to validate their claims against Arabs in Dearborn.

“She stood with us to denounce this report,” he said. “And this was very important to the community. We appreciate it.”

Ayad also commended McQuade for reaching out to the community to preserve BRIDGES (Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity), a program that started after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to form dialogue between Arab American leaders and federal officials.

McQuade was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan for 12 years before she was appointed by President Obama as the first female U.S. attorney in the history of the district. Ayad said the prosecutor did not change after she was promoted, which speaks to her character. 

“You have showed that you are not just a U.S. attorney, but you are our U.S. attorney,” he told McQuade. “You represent our constituents. You understand. You are the right person and you care about this community. Not only do you prosecute, but you also defend this community.”

McQuade thanked both the ACRL and the NAACP, saying that she has great respect for both organizations.

“These organizations stand for something I care so deeply about— equality, equal justice,” she said, adding that the U.S. Supreme Court has “Equal Justice Under Law” etched over its building, which is what America should be. She acknowledged there is often a discrepancy between the country’s promise and its reality.

She said that when growing up as a girl in the 1960’s, she was told that certain opportunities were not available to her because of her gender, like playing baseball or becoming a lawyer.

“I refused to believe this could be true in my America, where there is equal justice under law,” she continued. “I fought to do the things I wanted to do. I fought to play baseball. I fought to become a lawyer. And I fought for equal justice under law for all people, regardless of gender, national origin, sexual orientation. We are all Americans and I will fight as your U.S. attorney to ensure equal justice under law for all of you.”

The award to McQuade had come under criticism by supporters of Palestinian community leader Rasmea Odeh, who was prosecuted by McQuade’s office and convicted of immigration fraud for failing to disclose a conviction in Israel on her citizenship application. 

Odeh’s supporters describe her prosecution as a “political witch-hunt” to deal a blow to Palestinian activism in the United States. In the days leading to the gala, they called the ACRL offices, urging the organization to rescind the award. 

“McQuade directed the prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tukel, in which he repeatedly referred to Rasmea as a ‘terrorist’ and consistently questioned the validity of her torture at the hands of the Israeli military,” the Rasmea Defense Committee said in a statement. “McQuade also signed off on a pre-trial motion… referring to Rasmea’s supporters who had demonstrated in front of the federal courthouse as ‘mobs and hoards [sic].'”