August 30th, 20240The Arab American Civil Rights League filed a federal complaint against Customs and Border Protection after an officer questioned Taiba Elgattani, who wears a hijab and uses a wheelchair, for three hours in the Metro Detroit Airport before sending her back to where she lives in the U.K. without alerting her family.
Elgattani flew from...
June 4th, 20240DETROIT – The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Field Operations reminds travelers preparing for their pilgrimage to the Hajj to be aware of important travel tips to help ensure a smooth return into the United States.
Travelers should familiarize themselves with current money reporting requirements and be...
December 22nd, 20230ROMULUS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection detected and seized roughly $4 million worth of ketamine at Detroit Metro Airport.
According to a CBP press release, a United Kingdom citizen flew in from France on Dec. 13 and was selected for secondary inspection. A search of two large suitcases reportedly revealed plastic bags filled...
October 11th, 20230Harassment of American Muslims while flying has been a persistent problem since the expansion of the national security apparatus post 9/11. Racial and religious profiling by federal agents at airports to citizens being placed on watchlists without any means of due process are ongoing civil rights challenges for our community. Despite Mr....
December 2nd, 20220DEARBORN — Abed Hammoud, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, has been named the new co-chair of BRIDGES (Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity).
Hammoud has extensive experience in law, practicing at both the state and federal levels, including his eight years serving as assistant U.S. Attorney and 15 years as...
August 13th, 20220United States border officials have a message for travelers who bring food items from overseas: Violations will cost you.
In the past year alone, U.S. border officials have fined passengers for bringing a wide range of undeclared food items in their luggage, including balut eggs, pork bologna and turkey ham. Border officials...
July 9th, 20220DEARBORN – Members of the Arab American community met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to discuss ongoing efforts to improve the treatment of Arab and Muslim American communities at ports of entry.
The roundtable discussion at the Lebanese American Heritage Club (LAHC) on Friday, June 24, was also attended by...
January 30th, 20200SEATTLE — A report by a community newspaper in Washington unveiled a directive issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Seattle Field Office that instructs officers to perform vetting on individuals from or who have connections to Palestine, Lebanon or Iran, as well as those belonging to other nationalities that have traveled...
September 7th, 20190WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an ongoing effort to address concerns over the use of a so-called terrorist watchlist for individuals, many of whom are disproportionately Arab American, suspected of being national security hazards, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) organized a meeting with representatives from both the Arab American community and...
May 24th, 20190DEARBORN — On Wednesday May 22, Nasser Beydoun, the chairman of the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) was named co-chair of BRIDGES (Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity). Participating steering committee members supported the nomination unanimously.
BRIDGES is a partnership between federal law...
March 31st, 20170In a meeting Wednesday at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials arranged to meet with Arab and Muslim community activists and leaders under the pretext that those communities would be represented and heard.
The subtext that unfolded throughout the course of the contentious...
