Dearborn resident who is described as “a taxpayer who objects to her taxes being used to promote Islam and discriminate against Christians and Jews" sues city.
A Dearborn resident has filed a federal lawsuit against Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, alleging the city is using taxpayer dollars to favor Islamic holidays over Christian and Jewish holidays.
Attorneys from the American Freedom Law Center filed the lawsuit on behalf of Margot Cleveland, a Dearborn resident who claims that she repeatedly requested city funding for Jewish and Christian holidays and been denied, despite the city funding displays for Islamic holidays such as Ramadan.
Cleveland is described in court documents as a “taxpayer who objects to her taxes being used to promote Islam and discriminate against Christians and Jews”.
The lawsuit further alleges that the city of Dearborn has shown a “governmental preference for one religion over others in violation of the Establishment Clause”.
The plaintiff’s attorneys describe Dearborn as a place that is “hostile to Christians and Jews”.
“For too long, the City of Dearborn has been a hostile place for Christians and Jews,” the lawsuit reads. “Hammoud has taken this hostility to the next level, openly conveying the message that Christians and Jews are not welcome in the city and are, indeed, second-class citizens.”
The city countered the allegations by claiming that it “has a longstanding commitment to serving all residents fairly and equitably, regardless of faith or background.”
Dearborn’s spokesperson further claimed that the city has “come under attack” in their statement.
“Our city has increasingly come under attack precisely because of its welcoming nature and the diversity of the people who proudly call Dearborn home,” the city said.
The city has not released a statement denying the specific allegations in the lawsuit at the time of the publication of this article.
