A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed against the city of Dearborn, Michigan, and its mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, alleging that city officials have violated the U.S. Constitution by using public funds and city property to promote Islamic holidays while denying similar recognition to Christian and Jewish observances. The suit was brought by the American Freedom Law Center (AFLC) on behalf of Dearborn resident and Federalist Senior Legal Correspondent Margot Cleveland.

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The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, claims that Dearborn has established a pattern of favoring Islam in public displays and spending, raising questions about whether the city is treating all religious groups equally under the law. According to the AFLC, this alleged favoritism has been ongoing since at least April 2025.

Alleged Favoritism in Holiday Displays

The lawsuit centers on the city's public celebration of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The complaint states that Dearborn spent public funds on banners, illuminated crescent moon displays, and Ramadan-themed T-shirts for the police department. These displays included “Ramadan Kareem” banners and a large crescent moon erected on public property. The AFLC alleges that no comparable city-sponsored displays or recognitions have been provided for major Christian or Jewish holidays such as Easter, Passover, Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, or Yom Kippur, despite repeated requests from Cleveland and other residents.

Cleveland first raised the issue publicly in April 2025, after observing the city’s Ramadan displays. She filed a Freedom of Information Act request, which revealed city expenditures for the banners and for Ramadan-themed shirts bearing the Dearborn Police Department’s emblem. On April 6, 2025, Cleveland emailed the city attorney to ask whether Easter and Passover would receive equal recognition, but according to the complaint, she did not receive a response.

"I have a problem with people supporting or excusing terrorism and antisemitism and establishing a religion and discriminating against people of other faiths."

— Margot Cleveland, plaintiff and Federalist Senior Legal Correspondent

City Officials’ Responses and Additional Allegations

The complaint also describes an incident at a September 9, 2025, city council meeting. During the meeting, a Christian pastor objected to the renaming of a street after Osama Siblani, who is described in the complaint as a public supporter of Hezbollah and Hamas. Mayor Hammoud allegedly told the pastor he was "not welcome" in Dearborn and stated he would "launch a parade" if the pastor left the city. The AFLC claims that neither Hammoud nor the city attorney responded to subsequent letters warning that the city had become hostile to Christians and Jews and requesting equal recognition for their holidays.

In February 2026, Dearborn unveiled new crescent-moon-and-star light displays on municipal street lights for Ramadan. Mayor Hammoud was quoted as saying the display “reflects who we are as a city.” The complaint maintains that the city has never sponsored similar displays for Christian or Jewish holidays, reinforcing the claim of unequal treatment.

AFLC and Cleveland are seeking a court declaration that Dearborn officials violated constitutional rights, an injunction to prevent the city from favoring Muslims over Christians and Jews in its policies, nominal damages, and attorneys’ fees. The complaint cites prior federal court rulings, including a 2011 Sixth Circuit decision and subsequent settlements, which found that Dearborn had previously violated free speech and religious exercise rights by restricting Christian activities at the city’s Arab festival.

Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit, became the first majority-Arab U.S. city in 2023 and is home to the largest mosque in America. While local races are officially nonpartisan, all current city council members and the mayor have Democratic affiliations, either through voter registrations, endorsements, or public statements. Of the seven council members, three and the mayor are publicly declared Muslims.

The complaint also references recent incidents involving city officials and local Muslim leaders. One cited example is the refusal of a Muslim council member to condemn Hezbollah or Hamas shortly after the FBI stopped three Dearborn residents from allegedly planning a terrorist attack at an Ohio amusement park.

City’s Response

As of Thursday morning, Mayor Hammoud and his chief of staff, Zaineb Hussein, had not responded to requests for comment. The city has not publicly addressed the allegations raised in the lawsuit. The case is expected to proceed in federal court, where the city will have an opportunity to respond to the claims.