Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud told a Christian resident at a city council meeting that he was "not welcome" in the city after the resident criticized new street signs placed by Wayne County honoring Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani.
The exchange occurred at a Sept. 9 meeting in Dearborn, where resident Edward “Ted” Barham objected to two intersections on Warren Avenue being designated with Siblani’s name. Barham called Siblani "a promoter of Hezbollah and Hamas" and read past remarks he attributed to Siblani, including language about "the blood of the martyrs" and references to fighting "with stones...guns...planes, drones, and rockets." Council members interrupted to warn against "personal attacks" and to remind attendees that the city had not approved the signs.
Fox 2 Detroit and other outlets reported that the Warren Avenue signs were placed in August by the Wayne County commission, not by the Dearborn City Council. City officials, including Hammoud, attended a county ceremony to unveil the signs. At the meeting, Hammoud said he had spoken at the ceremony and defended Siblani as someone who had "done a lot for this community." When Barham continued, Hammoud said, "The best suggestion I have for you is to not drive on Warren Avenue or to close your eyes while you’re doing it," later adding, "You are a bigot, and you are racist, and you’re an Islamophobe...Although you live here, I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here. And the day you move out of the city will be the day that I launch a parade celebrating the fact that you moved out of this city."
Council members reiterated that the sign installations were a county decision. One council member noted, "The sign that was placed on Warren Avenue which is a County road and that was done by the Wayne County Executive." Barham said the issue mattered to Dearborn residents because the signs stood within the city's boundaries and said he raised his concerns to encourage peace, quoting Jesus: "Blessed are the peacemakers."
Fox News Digital and other outlets contacted Hammoud’s office and Siblani for comment and reported they did not receive a response. Efforts to reach Barham by phone were also unsuccessful, according to those reports.
Dearborn, which has the highest percentage of Muslim residents of any U.S. city, has a history of public debate over cultural and political symbols and community identity. The confrontation at City Hall renewed questions among residents and observers about how elected officials respond to criticism from constituents and how decisions by county bodies affect city politics.
The incident drew attention both for its subject matter and for the tone of the exchange. City council members' interruptions and reminders that the signs were placed by Wayne County underscored the jurisdictional distinction at the center of the dispute. Local leaders and residents have in recent years navigated similar controversies as the city balances civic governance, community representation and intercommunal tensions.
The meeting transcript and video of the exchange circulated online after the council session, prompting local discussion about free speech, municipal authority and the responsibilities of public officials in addressing constituent concerns. Wayne County's decision to approve the designations and the presence of city officials at the unveiling remain central facts in the dispute over who bears responsibility for the signs.
News outlets reported the event following the Sept. 9 meeting and coverage continues as local residents and officials respond to the exchange.