U.S. Attorney Troy Eid of Colorado was the special guest at the BRIDGES meeting on Wednesday, July 18, at the Lebanese American Heritage Club (LAHC) in Dearborn.

The meeting hosted representatives from numerous organizations and government agencies, as well as several local community leaders. BRIDGES Co-Chair Dan Sutherland, Civil Rights Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, along with Stephen J. Murphy, U.S. Attorney for Michigan, opened the meeting by welcoming Eid to Dearborn and thanking him for his presence.

Eid, an Egyptian American, has held office as a U.S. Attorney since 2006. After serving as Colorado's chief federal criminal prosecutor, he received the nomination by President Bush, shortly followed by unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Eid spoke to the attendees about his life experiences and his journey to becoming a U.S. Attorney. He told stories about his family's struggles as immigrants to the U.S. in 1957, and the obstacles he faced as a young man as the only Arab American at an all-white school.

ADC Michigan Regional Director and Co-Chair of BRIDGES, Imad Hamad, recognized the importance of Eid's presence at the meeting.

"It is extremely refreshing and gratifying to see a young Arab American in such a leading position as the only U.S. Attorney of Arab descent in the nation," stated Hamad after the meeting. "He resembles a true model of success, and stands as an example to all young Arab Americans in this and other communities who wish to engage themselves in government and politics. His presence here today is an affirmation of the fact that Arab Americans can achieve great things in this country."

Eid spoke extensively about the need for government agencies to work vigilantly and without bias or influence when handling cases involving suspected terrorism. He has had personal experiences with discrimination, including a post-9/11 incident involving his father at a hospital near his home in Colorado. Eid recognized that there needs to be a sense of responsibility in the process of gathering intelligence, and that people should avoid making quick assumptions. [Link]