The Muslim mayor of Dearborn, Michigan — which has a large Muslim population — told a local Christian man that he was not welcome in the city after the man questioned the city honoring a Muslim journalist who has reportedly praised the terrorist group Hezbollah.
The confrontation occurred at a Dearborn city council meeting, when Christian resident Ted Barham voiced his opposition to renaming Warren Avenue after local Arab American journalist Osama Siblani. Barham cited the journalist’s history of praising Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated as a terrorist organization, and expressing anti-Israel sentiments.
Rather than engaging with these concerns, Hammoud delivered a sharp message: “Although you live here, I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here.” The mayor reportedly added that the day Barham moves out of the city would be marked by a celebratory parade.
Siblani, who arrived in the U.S. in 1976 and founded The Arab American News, has publicly glorified Hezbollah and openly wished harm on Israel, even threatening to send Israeli Jews “back to Poland,” according to MEMRI. During a 2024 rally in Dearborn, when chants of “death to Israel” filled the air, Siblani assured the crowd that Hezbollah would “take care of the job,” a likely euphemism for violent eradication of the Jewish state.
“Siblani has repeatedly emphasized the importance of bolstering the influence of those who support his views on U.S. politics,” MEMRI reported, “In November 2023, Siblani boasted that Muslims are on the road to a great victory in D.C. and Palestine, and that the White House and Washington are full of ‘bloodthirsty killers’ who need to be ‘cleaned out.’ In May 2024, he said: ‘I can very confidently tell you that we are on the road to the White House, to Congress, to the decision-making everywhere in the United States.’”
Siblani remains a celebrated figure among local officials, including Hammoud, who honored him alongside other political leaders at the street sign ceremony. Meanwhile, Barham was publicly labeled an “Islamophobe,” with the mayor accusing him of bigotry based on a 2019 YouTube video that a subsequent review found contained no derogatory remarks about Islam.
As The Detroit Free Press noted:
In a video, uploaded in 2019, Barham is seen briefly in front of the Islamic Center of America, singing a Christmas carol. He then is later seen interviewing Muslims on what appears to be a university campus, having discussions about theology, dialogue between Christians and Muslims, and what Jesus looked like. Barham is not heard saying anything derogatory about Islam.
Michigan’s Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer, rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential run, along with other Democrats like Rep. Debbie Dingell, have not taken a stance on the decision to rename the street for Siblani, or the attack on Barham for opposing it.
The Michigan city of Dearborn now has a majority Arab population.
