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Posted on 09/19/2026 3:32:47 PM PDT by grundle
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — The city of Dearborn responded Saturday to a lawsuit accusing it of celebrating Muslim holidays and ignoring religious holidays of other faiths by blaming attacks against it on its diversity and “welcoming nature.”
A statement from the Detroit suburb issued by a spokesperson came in response to a lawsuit on Thursday that accused the city and its mayor of spending thousands of dollars to celebrate Muslim holidays while ignoring Christian and Jewish holidays.
The lawsuit in federal court revived complaints about city government that arose a year ago after the Dearborn mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, told Ted Barham, a local pastor, that he was not welcome in the city and he would stage a parade when he left.
The lawsuit by Margot Cleveland, a journalist for The Federalist, accused the city and its mayor, a Democrat, of favoring the Muslim faith over other religious beliefs in a city with a population of over 100,000 people that is majority Arab American.
It said the city for too long “has been a hostile place for Christians and Jews.”
And it added that “Hammoud has taken this hostility to the next level, openly conveying the message that Christians and Jews are not welcome in the city and are, indeed, second-class citizens.”
In its statement Saturday, the city responded by saying it “has a longstanding commitment to serving all residents fairly and equitably, regardless of faith or background.
“Our city has increasingly come under attack precisely because of its welcoming nature and the diversity of the people who proudly call Dearborn home,” the statement said.
It added: “That will not change who we are. Dearborn will continue to uphold the rights and dignity of every resident and remain a city where everyone is treated with fairness, respect, and equal protection under the law.”
The lawsuit sought unspecified damages and asked a judge to find that the city had violated the Constitution and order it to comply with the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment.
According to the lawsuit, the city of Dearborn last year spent $1,500 of public money on Ramadan banners and $5,000 on a crescent-moon symbol displayed in its Peace Park while its police department sold Ramadan-themed shirts bearing the official department emblem.
Yet, the lawsuit said, the city failed to mark the approach of the Christian holiday of Easter and the Jewish holiday of Passover in similar fashion.
WATCH: The rise of anti-Muslim policies and rhetoric in Texas
When Cleveland complained and asked that other religious holidays be honored, she was repeatedly ignored, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit noted the September 2025 clash at a City Council meeting between Hammoud and Barham, saying the mayor spoke against the pastor after Barham criticized the city for naming a street after Osama Siblani, who it said had supported organizations designated as terrorist by the U.S. government.
Barham said it was “quite inappropriate” and that it would be like naming a street “Hezbollah Street or Hamas Street.”
Media reports about the City Council clash led to a November rally in Dearborn that attracted conservative influencers.
Hammoud told The Guardian for an article published in November: “People misconstrue my words and my frustration with an individual who is a bad faith actor in our community, and apply it to a whole faith, when everyone knows the city of Dearborn is a place where everyone is welcome — Christian or Jew or whatever your background.”
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It’s known as DEARBORNISTAN for good reason...
Muslim city defends itself against accusations of favoring muslim holidays over other faiths. There, fixed it.
The camel’s nose is inside the tent.
Does anyone else’s iPhone have mostly muslim holidays and some of the Jewish ones? Christian ones, unless they are the same as Jewish ones are the least noted ones.
It’s sad really and infuriating. Years ago Dearborn put up among the best Christmas decorations in the state. It was privately funded to avoid the atheist objections. People would drive distances to see it. Now look where we are.
“And it added that “Hammoud has taken this hostility to the next level, openly conveying the message that Christians and Jews are not welcome in the city and are, indeed, second-class citizens.””
Simple- Arrest him for hate crimes.
He’s engaging in segregational activity which has been long gone AND democrats INSISTED it be gone.
Muslims have morphed the democrat party into a group of pussified cowards and have taken over!
Well a lot of businesses go halal and tell everyone else to get stuffed
No doubt the defense began with a call to prayer.
Trump had muslim immigration stopped but when Biden took office the dems filed an executive order opening the borders. Thanks dems, you have really sold America down the river.
When will we see the stores commercialize and secularize ramadan and see shopping malls play songs like ‘last ramadan I gave you my heart’ or ‘all I want for eid is you’ or have schools call the time off the ‘ninth moon break.’
Dearborn needs removed from America!
What a disgrace!!
Teachers in my schools back in the 1970’s had to operate with knowledge 25 percent of students would be absent certain days for their Jewish holidays.
The world did not end over it.
That city is Lost, unless the Muzz leave of their own accord or are physically driven out, or ideally forsake Islam...it’s not getting better.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion …”
point is,so many so called small decisions have put us on deaths doorstep.....
If there is anything of a “welcoming nature” about a Muslim dominated city, I am not aware of it. I think I drove through there once, a long time ago. I don’t drive long distances anymore, & even if I could, I would definitely NOT go through the Dearborn area.
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