First Muslim city in the US sued: 'Treat Christians and Jews as equals'

A federal lawsuit has been filed against the city of Dearborn, Michigan, and Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, alleging religious discrimination after spending thousands of dollars on Ramadan decorations while ignoring requests to recognize Passover and Easter. The lawsuit, filed by journalist Margot Cleveland through the AFLC organization, claims violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. The mayor responded with hostility, and the controversy unfolds against the backdrop of a tight Senate race in Michigan.

A federal lawsuit was filed this week against the city of Dearborn, Michigan, and its Muslim mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, alleging civil rights violations. The lawsuit, filed by journalist Margot Cleveland of The Federalist through the civil rights organization AFLC, claims the city spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on Ramadan decorations while ignoring requests to recognize Passover and Easter. According to the complaint, Hammoud expanded Ramadan decorations at a cost of thousands of dollars while displaying a hostile attitude and ignoring residents demanding religious equality. Attorney David Yerushalmi, representing the case, noted that the mayor told a Christian resident he was "not welcome" in his own city. Cleveland stated she acted as a "concerned resident who was ignored," while Hammoud defended the moves, saying: "This initiative reflects who we are as a city." The legal controversy unfolds against the backdrop of the tight U.S. Senate race in Michigan ahead of the 2026 elections, where Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed is running, who could become the first Muslim senator.