Author's Posts
Presidential candidate Andrew Yang dismissive of problematic U.S.-Israeli relationship
July 28th, 20197 DETROIT – As Democratic candidates gear up for 2020’s presidential election, many have reached out to ethnic communities to garner support and spread awareness of their platforms. Outside of some notable candidates, some of whom have been part of the Washington political machinery for decades, this year’s field includes...
Dearborn Heights City Council continues pressing for financial audit of city funds despite losing twice in court rulings
July 28th, 20190 DEARBORN HEIGHTS – In an extraordinary step, the Dearborn Heights City Council moved this week to amend its schedule and add a third regular meeting for next Tuesday, July 30. The move came as the Council deliberated its next resolution to authorize the retention of Ottenwess, Taweel & Schenk, PLC (OTS). The resolution also...
Local Arab American leads one-of-a-kind international humanitarian organization
July 22nd, 20190 SOUTHFIELD — Since 1953, World Medical Relief (WMR) has been delivering medical instruments and pharmacy services on a humanitarian basis to much needed corners of the world. The organization invited The Arab American News to its offices and distribution facility in Southfield, to get a glimpse of some extraordinary humanitarian...
Dearborn Heights City Council’s new ordinance puts cap on hookah lounges despite legal counsel advice, lawsuit looming
July 20th, 20190 DEARBORN HEIGHTS – Dearborn Heights has a new ordinance that limits the number of hookah licenses issued in the city to seven. There are currently seven active licenses in the city. The ordinance also has spacing requirements and restrictions on business hours, requiring lounges to be closed between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Anyone wishing...
Muslim couple told by Tim Horton’s employee to “go back to their country” files lawsuit
July 19th, 20190 YPSILANTI – The Michigan chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) is filing a civil rights complaint on behalf of a Michigan couple who were told to "go back to their country" by an employee of a Tim Horton's in Ypsilanti. Amy Doukoure, staff attorney at CAIR-MI, told the Arab American News that on June 28,...
Tlaib and colleagues spar with Trump over racist tweets
July 17th, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Ayanna S. Pressley (D-MA) came together on Monday to hold a press conference and address President Trump's recent Twitter barrage against the four congresswomen. The four have been openly critical of the...
Trump gives up on citizenship question on 2020 Census
July 13th, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Trump took to the podium in the White House Rose Garden on Thursday to announce that the citizenship question will not be included in the 2020 Census. Instead, he has issued an executive order to every federal department and agency to provide the Commerce Department with records of the number of citizens...
In Dearborn, Whitmer talks about roads, education and economic growth
July 13th, 20190 DEARBORN – Governor Whitmer was in Dearborn this week for an expanded presentation of her 2020 budget proposal. To little surprise, infrastructure spending was a focus of her talk at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center. She later sat down with The Arab American News for an exclusive interview about the budget and the...
Dearborn Heights Councilwoman Lisa Hicks-Clayton seeks civility and transparency in local government
July 13th, 20191 DEARBORN HEIGHTS – City Councilwoman Lisa Hicks-Clayton has served on the Dearborn Heights City Council for two consecutive terms and hopes to continue serving the city’s residents. With the primary election coming up on Aug. 6, Hicks-Clayton, who will be one of nine candidates competing for three seats, spoke to The Arab American...
Arab American officer accuses Michigan Department of Corrections of racial harassment, files lawsuit
July 9th, 20190 JACKSON – A federal lawsuit was filed today by Hizam Yehia, an Arab American corrections officer at a Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) prison in Jackson, who claims he suffered years of racial abuse at the hands of fellow officers and administration. Detroit attorney Jonathan R. Marko, of Marko Law, told The Arab American...
U.S. Rep. Andy Levin to stand with faith leaders opposing war on Iran
July 5th, 20190 DETROIT - Christian and Muslim clerics will stand with U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-Warren) on Monday to call for peace and reason after the nation was brought to the brink of war with Iran last month. The demonstration will be held at Central United Methodist Church, located at 23 E Adams Ave in Detroit, at 12:30 p.m. Iranian born Imam...
Trump’s tweet brings the citizenship question on 2020 census form back to square one
July 5th, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Justice Department is now looking for ways to include the citizenship question back to the 2020 census form after President Trump vowed to stay the course on the issue on Wednesday. Trump ignored the time limitations and legal opinions issued at the end of last month by the U.S. Supreme Court that indicated...
Hammoud and Worthy address Flint’s frustrated residents
July 4th, 20190 FLINT – At a town-hall style meeting at the UAW Local 659 in Flint last Friday, Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy spoke to residents affected by the city’s water crisis. This was the first meeting of this kind and was held two weeks after the new investigative team dismissed all...
Rainbow Connection granted wishes to thousands of children in Michigan with life threatening illnesses
July 4th, 20190 ROCHESTER - Since its inception in 1985, Rochester based charity organization Rainbow Connection has made wishes come true for thousands of children with life threatening medical conditions in Michigan. The charity began when Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson organized a memorial golf outing to raise scholarship funds in...
Detroit head of FBI to lead Washington Field Office
July 3rd, 20190 DETROIT - Timothy Slater, former head of FBI in Detroit, is going to lead the agency's Washington Field Office. AP reported Monday that Slater is the new assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington office. Slater began his career in 1999 and was the special agent in charge of the Criminal/Cyber Division at the Washington......
Ghida Dagher: Creating change, opening doors behind the scenes
June 30th, 20190 LANSING – As waves of Arab Americans have pushed past political barriers and successfully secured political power in the country in recent years, many have become the representative faces of this growing trend. There are, however, many young Arab Americans who have worked for years in movement politics, and the community...
U.S. Supreme Court blocks citizenship question from 2020 Census, sends issue back to Commerce Department
June 30th, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. – A lack of an adequate explanation for the addition of the citizenship question to next year’s Census form has led the U.S. Supreme Court to rule against such an addition. The decision is a significant blow to President Trump’s efforts to undermine the count and prevent nearly 6.5 million people in the country......
New analysis shows AIPAC has spent millions to fund U.S. Congressional trips to Israel
June 27th, 20190 Washington – The American Israel Public Affairs (AIPAC) spends millions in all-expense paid trips for members of the U.S. House of Representatives to travel to Israel. A recent analysis conducted by Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy (IRmep) looked at grant travel filings from the U.S. House of Representative to track...
Hassan Sheikh named deputy director of Dearborn’s Economic and Community Development Department
June 27th, 20190 DEARBORN – Dearborn’s Economic and Community Development Department has appointed Hassan Sheikh as its deputy director. The department works to retain businesses, attract investment and maintain property values in the city. Sheikh was previously director of Hamtramck's Community and Economic Development Department. He was...
Muslim Caucus announces first ever national gathering of American Muslims in politics
June 26th, 20191 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Muslim Caucus will host a historic conference on July 23-24, featuring some of the most influential names in Muslim American politics. The lineup will include U.S. Rep Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Dr....
Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud to meet Flint residents, expand investigation
June 22nd, 20190 LANSING – The Department of Attorney General (AG) dropped all charges related to the Flint water crisis as an expanded investigation spearheaded by Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy is underway. Though details of the new investigation are yet to be released, Hammoud has said that she won't......
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell cosponsors bill to protect Palestinian children under Israeli occupation
June 22nd, 20191 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) has joined a roster of 19 legislators in cosponsoring H.R.2407 - Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act. The bill was introduced on the House floor by U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) in April and was referred to the House...
Local Arab Americans claim they were victimized by alleged Ponzi scheme
June 14th, 20190 DEARBORN – Three people with ties to the Metro Detroit area are among those claiming they were defrauded by former Canton resident Syed Arbab, a recent graduate of the University of Georgia, who has attracted the interest of the Securities and Exchange Commission. On June 3, the SEC announced that it was taking emergency action,......
Officials and community members gather to support Dave Abdallah’s re-election campaign kick-off
June 14th, 20190 Dearborn Heights – Councilman Dave Abdallah kicked off his campaign to be reelected to the Dearborn Heights City Council on Wednesday. The event, held at Bellagio Banquet Hall in Dearborn Heights, hosted several city officials and community members. Supporters and well-wishers included The Arab American News Publisher Osama Siblani,...
Attorney Mona Fadlallah appointed Dearborn Heights magistrate
June 14th, 20190 DEARBORN HEIGHTS – Attorney and AAPAC president Mona Fadlallah was appointed a part-time magistrate in the 20th District Court this week. The appointment was made by District Court Chief Judge David D. Turfe and vote for 6 to 0 by the City Council on Tuesday May 11. Councilman Bill Bazzi abstained from the vote due to conflict of......
