Gov. Whitmer elevates Judge Mariam Saad Bazzi to Court of Appeals, making her the state’s first Arab and Muslim appellate judge
April 25th, 20250 LANSING / DEARBORN – In a historic first for Michigan’s judicial system, Governor Whitmer appointed Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Mariam Saad Bazzi to the Michigan Court of Appeals- First District, making her the first Arab and Muslim American to serve on the appellate court in the state’s history. The historic appointment...
Resilient Neighborhoods: Center offers language, community support for adult learners
April 24th, 20250 By Carole Hawke With a long presence and an expanding footprint, the Siena Literacy Center in West Detroit is a pillar of support for adult learners, including a growing West African immigrant population. “Siena was founded by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, who believe that anyone who shows interest in improving themselves or...
Mayor Abdullah Hammoud highlights progress in second State of the City address: Dearborn among Michigan’s fastest-growing cities
April 18th, 20250 DEARBORN — Mayor Abdullah Hammoud delivered his second State of the City address titled "Destination Dearborn" at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, April 15. During the well-attended event, Hammoud highlighted the city's accomplishments and outlined future plans that will continue to elevate the city, addressing...
Resilient Neighborhoods: East Side seniors better equipped to age in place with home repair grants and education
April 18th, 20250 By Allison Torres Burtka Seniors in Detroit often face challenges maintaining older homes. The nonprofit organization U SNAP BAC (which stands for United Streets Networking And Planning: Building A Community), on Detroit’s East Side, created a program to help with home repairs and to address needs that it often sees among the...
Dearborn man faces life sentence for arson at Garden City massage center
April 18th, 20250 GARDEN CITY — A 34-year-old Arab American man from Dearborn, identified as Ali Al-Shimary, is facing eight felony charges — including attempted murder and arson — after allegedly setting fire to a massage center in Garden City while two women were inside. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, when Garden...
CAIR accuses Wayne State University police of discrimination against Arab and Muslim students
April 18th, 20250 DETROIT — The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) has filed a formal complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR), accusing Wayne State University (WSU) campus police of racial and religious discrimination against Arab and Muslim students. The complaint follows a pro-Palestinian...
Arab American child struck and killed by ice cream truck in Detroit’s Warrendale neighborhood
April 18th, 20250 DETROIT — A tragic accident in Detroit’s Warrendale neighborhood has left the Arab American community in mourning after Mubarak Walid, a 6-year-old boy, was fatally struck by an ice cream truck Monday evening. According to Detroit Police Department Capt. Shannon Hampton, the incident occurred around 7 p.m. at the intersection of...
Former Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers launches another Michigan Senate run
April 18th, 20250 On Monday, former Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers launched another campaign for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, becoming the first major Republican candidate to jump into one of the most competitive races of the 2026 midterm elections. The Michigan race is expected to be key to the battle for the U.S. Senate, with Republicans looking to...
ACCESS NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
April 14th, 20250 Health Resources and Services Administration NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT For Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) Recovery Center In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts...
Michigan civil rights union and immigrant rights center condemns attacks on international students
April 11th, 20250 DETROIT - The ACLU of Michigan and the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center condemn the Trump administration’s continued use of authoritarian tactics to attack international and noncitizen students and our higher education system. Abruptly revoking international student visas of immigrant students at the University of Michigan, Central...
Dearborn attorney detained at Detroit Metro Airport after family vacation; CBP questioned him about clients and attempted to seize his phone
April 11th, 20250 A brief family vacation turned into a harrowing experience for Dearborn-based Arab American attorney Amir Makled, 38, when federal agents detained him at Detroit Metropolitan Airport upon his return from the Dominican Republic. Makled, who specializes in criminal defense and civil rights cases, was subjected to extensive questioning and...
Michigan Supreme Court: Smell of marijuana no longer legal grounds for search
April 11th, 20250 LANSING – Police in Michigan can no longer use the smell of marijuana as a legal justification to search individuals or vehicles, according to a new ruling issued last week by the state’s Supreme Court. The court ruled that because marijuana use is legal in the state, law enforcement cannot justify a search — even if the smell is...
Spitting match turns violent: Gunfire erupts at Southfield gas station
April 11th, 20250 SOUTHFIELD – An Arab American gas station attendant in Southfield is facing charges of assault with a dangerous weapon after firing multiple shots to intimidate an African American customer who spat on him during a verbal altercation earlier this month. The incident occurred at a station on Greenfield Road near 10 Mile. The attendant,...
Federal crackdown continues on pro-Palestinian protesters: Visa cancellations hit international students at Michigan universities
April 11th, 20250 ANN ARBOR –As part of a federal crackdown on pro-Palestinian student voices at U.S. universities, at least five universities in Michigan have reported the cancellation of student visas by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The University of Michigan stated that visas for four international students were revoked, including...
Know Your Rights: CAIR releases educational guide for dealing with ICE officers
April 11th, 20250 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Under the title “Know Your Rights”, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) recently published an educational guide outlining what to do when interacting with officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal law enforcement agencies. CAIR said in a statement that the guide......
Nationwide “Hands Off!” protest campaign against Trump administration hits Michigan
April 11th, 20250 LANSING – Last Saturday, dozens of demonstrations took place across the state as part of a nationwide "Hands Off" protest campaign against President Trump’s administration policies, with the largest ones taking place in Lansing and Ann Arbor. Opponents of Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk organized more than 1,200 protests...
Republican U.S. Representative John James joins 2026 Michigan gubernatorial race
April 11th, 20250 SHELBY TOWNSHIP – U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township), has announced his candidacy for governor in the 2026 election. He joins a growing list of contenders aiming to succeed the term-limited Gov. Whitmer. James was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022 and re-elected in 2024. He previously ran......
Four Hamtramck City Council members under investigation for election fraud
April 11th, 20250 Four of the six members of the Hamtramck City Council, along with a former member, are under criminal investigation for conspiracy and election fraud related to the illegal acquisition of absentee ballots. This is according to official documents recently released by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, which requested the...
Abdul El-Sayed resigns as Wayne County public health director ahead of potential 2026 U.S. Senate run in Michigan
April 9th, 20250 ANN ARBOR – Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, director of the Wayne County public health department, has officially resigned from his position in preparation for a potential run for the U.S. Senate in 2026. Democratic Senator Gary Peters has announced he will not seek re-election, creating an open field for his seat. In comments to the Detroit...
Michigan sees biggest jobless spike as Trump tariffs fuel economic uncertainty
April 4th, 20250 LANSING – Amid growing fears of an economic slowdown triggered by the tariff war led by President Trump’s administration, Michigan has recorded the largest year-over-year increase in unemployment among all 50 U.S. states, registering one of the worst unemployment rates in the nation, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau...
Religious leaders, human rights activists urge Wayne State University officials to protect students supporting Palestinian rights
April 4th, 20250 DETROIT – On Wednesday, religious leaders and human rights activists in Michigan sent an open letter to Wayne State University President Kimberly Andrews Espy and members of the university’s Board of Governors, expressing deep concern over what they described as repressive campaigns targeting students protesting acts of genocide in......
Community holds fundraiser for Wayne County Executive Warren Evans’ 2026 re-election campaign
April 4th, 20250 DEARBORN – Friends of Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, led by Deputy County Executive Assad Turfe, organized a well attended fundraising event last Thursday evening at La Pita Banquet Center in Dearborn in support of Evans’ 2026 reelection campaign. The event drew an impressive crowd of public officials, elected leaders, business...
Governor Whitmer declares April as Arab American Heritage Month in Michigan; Trump ignores it nationally
April 4th, 20250 LANSING – On Tuesday, for the fifth consecutive year, Governor Whitmer announced that April will be recognized as Arab American Heritage Month in the state. This designation celebrates the contributions of Arab Americans to Michigan's culture and economy. In stark contrast, President Trump has refrained from officially recognizing the......
Karmanos Cancer Institute recognized March as Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month
April 4th, 20250 DETROIT — The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute cancer centers and other organizations nationwide recognized March as Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month. Multiple myeloma is a type of blood and bone marrow cancer, specifically targeting plasma cells, the cells responsible for producing antibodies. There is no cure for multiple...
Michigan begins implementing expanded unemployment benefits: Weekly maximum increased by $84
April 4th, 20250 LANSING – As of Wednesday, the state of Michigan began implementing new unemployment benefit rules, under legislation passed last year by the former Democratic majority in the State House and senate and signed into law by Governor Whitmer. The new benefits include a $84 increase to the maximum weekly unemployment payment, raising it......
