WASHINGTON DC: A federal civil-rights lawsuit has put Dearborn, Michigan, Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud and the city government at the centre of a dispute over the treatment of Islam, Christianity and Judaism in municipal spending and public religious displays. Filed by journalist and Dearborn resident Margot Cleveland, the case alleges that Dearborn used public money and city property to recognise Ramadan while declining repeated requests for comparable recognition of Christian and Jewish holidays.
The American Freedom Law Center (AFLC) filed the lawsuit on September 17, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Cleveland’s behalf. The case, Cleveland v. Dearborn et al., is docketed as Case No. 2:2026cv13519 and names the City of Dearborn and Abdullah H. Hammoud as defendants.
The complaint brings claims under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, including allegations concerning the Establishment Clause, retaliation and equal protection.
According to Cleveland’s complaint, the dispute began in April 2025, when she questioned Dearborn’s use of public resources for Ramadan displays while Christian and Jewish observances received no comparable municipal recognition.
The complaint says Dearborn spent approximately $1,500 on “Ramadan Kareem” banners and $5,000 on a large illuminated crescent-moon display in a municipal park. Cleveland subsequently asked the city to provide similar recognition for Christian and Jewish holidays, including Easter and Passover, but alleges that her requests went unanswered.
The complaint further alleges that the disparity continued into 2026. Cleveland says Dearborn installed additional illuminated Ramadan displays, while the city budget contained no comparable allocation for Christian or Jewish observances despite what she describes as a budget surplus and her repeated appeals.
The lawsuit also points to Ramadan-themed shirts sold by the Dearborn Police Department bearing its official emblem and alleges that Hammoud used his government email account to promote an Iftar event.
Lawsuit alleges unequal treatment of Islam, Christianity and Judaism
The central Establishment Clause claim argues that Dearborn’s actions amounted to governmental preference for Islam over Christianity and Judaism. Cleveland is not asking the city to stop recognising Ramadan, according to reporting on the lawsuit, rather, her complaint seeks comparable treatment for Christian and Jewish observances.
The requested remedies include declaratory relief, an injunction against the practices challenged in the lawsuit, nominal damages and attorneys’ fees. Cleveland also alleges retaliation after she publicly raised the issue. The complaint says city officials instructed City Council members not to communicate with her after she indicated that she was considering possible legal action.
Cleveland maintains that her objective was initially to resolve the issue without litigation. She further alleges that she was prevented from reporting as a journalist at an April 2026 “Community Update” meeting and was required to attend as a resident on the condition that she would not report on it. She says she was not subsequently invited to another such meeting.
I’m glad I don’t live in Michigan.
MICHIGAN MAYOR SUED OVER DEARBORN RAMADAN DISPLAYS.
In my opinion, Christians were not welcome.
They used taxpayer money for Ramadan banners. A giant crescent in a public park. Police Ramadan shirts.
A resident asked for Easter and Passover.… pic.twitter.com/WApwiX4kUl— Ravious101 🦅🇺🇸 (@Ravious101) September 18, 2026
The lawsuit also includes an Equal Protection claim, alleging that Cleveland was treated differently because of her religious and political viewpoints. Its Establishment Clause claim focuses specifically on what it characterises as preferential municipal support for Islam, while its First Amendment retaliation claim concerns Cleveland’s journalism and advocacy over the treatment of Christian and Jewish holidays.
A separate episode involving Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and Christian Pastor Ted Barham is also cited in the complaint. At a Dearborn City Council meeting on September 9, 2025, Barham objected to the city’s decision to rename a street in honour of Osama Siblani, citing public statements attributed to Siblani concerning Hezbollah and Hamas. Barham identified himself as a Christian and referred to Jesus as the “prince of peace” while calling for coexistence.
Hammoud responded by criticising Barham and, according to the complaint, called him a “bigot,” “racist” and “Islamophobe.” The complaint quotes Hammoud as telling Barham that, although he lived in Dearborn, he was “not welcome here.” Cleveland’s lawsuit presents the exchange as evidence supporting its allegation that Dearborn officials showed hostility toward Christian residents who criticised municipal policies.
Dispute expands beyond Ramadan displays
The lawsuit therefore links three issues, Dearborn’s public recognition of Islam through Ramadan-related spending and displays, Cleveland’s unsuccessful requests for comparable recognition of Christian and Jewish holidays and the retaliation that followed her criticism.
David Yerushalmi, AFLC co-founder and senior counsel, said the case seeks equal treatment for Christians and Jews. Pastor Ted Barham, meanwhile, said he had previously decided against bringing his own lawsuit following his confrontation with Hammoud but supports the AFLC case.
The City of Dearborn has defended itself against the allegations, saying it remains committed to treating residents equally and describing the city as inclusive. The dispute will now proceed through the federal court process, where the allegations concerning Islam, Christian and Jewish religious recognition, municipal spending and the conduct of Mayor Abdullah Hammoud will be subject to judicial consideration.
