Civil Rights
Menendez, other U.S. Senate Democrats vent frustrations after new ruling against DACA
WASHINGTON — A federal judge Wednesday declared illegal the Biden administration’s revised version of a program that protects hundreds of thousands of people brought into the country as children from deportation, and U.S. Senate Democrats, advocates and the White House on Thursday decried the decision. “I think that Congress should act, but it has been […]
Civil rights leaders among those remembered during Black fraternity centennial
The Detroit chapter of a leading Black fraternity on Saturday will host its centennial celebration, with two of its founding members boasting strong ties to the American civil rights movement. Omega Psi Phi fraternity’s Detroit alumni chapter, Nu Omega, was founded at a time when African Americans, largely from southern states, were moving to the […]
Michigan has made big strides on voting rights. Here’s what to expect next.
This article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org Michigan has made strong progress in protecting voters’ rights and access to the ballot box in recent years, […]
Column: White Christian nationalism threatens U.S. democracy
You may be among the 35% of Americans who have never heard the term “white Christian nationalism.” But of those citizens who are knowledgeable of the concept, it carries a decidedly negative view. The belief is becoming more and more important to understand as cultural diversity, racism, immigration issues, political divisiveness and political candidate pandering […]
Anti-abortion Democrat runs for president to show graphic imagery in campaign ads
The morning of March 25, 2022, had started out like any other workday for Terrisa Bukovinac, as she and fellow anti-abortion activist Lauren Handy headed over to protest the Washington Surgi-Clinic in Washington, D.C. — until they asked the driver of a medical waste truck for a box that would change their lives. Inside that […]
Whitmer encourages UAW, Detroit Three to continue talks hours before contract deadline
With a possible UAW strike against the Detroit Three automakers on the horizon, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday urged the union and corporations to continue talks. “I think that we are all doing our best to keep both parties at the table until there is resolve,” said Whitmer when asked about the effort of the […]
‘I will do this ‘til my last breath’
Rick and Martha Omilian placed a photo of their daughter, Maggie Wardle, in front of them as they asked lawmakers on Thursday to pass bills that would expand existing temporary restrictions on gun ownership for domestic abusers in Michigan. The Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee heard testimony from the Omilians, as well […]
Oakland University groups call out former Gov. Rick Snyder headlining ‘civility’ event
Two Oakland University-based organizations are calling out a school decision to host GOP former Gov. Rick Snyder in an Oakland University Center for Civic Engagement event on Monday. The event is titled, “Breaking the Barrier: The Importance of Civility and Improving Political Discourse.” In response, two campus groups, the Oakland University Campus Alliance for Sustainability […]
Democrats push to extend child care grant program
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats introduced a bill Wednesday to extend funding for five years for a pandemic-era child care subsidy program set to expire at the end of the month. The legislation would extend the child care stabilization grant program, which Congress established in 2021 to help child care providers meet additional costs during the […]
Lawmakers hear bills aimed at preserving Indigenous culture
The idea that Indigenous students would be allowed to wear traditional attire to their graduations these days is an emotional image for Mary Lee, a survivor of an Indian boarding school. Lee, having survived Holy Childhood school in Harbor Springs, one of the last Indian schools used to assimilate to white culture and prey upon […]
U.S. Senate hearing on book bans probes censorship attempts in local libraries
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators at a committee hearing Tuesday discussed the consequences of book bans and parents’ desire to control what their kids read — though they also acknowledged it’s not an issue for Congress to settle. The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony about book bans, focusing on how censorship limits liberty and literature. The […]
U.S. prisons chief insists to Senate panel there’s been ‘visible change’ in the system
WASHINGTON — The head of the Federal Bureau of Prisons on Wednesday outlined to the Senate Judiciary Committee how she has sought improvements in the nation’s troubled prison system, and fielded questions from Republicans about transgender inmates. “Developing meaningful change throughout the agency is not something that happens in a moment,” Colette Peters, the director […]