Dearborn Mayor Sued Over Holiday Displays, Alleging Religious Favoritism
A federal lawsuit claims the city spent taxpayer funds on Muslim holiday decorations while neglecting requests for Christian and Jewish holiday recognition.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud is facing a federal lawsuit that alleges the city has used taxpayer funds for public displays celebrating Muslim holidays while denying similar recognition for Christian and Jewish holidays. The suit, filed Thursday by journalist Margot Cleveland with the American Freedom Law Center (AFLC), claims the city violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments by establishing a religious preference, infringing on free speech, and denying equal protection.
According to the lawsuit, the city spent approximately $1,500 on Ramadan banners and $5,000 on crescent-moon displays, while Dearborn's police department also sold Ramadan-themed T-shirts. Cleveland alleges that her requests for the city to acknowledge Easter, Passover, and other Christian and Jewish holy days were ignored. In one instance, emails show Cleveland stating her desire for "equality of faith traditions" rather than challenging the city's celebration of Muslim holidays.
The lawsuit highlights an incident in September 2025 involving a confrontation between Mayor Hammoud and Christian pastor Ted Barham during a City Council meeting. Barham had raised concerns about the city renaming a street after Usama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News, due to Siblani's past statements expressing support for Hezbollah. During the exchange, Hammoud reportedly called Barham a "bigot" and an "Islamaophobe," stating, "And although you live here, I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here."
In February 2026, the lawsuit further alleges that the city expanded its Ramadan displays by commissioning crescent-and-star lights for municipal streetlights. Mayor Hammoud stated at the time, "This initiative reflects who we are as a city."
Dearborn is home to one of the largest Arab American communities in the United States. Mayor Hammoud, elected in November 2021, is the city's first Muslim and Arab American mayor. The lawsuit contends that city officials responded to Cleveland's requests for equal treatment with "silence, stonewalling, and outright hostility."
The legal action occurs amidst Michigan's U.S. Senate race, a contest marked by discussions of religion and antisemitism. The case also brings to light broader tensions within the city, where concerns have been raised by some residents and religious leaders regarding the perceived prioritization of one faith over others.