Abdullah Hammoud became the first Muslim mayor of the US’s largest Muslim population. Here’s what he has planned
Dearborn, a city in Wayne County in the state of Michigan, is home to the country’s largest population of Muslim Americans. However, it took until 2023 for a Muslim mayor to finally be elected here. Abdullah Hammoud, who has Lebanese ancestry, became the Democrat mayor of Dearborn in September 2023. Here’s a deeper look at him and what he has planned.
Who is Abdullah Hammoud?
Dearborn local, Abdullah Hammoud was born in 1990 to a Lebanese Shia family (with Saudi Arabian heritage on his father’s side) who migrated to the USA during the Lebanese Civil War. His parents come from humble beginnings; his father was a truck driver, and his mother didn’t complete high school, although she’s since opened her own business.
Hammoud is a part of the Democratic party, which currently control the Michigan State Legislature (it’s the first time they’ve done so in 40 years). This makes Michigan a key state for Democrats to focus on, particularly ahead of the 2024 election.
Hammoud is also a member of POLITICO’s Mayors Club. This club involves 50 mayors, across the nation, who meet regularly to talk about community challenges and solutions.
About Dearborn
Dearborn is a Michigan city in the Midwest, and it’s largely known as the center of Arab America.
Throughout the 20th century, many Arab people – in particular lots of people from Lebanon who were fleeing the Civil War – settled in the city. Dearborn attracted new migrants to the U.S. due to the automotive industries in the city (Ford is based there).
As there’s always been a strong Arab community in Dearborn, many migrants and refugees in the 21st century, including people from Yemen, Iraq and Syria, decided to settle there.
Nowadays, many of the original migrants to Dearborn have had children and grandchildren who identify as Arab Americans.
What does Hammoud’s election mean for Arab Americans in Dearborn?
Hammoud’s election is an excellent progressive step for Arab Americans in Dearborn. Indeed, the National News reported “The city is home to a growing number of politically orientated Arab-American youths who are hungry to see people that look like them in positions of power” and there could be no better position of power than the mayor!
It also means that there will be more reflection of Dearborn’s – and the US’s in general – racial and religious diversity. Hopefully, with more people from diverse backgrounds in power, there will be more awareness and acceptance of people of different cultures and religions throughout the USA – and the world.
Hammoud’s plans as mayor
Hammoud’s main goal as mayor is to help the Democrats in their campaign for votes in the 2024 elections.
He has already established Dearborn’s first local health department and often speaks about fair policing, advanced technology, and climate change awareness, so it’s likely that his term will focus on these aspects.
Another big focus for Hammoud is dealing with Dearborn’s rapid growth effectively and trying to encourage its young residents to stay within the city. Dearborn has grown by 9.7% from 2010 (which is way ahead of the Michigan average – the state actually ranks 49th when it comes to population growth). 40% of Dearborn’s residents are under the age of 24.
Hammoud could harness this to provide opportunities for its youth. So far, Dearborn is already investing in parks and green spaces for children and is providing free kid’s books.
Being liberal in his policies, Hammoud is staunchly anti-gun – he’s already brought in a bill to ban 3D-printed firearms.
What are the policies of Dearborn like at the moment?
All of Wayne County is generally very liberal, and Dearborn is getting progressively so.
One of the ways that Dearborn is very liberal is that it allows all types of gambling, from slot machines to casinos. In fact, the gambling age in Michigan is just 18, meaning that 18, 19 and 20-year-olds can visit the casinos and make sports bets.
The diverse population also showcases how it’s a more liberal area of the country, as does the general consensus about gun control (Hammoud’s stance is reflective of the general public).
You can also see how liberal Wayne County is by the way that people voted in the last elections: 68.3% for Democrats, 30.3% voted for the Republican Party, and 1.4% for Independent parties.
It’s thought that Hammoud will continue all liberal policies, helping this Michigan city to continue as a liberal corner of the USA.
Final thoughts
Abdullah Hammoud’s election is an exciting time for Dearborn; it’s an excellent step in the right direction when it comes to diversity and inclusiveness. Hopefully, he’ll implement some changes that help the youth of the city and propel Wayne County into the future.
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