Mosque Lawsuit in Sterling Heights, MI Settled Despite Pushback From City's Immigrant Community
Sterling Heights is among Metro area communities that have struggled with controversies over requests for religious buildings. (Photo: John M. Galloway / Special to The Detroit News)
BY: Michelle Dermarkar/Contributing Writer
After a two-year aggressive battle between the city of Sterling Heights, Michigan and the American Islamic Community Center (AICC), an agreement has finally been reached. The AICC will be allowed to build a mosque in the Michigan city, despite push back from the community and city council.
Sterling Heights City Council approved the proposal of a new mosque to be built in the residential area of Michigan after being denied permission back in 2015. According to the council, the property was not suited for the area denied because its “substantial size” would cause traffic congestion, and that they area chosen was “more for residential use.”
The AICC filed a federal lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice, claiming that Sterling Heights breached the Religious Land Use and Institutionalize Persons Act. However, Mayor Michael Taylor insisted that the rejection to construct the mosque was for “legitimate planning and zoning issues” that he said were never resolved.
As part of the settlement, the city council agreed that the mosque could keep its 20,500-square-foot construction plans, but that it must be two feet shorter in height. It’ll be located at 15 Mile and Mound roads. Considering the mosque will be located near a residential area, street parking will not be permitted, and the Muslim call to prayer will not be sung over loud speakers.
The financial settlement between Sterling Heights and AICC has been concealed, but the city council said it would exceed the $350,000 municipal insurance policy.
The AICC and U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of Michigan, Barbara McQuade, rejoiced over the victory of the settlement. It is a triumph for religious freedom and for the American Muslim community because it demonstrates that the justice system is here to condemn Islamophobia and favoritism toward certain religions. Mayor Taylor stated that the decision to follow through with the construction of the mosque is the “American thing to do.”
“My point is that we have a tradition in America since our founding, where people come here from all over the world to have their religious liberty protected,” stated City Councilman Doug Skrzyniarz.
Some opponents of the mosque proposal accused the Muslims and city council members of being “terrorists.” During many heated debates about the mosque at city council meetings, Iraqi-American Christians (Chaldeans), who make up 12% of Sterling Heights, were pitted against their American Muslim neighbors.
Martin Manna, president of the Chaldean Community Foundation told the Detroit Free Press “many of the residents in that area are new Americans who have recently resettled from Iraq after escaping persecution as Christians.”
“There are some deep wounds that have to be healed that will unfortunately take time,” Manna added. “For many of them, whenever a new mosque was built in Iraq, it meant displacement, demographic shifts and often discrimination against Christians.”
However, both sides are hopeful that the growing immigrant community in Sterling Heights can find solace with each other. Many are working with Arab and Muslim leaders to begin the “healing process.”
Mayor Taylor explained that the city embraces religious diversity and claims that this will be the third mosque in Sterling Heights, but many religious institutions are also in the area, including Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian places of worship.