A recent city council meeting in Dearborn, Michigan, has ignited a controversy after the city’s mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, publicly told a Christian resident he was “not welcome” in the community. The incident, which went viral on social media, occurred during a debate over honoring an Arab American journalist with a history of controversial remarks.
The resident at the center of the dispute, Edward “Ted” Barham, a Christian minister, appeared before the Dearborn City Council to object to a street sign honoring Osama Siblani, the publisher of The Arab American News. Barham read quotes attributed to Siblani, including one that stated, “Everyone should fight within his means. They will fight with stones, others will fight with guns, others fight with planes, drones, and rockets.” Barham called the move to honor Siblani “provocative and quite inappropriate,” likening it to naming a street after Hamas or Hezbollah.
In a heated exchange, Mayor Hammoud responded to Barham by calling him a “racist, a bigot, and an Islamophobe.” Hammoud, a Dearborn native and the city’s first Muslim mayor, told Barham, “Although you live here, I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here.” He added, “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 this city.”
Hammoud’s official biography describes him as an unwavering advocate for Dearborn, with a commitment to building an inclusive and prosperous community. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he previously served as a State Representative, where he championed initiatives on public health and economic development.
The publisher at the center of the controversy, Osama Siblani, has a long record of praising militant groups. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Siblani has called groups like Hezbollah and Hamas “freedom fighters.” Barham, who has lived and ministered in several Muslim-majority countries, stated that he holds no hate for the mayor and, in fact, has had some good personal interactions with him. He said his objection was about standing up for a message of peace and free expression, adding that “disagreement is not hate.”
The controversy has also drawn criticism from a larger political audience. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and her office remained silent on the matter for days, despite the incident gaining national attention. Barham has stated that he plans to continue his ministry in the city, pointing to a recent initiative where his group received permission to broadcast an Arabic Christian call to prayer to run alongside those broadcast by local mosques.
