An Iraqi national, Abbas Abdoush, 57, faces assault charges in connection with an attack on anti-Muslim activist Jake Lang during a protest in Dearborn, Michigan, on August 2. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stated that Abdoush is an illegal alien with a history of violent crime, including a 1999 murder conviction.
Abdoush was initially arrested by Dearborn police and charged with assault, battery, and malicious destruction of property. A judge released him on a tether. However, agents from Homeland Security Investigations took him into ICE custody on the same day of his release.
According to ICE, Abdoush was legally admitted to the United States in 1992 and obtained lawful permanent resident status. He violated the terms of his legal admission following his 1999 murder conviction. The agency ordered him removed from the U.S. in 2022, but his case is currently pending before the Board of Immigration Appeals.
The murder conviction stemmed from an incident on January 25, 1998, when Abdoush intentionally struck a woman with his vehicle in southwest Detroit. Court records indicate that witnesses observed Abdoush's van hit the victim as she walked away, then make a U-turn and strike her again at high speed. The victim later died from complications following a stroke.
Abdoush served time from May 1999 to June 2014 before being paroled, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. He is now being held at the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan.
The Dearborn Police Department confirmed they did not collaborate with federal agencies on Abdoush's arrest and detention, noting their policy of not cooperating with federal immigration agencies. Police stated Abdoush was taken into custody by ICE, likely due to his tether.
Jake Lang, the activist who was attacked, was protesting a Muslim religious celebration in Dearborn. Video appeared to show Abdoush and others involved in a physical altercation with Lang. Lang, who has a history as a January 6 Capitol riot defendant pardoned by former President Trump, has announced plans for another protest against Muslims in Dearborn on August 18.
Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin had previously urged residents to avoid confronting individuals from outside the community. Lang has stated his intention to sue Dearborn, its mayor, and its police chief for failing to protect him during the protest.