Press & Publications

We are happy to announce that the OMB has revised its data collection policy and will mandate that all federal agencies begin collecting data that includes the long-awaited MENA category. For almost 50 years, data on Arab American and MENA populations have been reported under the white category. As a result, policymakers, researchers, and representatives could never refer to official statistics to prove what we have long known to be true: Arab Americans are unique from white communities and have been systematically underserved and disenfranchised. Now, the results are in, and the OMB has revised Statistical Policy Directive Number 15 […]

We are heartbroken over the violence directed against innocent civilians in the Middle East. The images and utter lack of humanity we have seen perpetrated against Palestinians in Gaza this week are especially horrific.  Palestinians have lived without freedom, self-determination or proper access to basic needs, and under a constant barrage of violence for decades. As those in Gaza run out of fuel, food, and water, while being blockaded from escaping, this humanitarian crisis will only worsen, leaving the large number of children to suffer most. The National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) and its members work together across 31 communities […]

Thursday, January 19, 2023 Bill called the “The Social Welfare Act” introduced in the senate Sponsored by Senators: Erika GEISS (D-1)Sylvia SANTANA (D-2)Stephanie CHANG (D-3)Dayna POLEHANKI (D-5)Mary CAVANAGH (D-6)Jeremy MOSS (D-7)Mallory MCMORROW (D-8)Paul WOJNO (D-10)Veronica KLINEFELT (D-11)Rosemary BAYER (D-13)Sue SHINK (D-14)Jeff IRWIN (D-15)Joseph BELLINO (R-16)Sean MCCANN (D-19)Sarah ANTHONY (D-21)Sam SINGH (D-28)John DAMOOSE (R-37) Thursday, January 19, 2023 Thursday, January 19, 2023 Bill referred The Bill was been referred to the Committee on Housing and Human Services. Thursday, January 19, 2023 Wednesday, March 1, 2023 Committee on Housing and Human Services The Committee on Housing and Human Services reported Senate Bill […]

On July 11th, 2023, Senate Bill 35 passed, eliminating the asset limit test for SNAP benefits in Michigan. This was the culmination of months of advocacy work by ACCESS and the Michigan League of Public Policy to eliminate the asset limit test so that more low-income families could battle food insecurity, without the administrative burden and time commitment of determining their assets. Part of this advocacy work involved educating the Michigan legislature on how historically marginalized groups are more likely to face food insecurity due to the racial and economic disparities plaguing the nation, through a targeted phone2action campaign and […]

The DED will allow eligible Lebanese nationals to legally remain in the Unites States for 18 months    July 26, 2024    Washington, DC — Today, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. announced a Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for certain Lebanese nationals currently residing in the United States. This decision reflects the ongoing humanitarian crisis in southern Lebanon, where ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel along the southern border have significantly escalated instability. The conflict has displaced more than 96,000 Lebanese citizens and resulted in over 400 deaths, making return unsafe for many individuals.   The DED will be in effect for 18 months, […]

In the realm of U.S. immigration policy, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) are crucial forms of humanitarian relief that serve distinct purposes. For Arab American organizations and community members, understanding these programs is essential for effective advocacy and support. What is Temporary Protected Status (TPS)? Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was established by the Immigration Act of 1990 and is enacted in Section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). TPS is a humanitarian initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and offers protection to nationals from countries facing severe crises such as […]

On July 8th, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro N. Mayorkas redesignated Yemen for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Secretary Mayorkas’ decision will allow Yemeni nationals currently residing in the United States to safely remain in the U.S. and contribute to their communities through March 3, 2026.  What is TPS?  Nationals of countries that receive a TPS designation receive permission to reside and work in the United States until conditions improve back home. A TPS designation affords a temporary lifeline for individuals from countries facing severe crises like ongoing conflict, natural disasters, or extraordinary conditions.   […]

Arab American community activists are urging the Department of Homeland Security to declare Temporary Protected Status for Lebanese nationals in the U.S.

Advocates are urging for the designation of Temporary Protected Status for Lebanese in the United States, which would allow for non-residents to gain an official status while their home country is in crisis.

130 community organizations sent a letter to Homeland Security urging them to grant Temporary Protection Status for Lebanese nationals

Two state bills would work in tandem with new federal guidelines for collecting race and ethnicity data for people with origins in the Middle East or North Africa (MENA). Advocates say it’s a long overdue change that would better serve these communities.

The moves are the first changes in a quarter century.

A new category for Americans of Middle Eastern or North African descent will be on the next U.S. census.

An advocacy group is working to get the Middle Eastern and North African designation added to the federal Office of Management and Budget.

In spite of how they look or how they personally identify, in the government’s eyes, Arab Americans are white, and activists want to change that

Arabs and Latinos could gain the ability to self-identify as such under proposed federal guidelines aimed at reflecting the nation’s true diversity.

There are currently more than 5 million Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Americans in the U.S., and Michigan is home to the largest, oldest and most diverse Arab American community in the country. We’re highlighting how the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, the largest A…

The federal proposal for a separate MENA category would lead to more accurate federal data collection for Arab Americans.

Arab Americans are pushing to win federal recognition, with funding and public health at stake.

Advocacy Efforts Advance Middle Eastern and North African Inclusion

Detroit women’s shelter receives major makeover from Arab American Service Day volunteers 14th Annual Service Day included dozens of Arab American-led

Three days before the inauguration of President Trump, Nada Al-Hanooti’s mother, who was born in a Syrian refugee camp and speaks very little English, was able to take and pass the U.S. citizenship test. Although she was able to naturalize in Arabic, when it came time for her to vote for the first t…

Currently classified in the census as white, some activists worry that the community is being politically marginalized — and look to the experience of Mexicans, who were also ‘white’ until 1970

Oscar Peralta, Legal Intern for Bolder Advocacy As the 2018 midterm elections approach, many nonprofits are wondering how they can mobilize their communities to vote. Nonpartisan voter registration drives and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaigns are two ways 501(c)(3) public charities[1] can empower t…

On the eve of Election Day, a coalition of organizations declared that each ballot must be counted and that it won’t tolerate voter intimidation. “Nearly 2 million Michiganders have exercised their constitutional right to vote by absentee ballot, and millions more eligible voters will go to the p…

Wayne County Prosecutor says ‘threats will not be tolerated during our election process.’

Flint, MI—When Lucine Jarrah got to the race and ethnicity questions on her application for the University of Michigan-Flint, she faced a problem all too

There is “no question” Middle Eastern and North African communities across the U.S. are underserved by federal disaster aid, Sen. Gary Peters said.

On June 10th a coalition of legislators in the House and Senate co-signed a letter urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take critical steps toward improving the health and well-being of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) populations. The letter requests that the HHS “collect more granular data on [MENA] subgroups” (e.g., Palestinians, Yemenis, Lebanese, Egyptians, Iranians), “address existing barriers to access” of health services for MENA populations, and “ensure that targeted federal programs critical to improving health outcomes and general quality of life are fully available to MENA populations.”   On June 21st, […]

This bill aims to ensure that the federal government is specifically considering how the MENA health is impacted in various ways and would provide guidance to HHS to proactively incorporate recogni…

U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) have joined colleagues to introduce a bill that includes people Middle Eastern and Nort