The city of Dearborn, Michigan, issued a statement on Saturday, September 19, 2026, defending itself against a federal lawsuit that alleges the city favors Muslim holidays over those of other faiths. The city's spokesperson attributed the legal challenge to its diversity and welcoming nature, asserting that Dearborn serves all residents equitably regardless of background.
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday, September 17, 2026, by Margot Cleveland, a journalist for The Federalist. It names the city and Mayor Abdullah Hammoud as defendants. The complaint alleges that the municipal government has been a hostile place for Christians and Jews and treats them as second-class citizens while allocating public funds primarily for Islamic religious celebrations.
According to the legal filing, Dearborn spent $1,500 of public funds on Ramadan banners and $5,000 on a crescent-moon symbol displayed in Peace Park last year. The suit further notes that the Dearborn Police Department sold Ramadan-themed shirts featuring the official department emblem. Cleveland alleges that she was ignored when she requested that the city provide similar recognition for Easter and Passover.
The legal action also references a September 2025 City Council meeting where Mayor Hammoud told local pastor Ted Barham he was not welcome in the city. That exchange followed Barham's criticism of the city's decision to name a street after Osama Siblani, whom Barham accused of supporting organizations designated as terrorist groups by the U.S. government. Hammoud later told The Guardian that his comments were directed at a "bad faith actor" rather than an entire faith group.
The litigation seeks unspecified financial damages and a court order requiring Dearborn to comply with the First and Fourteenth Amendments regarding religious neutrality. The city maintains that its actions are consistent with equal protection under the law. The case is currently pending in federal court.