Yemeni Population Increasing in Dearborn, Michigan

posted on: Apr 1, 2020

By: Joyce Behrens/Arab America Contributing Writer

Dearborn, Michigan is one of the largest cities for Arab Americans in the United States. A mix of heritages from the Arab world live in this city. One heritage that is rapidly growing is Yemeni. The Yemeni population in Dearborn has increased in the last several years. Many different ideas have been theorized to try and answer one question. Why is the Yemeni American population in Dearborn growing? For the past ten years, the country of Yemen has been facing modern-day adversity. Since creating new life in the United States, some Yemeni Americans are setting up ambitions and goals. New opportunities taking place for their second chance at life in Dearborn. Let’s take a look at how the Yemeni population is increasing in Dearborn.

Backstory

Prior to Yemeni expansion, Arab immigrants from the Levantine region of the Arab world were in the majority. Specifically, the main roots are from Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. The goal was to find a new life outside of the conflicts occurring in the 20th century. Three main issues arising in the Arab world at that time: 1) corrupt governments, 2) war, and 3) land displacement.

Detroit, Michigan is the heart of American automobiles. As major motor industries, for example, Ford grew in America, the need for workers increased as well. Assembly line jobs gave immigrants the opportunities to start a new life, despite the harsh conditions. They established the nearby suburbs of Dearborn, their home. Dearborn then became the largest Arab American community in the United States. What cannot be taken away from these civilians is their heritage. Food, music, art, and history fill the streets of Dearborn.

Dearborn Today

The city of Dearborn has evolved. It is considered as the Arab capital of North America. First-generation Arab Americans developed an area of their homeland for future generations to come. The Arab community brought their heritage and culture that, before, became difficult to embrace from conflict. Now, Dearborn established mosques, markets, school systems, and museums. These establishments are created to set up a daily life society for Arab Americans. Language barriers are not seen as issue in this area. This is a multilingual community. The main languages are Arabic and English. As the population of Dearborn increase, so did their demographics in terms of heritage. Yemeni heritage in Dearborn rapidly increased from the last ten years.

Yemen’s Adversity

Before 2011, the Yemeni population in Dearborn was growing steady. Lebanese and Syrian roots still make up the majority of the population.  As the 2011 Arab Spring protests erupted, no one imagined the foreseeable future. Yemen’s government slowly began to corrupt as years passed. When the Yemeni Civil War in March 2015 broke out, the nightmare had just begun. Situations of illness, starvation, corruption, and war are destroying the country. The need to escape became crucial if one wanted to live. Since 2015, Yemeni refugees and immigrants started to increase. A study showed about an eight percent growth of Dearborn’s population. That increase came in from the last four to five years. For Yemeni Americans residing in Dearborn, they are determined to achieve their goals.

Determination and Ambitions

Yemeni Americans in Dearborn, are on a mission. In other words, they want their second chance to be filled with purpose. Not only embrace Yemeni culture to the Arab American community. More importantly, the focus is to bring Yemeni culture to the American public. They want their second chance at life not to be wasted. In a different context, a Yemeni refugee and coffee shop owner, Ibrahim Alhasbani is on this mission in Dearborn. Before his story, nobody knew the current situation in Yemen. The situation in Yemen is considered as “the forgotten war“. Most Americans, as well as the rest of the world, are unaware that there is chaos occurring. Alhasbani’s goal is to be a messenger for the country. He decided his purpose is to present Yemeni coffee and tea, which is considered as the world’s oldest coffee, to the American public.

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