Muslim, Middle Eastern immigrants watch debate from sidelines

WWJ Newsradio 950: "``Immigration is the No. 2 issue after civil rights,'' said Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News of Dearborn. ``Civil rights right now is what's keeping people from demonstrating.''

Imad, who did not want his full name used, echoed that sentiment. ``Everybody thinks we're terrorists,'' he said. ``If we go have demonstrations, it's going to make it worse for us.''

Many non-Arab Muslims say they feel the same scrutiny. ``If you're illegal in this country and you're a Muslim, people are going to automatically assume that you're into fishy business,'' said Kazi Miah, a Bangladeshi community activist in Hamtramck.

Southeastern Michigan has an estimated 300,000 people of Arab descent. Another 100,000 Chaldeans Christians mostly from Iraq live in the area, community leaders say. The Bangladeshis, though smaller in number, are a highly visible presence in Hamtramck, where they, as well as Yemenis, Bosnians and others, have recently joined a more established Polish community."