Margot Cleveland, a Dearborn resident and journalist, sued the city and Mayor Abdullah Hammoud on Sept. 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The complaint alleges that Dearborn used public resources for Ramadan displays without providing comparable recognition for Christian and Jewish observances. The American Freedom Law Center, which represents Cleveland, announced the case, numbered 2:26-cv-13519.
The city’s response
Dearborn said it has a longstanding commitment to treating residents fairly and equitably regardless of faith or background. In a statement reported by CBS News Detroit, the city also said its diversity and welcoming character had made it a target of attacks and that it would continue protecting residents’ rights and dignity.
Spending and displays at issue
The complaint identifies $1,500 for Ramadan banners and $5,000 for a crescent-moon display in Peace Park. It also alleges that the Dearborn Police Department sold Ramadan-themed shirts bearing its official emblem. Those spending figures and the allegation about the shirts were reported by CBS News Detroit and Fox News.
Cleveland alleges that she asked whether the city would provide similar recognition for Easter and Passover and received no response. The complaint also says Dearborn expanded its Ramadan displays in February 2026 by installing crescent-and-star lights on municipal streetlights. Hammoud described the initiative as reflecting the city’s identity, according to the complaint and reporting on the dispute.
What Cleveland is asking the court to decide
The lawsuit alleges violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments, including the Establishment Clause, free-speech protections, and equal protection. It seeks a declaration that the defendants violated Cleveland’s rights, an injunction, nominal damages, and related legal costs, according to the American Freedom Law Center.
Cleveland is not asking the court to remove the Ramadan displays. Her position is that Dearborn should provide comparable recognition and funding for Christian and Jewish holidays instead of recognizing only Ramadan, according to The Algemeiner. The complaint cites Larson v. Valente, a Supreme Court decision concerning government preference among religious denominations.
What prior cases say about holiday displays
A Sixth Circuit precedent provides relevant context for the dispute. In the Warren case, the court held that the Establishment Clause does not automatically turn a government-controlled holiday display into a seasonal public forum requiring officials to add every requested message, according to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
