Today, the American Freedom Law Center filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of Margot Cleveland, a Dearborn resident and Senior Legal Correspondent for The Federalist, against the City of Dearborn and its Mayor, Abdullah H. Hammoud.
The lawsuit alleges that City officials spent public funds and used City property to promote and celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramadan while refusing Cleveland’s repeated requests that the City extend the same recognition to Christian and Jewish holidays — and that Mayor Hammoud and other City officials retaliated against Cleveland for speaking out about the disparity.
According to the Complaint, Cleveland first raised the issue in April 2025, after the City erected “Ramadan Kareem” banners and a large, lighted crescent moon on public property, while no comparable recognition was given to Lent or the approaching Passover and Easter holidays. A subsequent FOIA request revealed that the City had spent public funds on the Ramadan banners and crescent moon display and that the Dearborn Police Department had produced and sold Ramadan-themed shirts bearing the department’s official emblem. Cleveland’s April 6, 2025 email asking the City Attorney to confirm that Easter and Passover would receive equal recognition went unanswered.
The Complaint further alleges that at a September 9, 2025 City Council meeting, Mayor Hammoud told a Christian pastor, who had raised concerns about the renaming of a street in Dearborn in honor of Osama Siblani—a public supporter of Hezbollah and Hamas: “Although you live here, I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here. And the day you move out of the city will be the day that I launch a parade celebrating the fact that you moved out of the city.” Read more»
American Freedom Law Center | “Breaking: Lawsuit Filed against City of Dearborn and Mayor for Promoting Islam while Discriminating Against Christians and Jews” | September 17, 2026
RESOURCES
- Subscribe To The Heidelblog!
- Download the HeidelApp on Apple App Store or Google Play
- Browse the Heidelshop!
- The Heidelblog Resource Page
- Heidelmedia Resources
- The Ecumenical Creeds
- The Reformed Confessions
- The Heidelberg Catechism
- Remembering the Reformed Confession: Our Theology, Piety, and Practice (Heidelberg Reformation Association, 2026).
- The Heidelberg Catechism: A Historical, Theological, & Pastoral Commentary (Lexham Press, 2025)
- Recovering the Reformed Confession (P&R Publishing, 2008)
- Why I Am A Christian
- What Must A Christian Believe?
- Heidelblog Contributors
- Support Heidelmedia: use the donate button or send a check to
Heidelberg Reformation Association
1637 E. Valley Parkway #391
Escondido CA 92027
USA
The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Heidelblog
The Heidelblog has been in publication since 2007. It is devoted to recovering the Reformed confession and to helping others discover Reformed theology, piety, and practice.
More by Heidelblog ›