ACC gala emphasizes the Syrian refugee plight
ACC President and CEO Haifa Fakhoury with Keynote Speaker Huwaida Arraf.DETROIT — At the Arab American and Chaldean Council's (ACC) 37th annual Civic and Humanitarian Awards Gala, keynote speaker and honoree Huwaida Arraf, a Palestinian American human rights activist and co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, delivered...Lt. Gov. Calley extends hand to Arab Americans, talks Trump, investment and education
DEARBORN — Lt. Gov. Brian Calley addressed a group of local government officials, community leaders and entrepreneurs last week about extending hands across party lines to introduce policy changes in Lansing that would impact the city. He spoke about creating environments to draw investment, improve education and eliminate lead...Investment Development Authority of Lebanon chairman: Now is the time to invest in homeland
Nabil Itani, chairman of the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon.DEARBORN — During a recent trip to the United States, Nabil Itani, chairman of the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) conveyed a message to the Lebanese community that now is the right time to invest in their home country. Itani visited New York...Oakland County Exec: I will sue to stop Syrian refugees
TROY – Oakland is the leading county in the state that has resettled the most refugees, and Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson isn’t having it.Patterson on Tuesday announced that he plans to sue the government in order to put a halt on the growing number of Syrian refugees who have settled in cities...Yogurt shop in Royal Oak evacuated after caller made ISIS bomb threat
ROYAL OAK – Yogurt City was evacuated on Tuesday around 3:30 p.m., after a caller called the shop and said he was affiliated to ISIS and that “a bomb would go off at the business in four hours.” Located at 11 mile and Main Street, in the heart of downtown Royal Oak, employees and customers were quickly...
Dearborn Schools leading the way in accommodating immigrants
September 20th, 20160 Students at William Ford Elementary on the first day of school.DEARBORN — The city has come a long way from the days when Mayor Orville Hubbard wanted to keep it White. Now, Dearborn is home to the highest concentration of Arab Americans in the country.About 30 years ago, Mayor Mike Guido wanted to talk about the “Arab problem.”....
Documentary to expose widespread spying on Arabs and Muslims
September 16th, 20160 DEARBORN — FBI surveillance of the sizable local Arab American community may not come as a shock to many people here. In 2014, a leaked federal report designated Dearborn as having the second highest concentration of links to "known or suspected terrorists" in the country. However, surveillance of Muslims and Arab...Gov. Snyder proclaims Welcoming Week in Michigan
LANSING — Michigan is a welcoming state to immigrants who contribute economically and culturally toward making our state a better place, Gov. Snyder said, proclaiming September 16-25 as Welcoming Week in Michigan, an annual designation. "As we celebrate Welcoming Week, we have an ever sharper focus on the need for immigration reform...Students sue Snyder, state board, citing literary deficiencies
DETROIT — Seven students, represented by the not-for-profit law firm Public Counsel, filed a lawsuit against Gov. Snyder, the State Board of Education and other school officials on Sept. 13. The lawsuit addresses the literacy deficiencies among school children, with a strong emphasis on Detroit's schools. The lawsuit was formed...
Arab Americans reflect on their war experiences
September 16th, 20160 DEARBORN — Even though Arab Americans live far from the wars and terror happening in the Middle East, most are consumed by the thought of losing loved ones or have experienced terror firsthand. Whether their Arab nationality is Iraqi, Palestinian, Syrian, Yemeni or Lebanese, they all share similar experiences of war and persevere in...
White Americans embrace Arab culture, promote unity
September 16th, 20160 Novi resident Cristen Colleen (second from right) visits the Adonis restaurant in DearbornDEARBORN — The current political climate in the U.S. has lead minority groups to feel some discontent towards White Americans. With the rise of Islamophobia and Donald Trump, growing resentments towards illegal immigrants and refugees, as well...ADC-MI encourages judicial excellence at 14th annual Judges Night banquet
DEARBORN — A judge's seat can be a much sought after position.At the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Michigan Regional Office's (ADC-MI), 14th annual Guardians of Justice Judges Night banquet on Thursday, September 8, a strong emphasis on judicial leadership was the overall sentiment.ADC-MI established Judges Night...Serial rapist charged in numerous cases
DEARBORN — Dearborn police finally captured a serial rapist who attacked victims in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, Redford, Allen Park and Inkster, among other cities, dating back to five years ago. Last week, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy's office charged Ikeie Ranordo Smith, 32, of Redford Township with first-degree...Michigan violent crime rate plunges from peak decades ago
DETROIT — While Michigan still has many challenges, crime no longer appears to be one of them. The violent crime rate peaked in 1986 in Michigan, with 803.9 violent offenses per 100,000 people, and was nearing half that amount by 2012 at 454.5 offenses, according to FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics. Michigan State Police...
Local groups’ websites hacked with jihadi messges
September 15th, 20160 DEARBORN — The websites of three local Arab American organizations have been hacked, with their homepage displaying extremist jihadi messages.“Our brothers in Syria & Palestine & Iraq & Burma & Chichan & Ifriquia & asia are dying Stop follow and imitate western people in Wrong culture And forget about your......
Clinton reiterates support for two-state solution
September 15th, 20160 Clinton speaking in Charlotte, N.C. Sept 8 (Reuters)DEARBORN — Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton reiterated her support for the two-state solution and emphasized Palestinians' right to a normal life with peace an dignity, in an exclusive statement to The Arab American News.Arab Americans may disagree on many issues, but ensuring the...
Abu-Rayyan pleads guilty to gun charges
September 13th, 20160 Abu-Rayyan in Circuit Court (WDIV)DETROIT — A Dearborn Heights man who was accused of supporting ISIS and plotting a church attack could face up to 20 years in prison after entering a guilty plea to federal gun counts. Khalil Abu-Rayyan, 22, did not face terror-related charges. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to two counts —......
Arabs for Hillary hope to rally reluctant community
September 9th, 20160 (L-R) Zade Alsawah, Nirmeen Fahmy and Zaineb Hussein.DEARBORN — It's no secret that Arab and Muslim Americans have not rallied behind Hillary Clinton with the same enthusiasm as other presidential candidates. In fact, Arab Americans were credited with tilting the scales in Senator Bernie Sanders' favor during the state's...Lebanese Americans commemorate Imam Sadr disappearance
Community members gather at the Islamic Center of AmericaDEARBORN — Amal Movement in the United States, Message of Hope USA, commemorated the 38th anniversary of the disappearance of Lebanese leader Musa al-Sadr during a trip to Libya in 1978. Sadr founded the Amal Movement in Lebanon in 1974 and revived interfaith dialogue, calling...Henry Ford College to assist displaced college students
DEARBORN — Henry Ford College (HFC) plans on assisting 40,000 students who were dislocated after a national technical college shut down all five of its campuses in Michigan. HFC will provide opportunities to help students of ITT Technical Institute finish their educations and move on with their career goals. After the incident,...LAHC rebrands itself, donates school supplies to hundreds in Detroit
DEARBORN — Times are changing, and so is the local Arab American community. To reflect a growing and evolving Middle Eastern community in metro Detroit, The Lebanese American Heritage Club (LAHC), a nonprofit social services organization and local household name, has rebranded itself as the Leaders Advancing and Helping......
Huntington Bank to settle class action lawsuit in alleged discriminatory account closures
September 9th, 20160 DEARBORN — The strife of thousands of Arab Americans being discriminated against by government entities since 9/11, as well as by some Trump-inspired individuals, is nothing new to the immigrant community. Recently, cases of banks abruptly closing the accounts of their Arab Americans customers without explanation have begun to...Arab bodybuilder places second in North American championship
Haider Ali.DEARBORN — Haider Ali stood proud when he came in second place in the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) North American Championship, which took place in Pittsburgh on September 1. The 35-year-old Iraqi bodybuilder had previously nabbed the top title in 2013, in the lightweight......
Home-based community bakers shine on Instagram
@zee_sweets.DEARBORN — At one point it seemed impossible for home-based bakers to attract customers, but the past few years have proven otherwise because of social media sites like Instagram. This useful site has allowed talented bakers from the community to launch and showcase their small businesses without having to market or...
Stein promotes ‘Green New Deal’ in Detroit
September 9th, 20160 Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka speaking to reporters in Detroit.DETROIT — Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and her running mate, Ajamu Baraka, campaigned in Detroit on Sept. 3, presenting themselves as a viable alternative to the two major parties' candidates. Stein emphasized the symbolism of Detroit in the national......