March 1 is the deadline for Yemenis to apply for TPS
The deadline for eligible nationals of Yemen (and people without nationality who last habitually resided in Yemen) to register for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is Tuesday, March 1. The TPS designation for Yemen runs from September 3, 2015 through March 3, 2017. Yemen was designated for TPS because of the ongoing armed conflict in...
DHS adds Yemen, Libya and Somalia to Visa Waiver Program restrictions
February 19th, 20160 WASHINGTON — On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it is continuing its implementation of the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 with the addition of Libya, Somalia, and Yemen as three countries of concern, limiting Visa Waiver Program travel for certain individuals...
Islamophobia and hate groups rise at alarming rate
February 18th, 20160 MONTGOMERY, ALA. — The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has released its annual Year in Hate report and the data depicts a country with extraordinary political and racial tensions. Established in 1971 to make promise of the newly re-enacted civil rights laws, the SPLC’s strategy is to fight hate, teach tolerance and seek...Mona Hammoud appointed to Wayne County Ethics Board
Mona HammoudDEARBORN — Mona Hammoud, of Dearborn, has been appointed to the Wayne County Ethics Board by the Wayne County Commission.Commission Chairman Gary Woronchak, D-Dearborn, nominated Hammoud for the appointment, which was approved by the Commission at its Feb. 18 meeting.Hammoud is a vice president for PNC bank, where she has...Crestwood School District placing $35 million bond proposal on ballot
DEARBORN HEIGHTS ― The Crestwood School District Board of Education has approved a resolution to place a bond proposal of $35 million on the May 3 ballot.The bond seeks to upgrade technology in classrooms, building infrastructure, safety and security in all schools within the Crestwood School District and is expected to...
Sanders woos Arab Americans during Dearborn visit
February 17th, 20160 Local Arab Americans pose with Sanders at the Dearborn UAW.DEARBORN – “When he talks about shutting the door of America to Muslims, all he’s talking about is scapegoating minorities,” Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders told a diverse crowd of local residents at the UAW Local 600 hall in Dearborn. “We will not...
Attorney: FBI seduced, manipulated man accused of supporting ISIS
February 17th, 20160 Khalil Abu-RayyanDETROIT — The Dearborn Heights man accused of supporting ISIS and planning an attack on a church was seduced and manipulated by an FBI agent, his attorney said. At a detention hearing on Tuesday afternoon, Todd Shanker, the court-appointed attorney of 21-year-old Khalil Abu-Rayyan, argued that his client is not a...Flint’s Arab Americans directed to resources to deal with crisis
The state is distributing Arabic documents to residents through the AAHCFLINT — Arab residents are "all set" with filters, bottled water, testing kits and Arabic-language informational documents about lead poisoning, a community activist said.Mona Sahouri, the executive director of the Flint-based Arab American Heritage Council, said...Flint and Detroit the most vacant U.S. cities
DETROIT — Flint is the most vacant city in the nation, according to a new report. Detroit is a close second. The report by RealtyTrack, which provides housing data nationwide, says 7.5 percent of homes in Flint are vacant. Detroit is not far behind with a 5.3 percent vacancy rate.But the two Michigan cities are exceptions to the...Dearborn Heights residents demand solution to rat problem
DEARBORN HEIGHTS — An epidemic of rats has plagued residents of Dearborn Heights for years despite complaints. Residents packed Tuesday’s city council meeting to address the issue with city leaders. The Arab American News first reported of the city’s pest problem last summer. In addition to rats, residents were complaining...Snyder seeks $300 million for Flint water, Detroit schools
FLINT — This week, Governor Snyder asked state lawmakers to provide more than $300 million in his current and fiscal 2017 budget proposals to deal with the lead-tainted water crisis in Flint and to keep the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) from running out of cash as early as April. The Republican governor, who has come under fire...WIC site in Dearborn’s Southend aims to assist Yemeni Americans
DEARBORN — Mothers and young children in Dearborn’s South End will now be able to receive nutritional support through a new WIC (Women’s, Infants and Children’s) program site. The Wayne County Commission voted to modify its contract with The Resource Network Inc. of Hamtramck to open the site at 10547 Dix Ave. The...
Your social media behavior reflects on the entire community
February 12th, 20160 DEARBORN — The allegations against Khalil Abu-Rayyan, the 21-year-old Dearborn Heights resident who was accused of supporting ISIS by the FBI, came as no surprise to those who knew him or had been following him on social media. Court documents revealed that Abu-Rayyan had used Twitter to re-tweet, like and comment on ISIS propaganda...
Social media campaign highlights Arab and Muslim contributions
February 12th, 20160 A young activist at a Take on Hate rally in Washington D.C.DEARBORN — Those who monitor bigotry can barely keep up with Islamophobia fueled by politicians and media pundits. Ever since election season kicked off, hate crimes against Muslims have been on the rise in America, forcing Muslim Americans and advocacy organizations to...
Tensions flare at City Council meeting in protest against Dearborn Police
February 12th, 20160 New Era Detroit members protesting at the Dearborn city council meeting.DEARBORN — A Dearborn City Council meeting abruptly ended in chaos after a group of protestors demanded answers about the deaths of two Detroit residents who were shot and killed by Dearborn police officers in the last two months. The deaths of Kevin Matthew, 35,......
Major reconstruction, expansion of I-75 to begin in July
Reconstruction of I-75 will begin this summer, with added lanes and smoother roads starting through Bloomfield Township, Auburn Hills and Troy.The project is part of an eight-phase endeavor to rebuild approximately 18 miles of the freeway between South Boulevard and 8 Mile Road in Oakland County, according to a Michigan Department of...
A year after Chapel Hill tragedy, community still traumatized
February 12th, 20160 A makeshift memorial for Deah the victims in the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Feb. 11, 2015. Photo: ReutersDEARBORN — Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha and Razan Abu-Salha were model citizens — students, activists, volunteers. An evil neighbor invaded their home and shot all three of them in the head. Their friends......
State Sen. Smith may step down, serve 10 months in plea deal
Virgil SmithDETROIT — State Sen. Virgil Smith (D-Detroit) may resign his post and go to jail for 10 months as a part of a guilty plea in connection to shooting at his ex-wife last year. In May of 2015, Smith, 35, was charged with domestic violence assault and felony firearm after firing his gun at his ex-wife's car when she was...Ellen Degeneres donates $500,000 to Detroit Public Schools
DETROIT – Daytime talk show host Ellen Degeneres surprised Detroit Public Schools with a donation of $500,000 with the help of Lowes and pop superstar Justin Bieber.Degeneres and Bieber presented Spain Elementary-Middle School with the check via a live video feed during her show. The revelations of dangerous conditions at...Property values rise in Dearborn
Dearborn homes near Warren AvenueDEARBORN — The value of residential property rose 6.7 percent in Dearborn from 2015 to 2016 as the city completed a detailed, multi-year reassessment of properties. However, residents will see only a negligible increase in property taxes due to the reassessment."The 6.7 percent increase in assessed...
Dearborn Heights man allegedly supported ISIS, planned to attack a church
February 6th, 20160 Khalil Abu-RayyanDETROIT — A Dearborn Heights man told an undercover FBI agent he planned to attack a church in Detroit and made several violent threats online on behalf of ISIS, according to legal documents.Khalil Abu-Rayyan, 21, was arrested by Detroit Police last October for having marijuana and carrying a gun in his car without a......
Muslim Americans weigh in on Obama’s mosque visit
February 5th, 20160 Obama delivers remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque in Catonsville, Maryland Feb. 3DEARBORN — President Obama finally visited an American mosque as president. U.S. Muslim activists praised the president for the speech he delivered at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, but many criticized him for taking seven years before...
Shooting near Masonic Temple disrupts homeless feeding
February 5th, 20160 Volunteers help pass out food for Detroit's homeless - Photo by Nahid AyoubDETROIT — A shootout broke out near the Masonic Temple Theater on Sunday, Jan. 24 while local activists and State Rep. Julie Plawecki were volunteering to feed the homeless. At around 2:30 p.m., volunteers were mingling with homeless friends after passing out......
Fighting over the tab: Is Arab generosity at odds with mainstream culture?
February 5th, 20160 Three local males fight over the check at Mango's Cafe in Dearborn - The Arab American NewsDEARBORN — The waitress brings the check to a table full of Arabs at the La Pita restaurant and chaos erupts. "Someone will automatically snatch the bill out of my hand or they'll snatch it out of each others hands," said Jessica...Abdullah Hammoud announces bid for 15th District state rep. seat
Abdullah Hammoud.DEARBORN — Lifelong Dearborn resident and community member Abdullah Hammoud officially announced his candidacy for state representative in the 15th District this week. Hammoud is one of the few candidates vying to fill the seat of incumbent, term-limited State Rep. George Darany, whose tenure ends this......
