Friday, April 07, 2006


Muslim and Middle Eastern communities watch immigration debate from sidelines

DETROIT Hispanic immigrants have been at center stage as Congress debates whether to legalize undocumented immigrants or make it a felony to be one.They, their relatives and their supporters have taken to the streets for rallies in Michigan and across the country.
However, Michigan's large Muslim and Middle Eastern communities have been mostly quiet during the debate. But many of their members could be deeply impacted by the legislation.
Community leaders say immigrants from Muslim countries fear speaking out in a post-Nine-Eleven climate. But despite the lack of public demonstrations, they're watching the developments closely, with a mixture of hope and anxiety.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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