New US race, ethnicity standards include Middle Eastern, North African

Until recently, many Americans of Middle Eastern or North African descent were categorized as "white" in government surveys, making it challenging to accurately quantify this population and assess its unique needs. But that is changing.

According to the Office of Management and Budget, the new category of "Middle Eastern and North African" or MENA aims to improve the quality of federal data on race and ethnicity.

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said it will be crucial for better understanding the diverse impacts on individuals, programs and services for people of the Arab community.

"We have b...