Metro Detroit’s Arab and Muslim leaders condemn U.S.–Israeli unjustifiable attack on Iran, warn of wider regional war
March 6th, 20260 The U.S.–Israeli military assault on Iran and its dangerous repercussions across the Middle East sparked a wave of condemnation among Arab and Muslim Americans across the Detroit area. Local leaders called for an immediate halt to the wide-scale military operations to prevent the region from sliding into a broader war that could...
Dearborn School Board retroactively corrects search violations, approves five HFC presidential finalists
March 6th, 20260 Following a report published by The Arab American News in its previous issue detailing administrative violations in the search process for a new president of Henry Ford College, the Dearborn Board of Education sought during a special meeting held Monday to correct some procedural irregularities and address three violations of the...
Civil rights lawyer Amir Makled runs for University of Michigan Board of Regents on affordability, access and free speech
March 6th, 20260 Local attorney Amir Makled hopes to make history as the first Arab and Muslim American to serve on the University of Michigan Board of Regents, saying his decision to run is driven not by personal ambition but by his belief in the importance of equal representation within public institutions. The Lebanese American lawyer is seeking the...
Hamtramck Councilman Muhtasin Sadman pleads guilty to reduced charge in election fraud case
March 6th, 20260 Hamtramck City Council member Muhtasin Sadman has resolved a criminal case tied to allegations of election fraud in the 2023 Hamtramck municipal elections, after pleading guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Sadman entered the plea before Hamtramck District Court late last month, admitting...Suspicious backroom maneuvering and administrative violations threaten to delay Henry Ford College’s presidential search
February 27th, 20261 As the Dearborn Board of Education prepares to ratify the final list of candidates for the presidency of Henry Ford College at a special meeting scheduled for Monday, March 2, the selection process for the new president of the Dearborn-based community college faces the possibility of collapse and a complete restart. An alleged breach of...
Prominent attorney Shereef Akeel seeks seat on Wayne State University Board of Governors
February 27th, 20260 Arab American attorney Shereef Akeel does not hide his enthusiasm for adding a new chapter to his distinguished career defending civil rights, the law and the Constitution — this time by running for a seat on the Board of Governors at Wayne State University in Detroit. Akeel is competing for the Democratic Party nomination at its...
Richard A. Bierschbach named 14th president of Wayne State University
February 27th, 20260 DETROIT – The Wayne State University Board of Governors has unanimously elected Richard A. Bierschbach, J.D., as the university’s 14th president, effective immediately. Bierschbach has led the university on an interim basis since September 17. Prior to that appointment, he served for more than eight years as dean of Wayne State...
Benson, James and Duggan locked in tight 2026 Michigan gubernatorial race
February 27th, 20260 DETROIT — Despite varying results, multiple polls suggest that Michigan’s gubernatorial race is shaping up to be an exceptionally close contest between three leading figures: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (Democrat), U.S. Rep. John James (Republican) and independent candidate Mike Duggan. Although the Democratic and Republican...
Macomb County woman faces felony sextortion charges in Oakland County case
February 27th, 20260 ROYAL OAK — A 26-year-old Arab American woman from Macomb County is facing felony charges related to an alleged online sextortion scheme in which she is accused of luring men through adult websites and later threatening and extorting them for thousands of dollars. According to local authorities, Marina Elissa Bazzi was arrested at...
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...
Former House Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash launches Michigan Senate bid in District 1
February 20th, 20260 DETROIT — Former Democratic State Rep. Abraham Aiyash, who made history in 2023 as the first Arab American to serve as majority floor leader of the Michigan House of Representatives, is preparing a return to the Capitol in Lansing — this time as a candidate for the Michigan Senate. Aiyash is running in Michigan’s First Senate...
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, 20260 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......
Detroit Police suspend officers over ICE cooperation, reaffirm immigration policy
February 20th, 20260 DETROIT — Reaffirming its refusal to engage in federal immigration enforcement, Detroit Police leadership has suspended two officers for cooperating with federal agents in the arrest of undocumented immigrants within the city. Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison disclosed during a meeting of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners...
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......
Shelby Township man sentenced to three years for $3 million PPP fraud scheme
February 20th, 20260 DETROIT — In one of the latest rulings tied to COVID-19 relief fraud, a federal court in Detroit sentenced a Macomb County man to three years in prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar scheme involving the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The defendant, Samer Kammo, 46, of Shelby Township, was also ordered to pay nearly...
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...
Evans highlights transit expansion, infrastructure, crime reduction and fiscal stability in 2026 State of the County address
February 13th, 20260 DEARBORN — Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans delivered his 11th annual State of the County address Wednesday at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, outlining major milestones in fiscal stability and public safety while unveiling new initiatives focused on transit, education and long-term economic health. Before his...
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...
Federal Judge Hala Y. Jarbou rejects DOJ lawsuit seeking full Michigan voter roll
February 13th, 20260 LANSING — On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Hala Yalda Jarbou of the Western District of Michigan dismissed a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice seeking the complete list of Michigan’s registered voters — including millions of voters’ personal data — ruling that such disclosure would violate federal law. Judge......
Dearborn reports second consecutive year of crime decline, officials credit investment and technology
February 13th, 20260 DEARBORN — On Tuesday, for the second consecutive year, Dearborn officials celebrated a citywide decline in crime, attributing the continued downward trend to strategic investments, strengthened community partnerships, expanded patrol presence and increased funding for the Police Department under the administration of Mayor Abdullah...
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......
