Feds monitor Arab-American voter rights in Mich.

Washington (CNN) -- The Justice Department announced Monday it is sending 32 federal observers to Hamtramck, Michigan, for Tuesday's elections to protect the rights of Arab-American voters.

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The government said the move results from a civil rights investigation into complaints made more than a year ago.

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, which announced the action, made no mention of tensions following the September 11 attacks.

Federal observers are also being sent to Passaic County, New Jersey, to protect the rights of Spanish speaking voters and to New York city to monitor compliance with Chinese- and Spanish-language election procedures.