Firing of Hamtramck’s clerk raises troubling question: Did the city follow the law?
March 20th, 20260 When Hamtramck officials announced they were searching for a new city clerk after firing Rana Faraj, the explanation offered to the public seemed straightforward. City officials suggested the termination stemmed from the controversy surrounding the 2025 election and a series of alleged workplace issues. But a closer look at the timeline...
Dearborn to host major community fundraiser for displaced families in Lebanon
March 20th, 20260 DEARBORN — Under the patronage of the Lebanese consul general of Lebanon in Detroit, Ibrahim Khalil Charara, and with the participation of a broad coalition of local organizations, the Bint Jebail Cultural Center will host a major solidarity and fundraising event for Lebanon on Sunday, March 22. The event will take place at the...
Metro Detroit Lebanese American community rallies to aid the displaced and war refugees in Lebanon amid Israeli assault
March 13th, 20260 As Israel’s continuing assault on Lebanon drives wave after wave of displacement, Lebanese American organizations in Metro Detroit have stepped up relief efforts to support families uprooted by the violence. While the resistance continues confronting Israeli forces on the ground and striking inside Israel with rockets and drones, the...
CAIR report records unprecedented surge in Islamophobia in the United States in 2025
March 13th, 20260 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Under the title “The Right to be Different”, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) released its 2026 annual civil rights report on Tuesday, documenting what it described as an unprecedented rise in Islamophobia in the United States, fueled in part by the strict immigration and protest policies adopted...
Hamtramck begins search for new city clerk after firing Rana Faraj amid election controversy
March 13th, 20260 The city of Hamtramck has begun the process of searching for a new city clerk after firing former clerk Rana Faraj for what officials described as a “failure to maintain professionalism, integrity and neutrality” in her role overseeing the city’s election process. The decision came after investigators discovered a boxing bag...
Tennessee congressman sparks outrage with anti-Muslim rant
March 13th, 20260 WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Tennessee Republican congressman is facing widespread condemnation after posting a series of anti-Muslim statements on social media declaring that “Muslims don’t belong in American society”, remarks that civil rights advocates say reflect a troubling rise in Islamophobic rhetoric in U.S. politics. U.S. Rep....
BintJbeil.org iftar draws hundreds in Dearborn in support of Lebanon amid Israeli attacks
March 6th, 20260 DEARBORN – Amid worsening humanitarian conditions caused by intensified Israeli airstrikes across several regions of Lebanon, BintJbeil.org hosted a Ramadan iftar at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn on Wednesday under the theme “From Dearborn to Lebanon: One Heart in the Face of Pain.” The event featured...
Romulus City Council unanimously opposes proposed ICE detention center amid protests
February 27th, 20261 ROMULUS — During its regular meeting on Monday, the Romulus City Council unanimously issued a formal declaration opposing the opening of a detention center for undocumented immigrants within city limits, as protesters clashed outside City Hall between supporters and opponents. Although the resolution carries no legal authority to...
Wyandotte School Board member Cindy Kinney resigns following anti-Muslim social media post
February 27th, 20260 WYANDOTTE — Board of Education member Cindy Kinney has resigned following intense public criticism for sharing an anti-Muslim post on social media. Kinney, who served on the board for 12 years, stepped down after widespread backlash from residents and civil rights organizations. The controversy erupted after she reposted an image on...
Muslims in Metro Detroit welcome winter Ramadan with shorter fasting hours and expanded community programs
February 20th, 20260 As Ramadan coincides this year with the winter season, Arab and Muslim communities across Metro Detroit are observing the holy month with shorter fasting hours and colder temperatures that have reshaped the public atmosphere. While some outdoor activities have slowed due to winter weather, the region has maintained its characteristic...
ICE expands footprint in Metro Detroit with Romulus detention facility purchase and Southfield office lease
February 20th, 20260 ROMULUS / SOUTHFIELD — Federal preparations in the Detroit area signal a major expansion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Southeast Michigan, including the purchase of a large detention facility near Detroit Metropolitan Airport and the leasing of administrative office space in Southfield. The...
Detroit Yemenis face deportation as Syrian TPS fight continues in federal court
February 20th, 20261 DETROIT — Thousands of Yemeni and Syrian nationals who have built their lives in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) now face legal uncertainty after the Trump administration moved to terminate their protections, citing improved conditions in their home countries. For Yemeni TPS holders, the deadline is fast...
Wayne County treasurer expands online assistance to help property owners avoid foreclosure
February 20th, 20260 WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. — As winter weather and ongoing construction make in-person visits more challenging, the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office is urging homeowners and property owners to take advantage of expanded online tools designed to help residents address delinquent property taxes and avoid foreclosure. Wayne County Treasurer...
Republican Rep. Randy Fine faces resignation calls after post suggesting he’d choose dogs over Muslims
February 17th, 20260 Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) prompted calls for his resignation from Democrats and a major Islamic civil rights group after suggesting in a social media post that he'd choose dogs over Muslims. "If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one," Fine posted to the social media platform X on...
A family legacy rises in Canton: Saj Bakery opens new flagship location
February 13th, 20260 CANTON — Over the past several years, hundreds of Arab American families have relocated to Canton Township, bringing with them a growing number of Arab-owned businesses that have followed the community’s expansion westward — from Dearborn to Dearborn Heights and now to the thriving township at the western edge of Wayne......
Mallak Baydoun takes helm as Dearborn Heights chief of staff amid financial and operational challenges
February 13th, 20260 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Mallak Baydoun has been appointed chief of staff to Mayor Mo Baydoun, stepping into a key leadership role as the administration works to stabilize city finances and improve internal operations. Baydoun assumed the position following a leadership reorganization that moved former Chief of Staff Hussein Saad, an...
Hamtramck City Council appoints Dr. Adel AlAdlani as city manager
February 13th, 20260 HAMTRAMCK — The Hamtramck City Council voted by majority to appoint Dr. Adel AlAdlani as the city’s new city manager during its regular meeting on Tuesday, following a heated debate over the speed and method of the selection process, which went through several stages to name a permanent city manager to succeed dismissed former City......
Dearborn police launch AI body cameras with 56-language translation
February 13th, 20260 DEARBORN — In a groundbreaking move aimed at breaking language barriers and strengthening community trust, the Dearborn Police Department has announced the deployment of the latest generation of Axon body cameras, equipped with advanced real-time field translation technology. The AI-powered cameras allow direct, two-way voice...
Veteran political and community activist Ismael (Ish) Ahmed dies at 79
January 31st, 20260 The Arab American community in metro Detroit is mourning the loss of veteran political and community activist Ismael (Ish) Ahmed, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 79, following a lifetime dedicated to immigrant rights, social justice and ethnic communities in Michigan. Funeral and memorial arrangements will be announced later,...
Lebanese General Security Chief Hassan Choucair visits local community, speaks on Lebanon’s challenges and reforms, praises diaspora support
January 30th, 20260 DEARBORN — On the sidelines of his participation in a security conference in Las Vegas, Lebanese Director General of General Security Major General Hassan Ezzat Choucair made a point of visiting the Lebanese community in the Detroit area on Friday, January 23, where he addressed recent political developments in Lebanon at a private...
Hamtramck City Council appoints Hussein Farhat as interim police chief
January 30th, 20260 HAMTRAMCK — During its regular meeting on Tuesday, a majority of the Hamtramck City Council voted to appoint veteran law enforcement officer Hussein Farhat as the city’s interim police chief, following extensive discussions between the city administration and Council members, whose opinions were divided over the decision. Prior to......
The Arab American News marks issue 2084, celebrating 41 years as the voice of Arab Americans in North America
January 23rd, 20260 Forty-one years ago, issue “zero” of The Arab American News was published on January 23, 1985, marking the start of a long journey in what is often called “the profession of troubles.” The burdens and challenges of this demanding field were softened only by the steady rise of the Arab American community — growing and thriving...
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud sworn in for second term, vows more housing, flood protection and “people first” growth
January 16th, 20260 DEARBORN — In a large, formal inauguration ceremony held on Saturday, January 10, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud renewed his commitment to continuing the city’s progress, saying Dearborn has become one of the fastest-growing communities in the Great Lakes region under his leadership. Hammoud highlighted accomplishments from his......
Dearborn plans new East-end neighborhood with 300 homes, expanding affordable homeownership
January 16th, 20260 DEARBORN — As part of Mayor Abdullah Hammoud’s broader agenda for community and economic development, the city is planning a new residential neighborhood on the east side, featuring approximately 300 homes and apartments near the intersection of Greenfield Road and Paul Street. City officials said the project — still in its...
Resilient Neighborhoods: Preparing Southwest Detroit youth for power and purpose
January 9th, 20260 By Layla McMurtrie In the Springwells neighborhood of Southwest Detroit, a new generation of leaders is gaining skills, confidence and community through the Leaders in Training (LIT) program at Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI). LIT supports youth ages 14 to 24 by creating a pathway — starting with early exposure in childhood......
