Illinois is making history as the first state to collect Middle Eastern and North African representation data on all state forms and surveys.

With the passage of House Bill 3768 Illinois will count Arab Americans and other minorities from the Middle East and North Africa.

Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, said the data collected is far more than just symbolic.

"You are valued, and you will no longer be invisible in the data," Rashid explained. "When the census was being done in 2020, Arab American organizations were encouraging people to write under the 'other' section to say Middle Eastern or Arab or Palestinian or whatever your background was. They have been defaulted to 'white,' so we have been completely invisible in the data."

The 2020 census was supposed to have a checkbox for Middle Eastern and North African residents, but it was removed by President Donald Trump prior to data collection.

Arab communities have been fighting to be included in the census for decades, so it is not a new idea but Rashid said it finally allows for them to be seen. Rashid argued the data will have real-world effects, and they will be able to see outcomes in health care, education, employment and economics and get a glimpse into what the needs and challenges are. Once there is enough data, they will know how to make adjustments to serve the communities better. He encouraged people to use the checkbox.

"This data, once it starts being collected and once we have enough of it, will give us really important insights," Rashid contended. It will become very important to help us understand the lives and needs of the Arab American community in Illinois."

Gov. JB Pritzker tweeted this week history had been made and he looks forward to signing the bill into law to ensure a more equitable Illinois.


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Portland has nixed plans to bring gunshot detection technology to the city.

The technology - designed by a company formerly known as ShotSpotter, and now called SoundThinking - raised concerns among some Portlanders that it might be used to more heavily police low income communities and communities of color.

In his announcement, Mayor Ted Wheeler said the city would not move forward with the project because of resource constraints.

Jake Dockter is a community advocate who has organized against the technology and said the mayor's statement evoked mixed emotions.

"A thankful sigh of relief that it won't be happening," said Dockter, "and then also a continued frustration with the mayor and law enforcement to say even in your 'We're not doing it right now' is them admitting that they're not listening to the community, and that it seems to be a foregone conclusion that we'll have to swallow this pill at some point."

Critics say other cities have dropped their contracts with SoundThinking because the technology is not effective.

It was also revealed that the company fostered close ties with members of the police bureau to help bring the technology to Portland.

Wheeler said the city will look at other ways to tackle gun violence, including a program called Portland Ceasefire. But Dockter said local groups have not been included in this new initiative.

"It's just another example of looking for a solution, while local groups and local people are saying 'we're here and we need support and we need activity,'" said Dockter. "They're being left out."

The city is pursuing new initiatives modeled on programs from cities around the country. While gun violence increased in Portland and nationally at the start of the pandemic, it has since declined.




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Hoosiers could play a pivotal role in pushing back against a surge of hate and violence against Jews in America.

Nearly two-thirds of all religiously motivated hate crimes in the U.S. last year were against Jews.

The plan to push back is called the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.

Sarah Van Loon, Midwest regional director for the American Jewish Committee, said sadly, the behavior has become more normalized.

"The hatred will come from the far left, from the far right and from religious extremists," Van Loon pointed out. "It's incumbent upon all of us to take up that stand. And by starting with antisemitism, I personally believe we're going to start to see the disillusion, if you will, of some of the polarization that's been plaguing America over the last several years."

Van Loon said the strategy to fight back includes four goals: increasing awareness and understanding, improving safety and security for Jewish communities, reversing the normalization of antisemitism and building "cross-community" solidarity to counter hate.

The Anti-Defamation League reports nearly 300 incidents against Jews in the Midwest, a staggering 114% increase from just a few years ago. Van Loon noted tech companies and social media have been asked to establish "zero tolerance" policies against hate directed at Jews.

"Following their own terms and community standards for one but also ensuring that their algorithms are not promoting content that suggests violence and hate," Van Loon explained. "That is one huge way that we can take a major stance against antisemitism and see real meaningful progress."

Van Loon hopes regardless of who is in the White House, combating antisemitism does not become a partisan issue. She added it is incumbent upon all voters to ensure their voices are heard.


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A Muslim rights group is taking the Kent County Sheriff's Office to court for forcing a Michigan woman to remove her hijab for a booking photo.

The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a claim this week alleging the sheriff's office violated the religious rights of Jannah Hague, 21, of Grand Rapids.

Amy Doukoure, staff attorney for the council, said the sheriff's office insisted on taking one of her two booking photos without her hijab, and posting it on a public website.

"We believe that Kent County's dual hijab policy or dual photograph policy is unnecessary," Doukoure asserted. "And that's sort of what we have worked through with the city of Detroit, the city of Ferndale, and the Michigan Department of Corrections, and the lawsuits that we settled last year."

The Kent County Sheriff's Office said Hague was detained on April 8 following an altercation at her home but declined to make any further comment.

Dockoure pointed out Muslim women wear the hijab as part of a sincerely-held belief they must cover their hair, neck and ears in the presence of men who are not related to them. She added removing a hijab in front of non-related men is highly offensive to practicing Muslim women.

"Policies are set by the jail or the institution and not necessarily through state law," Dockoure explained. "I don't believe laws in any state protect women's right to wear the hijab explicitly."

She says it's also important for Muslims to fully understand their rights when dealing with American law enforcement officials.

"Even if you are detained or you're arrested by law enforcement, it does not -- first of all -- indicate you're a criminal because you're innocent till proven guilty in the United States," Dockoure said. "And it also doesn't mean that you have to be stripped of all your religious rights or even all your constitutional rights."