US Census will include category ‘MENA’ for some citizens of Mideast, N. Africa heritage
Arab Americans have been fighting for ‘Arab’ category on census forms for over 50 years
The US Census has announced that upcoming forms will include the category “MENA,” meaning Middle Eastern or North African, but most Arab Americans will still be required to write in their nationalities.
Arab American activists have been fighting for the inclusion of an “Arab” category on census forms for more than 50 years, and accepted a compromise to be included in the broader term “MENA.”
The MENA category identifies only four Arab nationalities — Lebanese, Syrian, Iraqi and Egyptian.
This announcement comes in the wake of Arab-American voters protesting what they believe has been President Joe Biden’s betrayal in ignoring their concerns over Israel’s war on Gaza.
In addition to the four Arab nationalities being identified with specific “Check Boxes,” the MENA category will also include check boxes for “Israeli” and “Iranian.”
All other Arab Americans, including citizens from Palestine and Jordan, who are among the largest of the Arab-American communities, will still be required to write in their nationalities on a blank line underneath.
Many Arab Americans believe
the exclusion of the word “Arab” is a slight, and meant to satisfy the pro-Israel community.
“I am very disappointed that they are not including all of the Arab countries. There are many Arab nationalities that are growing significantly including the Yemeni community which is among the fastest growing,” said Anna Mustafa, who began formally lobbying in 1980 for the inclusion of the Arab category in the US Census.
Arab American Institute Executive Director Maya Berry, who has been advocating for the inclusion of the MENA category, praised the change as a “major accomplishment” and credited the Biden administration.
“For the first time, Arab Americans will be made visible — not just on the decennial census, but in all federal data that collects race and ethnicity and that is historic,” Berry said. Census officials acknowledge that the MENA category is “a minimum reporting category, separate and distinct from the White category.”