Dearborn defends holiday spending as lawsuit alleges bias toward Muslims
Dearborn, Michigan, pushed back against a federal lawsuit accusing it of favoring Muslim holidays over Christian and Jewish ones, saying its diversity is under attack.
The city of Dearborn, Michigan, has rejected allegations that it favors Muslim observances over those of other faiths, saying it remains committed to treating all residents equally.
In a statement issued Saturday through a spokesperson, the city said it "has a longstanding commitment to serving all residents fairly and equitably, regardless of faith or background." It said the criticism directed at Dearborn stems from its diversity and its reputation for welcoming newcomers.
"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. "That will not change who we are."
The response followed a federal lawsuit filed Thursday accusing the city and its mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, a Democrat, of spending public money on Muslim holiday celebrations while neglecting Christian and Jewish holidays. The suit, brought by journalist Margot Cleveland, seeks unspecified damages and asks a judge to find that the city violated the Constitution and to order compliance with the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
According to the lawsuit, Dearborn spent $1,500 on Ramadan banners and $5,000 on a crescent-moon display in Peace Park last year, while its police department sold Ramadan-themed shirts carrying the official department emblem. It claims the city did not mark Easter or Passover in a comparable way, and that Cleveland was repeatedly ignored when she asked that other religious holidays be honored.
The complaint also points to a September 2025 exchange at a City Council meeting between Hammoud and local pastor Ted Barham. Barham had criticized the city for naming a street after Osama Siblani, saying the move was "quite inappropriate" and comparable to naming a street after Hezbollah or Hamas. The mayor responded by telling Barham he was not welcome in the city and that he would stage a parade when the pastor left.
Media coverage of that clash led to a November rally in Dearborn that drew conservative influencers, including Cam Higby and Jake Lang. Hammoud later told The Guardian that his words had been misconstrued and applied to an entire faith, adding that Dearborn is a place where everyone is welcome regardless of background.
Dearborn is home to more than 100,000 people and has a majority Arab American population. In its Saturday statement, the city said it would continue to uphold the rights and dignity of every resident and remain a place where all are treated with fairness, respect and equal protection under the law.