Zena Issa
Criminal Justice ReporterZena Issa is Michigan Public’s new Criminal Justice reporter, joining the team after previously working as a newsroom intern and Stateside production assistant. She has contributed to award-winning projects like Voter Voices and What the Vote. A fluent Arabic speaker and experienced multimedia journalist, she has reported for WLNS-TV, WDIV-TV, and WBAL-TV, and brings strong social media storytelling skills to her new role. She's also a graduate of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. (Go Blue!)
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Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib joined local health and environmental leaders outside a Dearborn elementary school to warn that federal funding cuts could worsen pollution and health risks. -
Prisoners at Michigan’s only women’s prison are suing the state, claiming they’ve been forced to live with toxic black mold for years. After six years of legal back and forth, a district judge is letting the case move forward. -
A coalition of Metro Detroit peace and justice groups held a silent march in Huntington Woods, calling on Michigan’s congressional delegation to support humanitarian aid. -
A Detroit study on premature births among Black mothers lost funding over its focus on race. -
A new group of Michigan bills would strengthen renters’ rights by requiring landlords to make timely safety repairs or face consequences. -
The University of Michigan is cutting ties with plainclothes security firms after allegations they surveilled pro-Palestinian student activists. -
A proposed bill in Michigan could block families from suing in civil court if the defendant successfully claims self-defense in criminal court. -
Student activists at the University of Michigan say they’ve been followed, recorded, and intimidated by undercover investigators hired by the university. -
The proposed bill aims to ban several synthetic food dyes and additives from school meals by July 2026 to promote healthier eating and address behavioral concerns. -
Hours after the U.S. House passed a GOP-backed spending plan that would slash funding for programs like Medicaid and food assistance, Michiganders were on the streets.
