Dearborn defends against lawsuit alleging religious favoritism

The city of Dearborn, Michigan, has responded to a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that the municipality and Mayor Abdullah Hammoud have favored Muslim holidays over Christian and Jewish observances. The lawsuit, filed by journalist Margot Cleveland with the American Freedom Law Center, claims the city spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on public displays for Ramadan while ignoring requests for the recognition of Easter and Passover.

The legal action alleges violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments, specifically regarding the Establishment Clause, free speech, and equal protection. The plaintiff further alleges that city officials responded to requests for religious equality with hostility, citing previous comments made by Mayor Hammoud to a local pastor.

In a statement, Dearborn officials defended the city, asserting a “longstanding commitment to serving all residents fairly and equitably, regardless of faith or background.” The city attributed the legal challenges to its “welcoming nature and the diversity” of its population, which includes one of the largest Arab American communities in the United States.