Immigration conference to discuss profiling at border next month
August 22nd, 20140 DETROIT — The Northern Borders Coalition (NBC) Immigrants Rights Conference will take place Tuesday, Sep. 16 at the United Auto Workers Ford National Training Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The event, entitled “From North to South: Civil Rights Along the Border”, will focus on the issue of profiling at the...“Islamic State” denounced at interfaith candlelight vigil
August 22nd, 20140 BIRMINGHAM — On Thursday, Aug. 14, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh clergy members, among other religious leaders of various faiths, held an interfaith candlelight and prayer vigil at Shain Park in Birmingham and denounced the terrorist group IS. Representatives from human rights and civic organizations also...Dearborn Scavengers to receive $500 ticket for going through residents’ trash after flood
August 22nd, 20140 DEARBORN — The Dearborn City Council on Wednesday approved an emergency ordinance that prohibits curbside scavenging of trash in the city. The punishment for violating the ordinance is a $500 fine and 93 days in jail. The emergency ordinance will expire in 61 days, unless the council takes further action. City ordinance...Closings, pay cuts proposed for Detroit schools
DETROIT – The Detroit Public Schools System will be cutting the paychecks of administrators and teachers in October. The 10 percent pay cut needs to be approved by state Superintendent Mike Flanagan before it goes into affect. The salary for the top DPS teacher would decrease from $66,000 to $59,400 per year. Part of the plan involves...Wayne County: More than $340M in flood damages
DETROIT – Wayne County officials currently estimates that the August 11 storm that severely impacted parts of Southeastern Michigan resulted in more than $340 million in flood damages in the County. More than 35,000 private residences were impacted, resulting in more than $332 million in damages, with an additional $12 million in...Wayne County: More than $340M in flood damages
DETROIT – Wayne County officials currently estimates that the August 11 storm that severely impacted parts of Southeastern Michigan resulted in more than $340 million in flood damages in the County. More than 35,000 private residences were impacted, resulting in more than $332 million in damages, with an additional $12 million in...Dearborn cleric owes $250K for fraud picture
August 22nd, 20140 DEARBORN — Dearborn cleric Ahmad Jibril, who according to reports is popular among supporters of the terrorist group IS, was ordered to pay $250,000 in restitution for fraud convictions. Back in May, a report by the British think tank International Centre for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence cited Jibril as an...Brehm donates $17,000 to district choir program
August 22nd, 20140 DEARBORN — Ten years ago, William Brehm, a philanthropist and Fordson High School alumnus, founded the Brehm Scholars Program. While directly covering the costs of higher education for a select group of Fordson graduates, the program has also inspired many other Fordson students to reach goals that previously seemed unattainable....Dearborn company offering affordable after-school tutoring program
August 22nd, 20140 DEARBORN — The tutoring company EduCare Student Services has started an affordable after school tutoring program for students in grades K-12. Sessions will begin Tuesday, Sept. 9 and will be offered every Tuesday and Thursday from 4 p.m. 6 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the Dearborn Atrium Office Center located at 835 Mason...Collision shops ‘flooded’ with vehicles, state issues warning against selling damaged cars
August 22nd, 20140 DETROIT – While thousands of residents across Southeast Michigan sustained damage to their homes from last week's record breaking rainfall, motorists were also severely impacted by the disaster.On Monday, August 11, thousands of motorists were trapped along streets and freeways during their commute home, when their vehicles stalled...Newly-formed Yemeni American Chamber of Commerce holds first annual dinner
August 22nd, 20140 More than 200 people attended the Yemeni American Chamber of Commerce's first annual dinner. Members of the group are pictured here with 19th District Court Judge, Mark Somers; Wayne County Executive, Robert Ficano; Paul Abbate, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division; Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon;...Edsel Ford improves in state rankings, but ‘cultural clash’ issue lingers
August 22nd, 20140 DEARBORN – The Michigan Department of Education last week released its annual rankings of public schools based off of academic proficiency, participation, attendance and graduation rates. The state classifies each school as either a reward, focus or priority school, based on its findings. The news was both good and bad for...Ferguson highlights failed U.S. policy and the racial housing gap
On the surface, the unrest in Ferguson, Mo. was about local police using deadly force on an unarmed young man. But on a deeper level, it reflected the increasing poverty and economic decline that affects ethnic communities all over America.Despite rosy reports in the media about the end of the national foreclosure crisis and the...Activist addresses community issues at IHW meeting, Imams condemn James Foley murder
August 22nd, 20140 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Community activists held a "brainstorming" meeting at The Islamic House of Wisdom on Wednesday to discuss the challenges that the Arab and Muslim American communities are facing. The attendees tackled the rise of Islamophobia and lack of community involvement as major issues facing local Arabs and...Arab Americans moving out-of-state for graduate school
August 15th, 20140 DEARBORN – A recent trend has started to emerge in the Arab American community. One that is usually associated more with Western civilization.Moving out-of-state for graduate school.It is typical in mainstream culture, but not in the Arab culture.More and more students are moving out of their homes, to different states, in order to......
CAIR-MI to files lawsuit against watch list, U.S. attorney defends Dearborn
DETROIT — The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) filed a lawsuit on Thursday on behalf of several Muslims who are challenging their placement on the government's Terrorist Screening Database, "without due process." The lawsuit was announced at the Theodore Levin Federal Courthouse in Detroit,...Marrying for Green Card, then leaving their partner behind
August 15th, 20140 DEARBORN — After five years of marriage, Marwa received her divorce papers on the same day her husband obtained his Green Card. Marwa, who chose not to reveal her real name, is a U.S. citizen. “He used me. He just married me for my U.S. papers,” she said. Like a number of other Arab American women, Marwa identifies......
Resident files lawsuit against Dearborn Heights City Council over clerk’s decision to rescind his resignation
August 15th, 20140 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — City resident Robert Hadous is taking legal action against the Dearborn Heights City Council following clerk Walter J. Prusiewicz’s decision to rescind his resignation shortly after submitting it. Hadous is requesting that the Wayne County Circuit Court grant an immediate order to show cause as to why the...Emergency declared after disastrous floods, 40 percent of property in Dearborn damaged
August 15th, 20140 DEARBORN – On Monday, cars' windshield wipers could barely keep up with the rain. Streets turned into swamps. And submarines were more useful than cars in getting under bridges. It was the rainiest day in almost a century.Major roads, including the Southfield Freeway, I-94, I-75 and I-696, were blocked by stretches of water that cars...Muslim scholars denounce Islamic State, Israel at press conference
August 15th, 20140 WARREN – At a press conference held on Wednesday, Aug. 13, The Imams Council of the Michigan Muslim Community Council (MMCC) condemned the continuing atrocities committed against religious minorities across Iraq and Syria by the Islamic State. The imams also denounced the Israeli assault on Gaza during the conference, which was...Jimmy Carter to speak at Islamic convention in Detroit
August 15th, 20140 DETROIT — Former President Jimmy Carter will be the keynote speaker at the 51st Islamic Society of North America Annual Convention in Detroit on Saturday, Aug. 30.The convention, which is usually held in Washington DC or Chicago, draws 15,000 to 20,000 people every year, according to ISNA Secretary General Hazem Bata. It is one of......
Judge in Rasmea Odeh’s case recuses himself
August 15th, 20140 DETROIT — The judge overseeing the trial of Palestinian American activist Rasmea Odeh recused himself from the case on Wednesday, Aug. 12, in a move that was hailed as a victory by her defense committee.Odeh was indicted for allegedly lying on her U.S. citizenship application about a conviction in an Israeli military court decades...Dearborn outlaws new hookah establishments for six months in regulation attempt
August 15th, 20140 DEARBORN – Following an intense debate, the city council passed a six month moratorium this week banning any new smoking facilities from opening, in an attempt to put a cap on the influx of hookah lounges that have been operating illegally and dominating the business districts.The Arab American News first reported last month that the......
Starbucks publicly denies supporting Israel, but debate rages on
August 15th, 20141 The Starbucks in Dearborn, located on Michigan Ave., is often frequented by Arab Americans. DEARBORN – In a surprise move last week, Starbucks and its CEO Howard Schultz issued a public statement denying that the coffee chain "provides financial support to Israel", calling such claims "false rumors." The...Tensions mount at city council meeting over ‘Boycott Israel’ proposal
August 15th, 20140 DEARBORN – This week’s city council meeting ended on a tense note after several activists asked the city to consider passing a "Boycott Israel" resolution, which ignited a near confrontation with an Israeli supporter who was holding what appeared to be a gun and displaying the Israeli flag. The Israeli supporter took the podium at......