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Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud told local resident Edward Ted Barham at last week’s Dearborn City Council meeting Christianafter Barham was concerned about a new street sign commemorating Arab American news publisher Osama Siblani, he was “unpopular” in the city.
FOX 2 Detroit The report said the sign commemorating Siblaney was placed at the intersection of Warren Avenue in Wayne County, rather than the city of Dearborn. But the mayor escalated the debate, telling Barham: “Although you live here, it’s not popular here.”
Barham introduced himself as “Ted Barham, a resident of Dearborn,” and opposed the intersection of two renamed names after Siblani.
“He was a promoter of Hezbollah and Hamas,” he said, and then quoted Siblani’s past remarks, including, “He talked about how the blood of the martyrs irrigated the land of Palestinian … We are in Michigan and whether we are in Yemen and whether we are in Yemen. If we believe me.”
Adams asked “Mamdani at the funeral of the former NYPD”
Edward “Ted” Barham addressed the Dearborn City Council in Dearborn, Michigan on September 9, 2025. (Dearborn City)
Barham compared the signs to the road named “Hezbollah Street or Hamas Street”, calling it “provocation” and stressing that as a Christian, he wanted to encourage peace. He ended with a quote from Jesus: “Blessed are the peace.”
Council members interjected, warning Barham against “personal assault” and reminded him that the city had no control over the county’s decision.
One clarification said: “The county road placed on Warren Avenue, which was done by Wayne County executives.” But Barham insisted that the issue is important to Dearborn residents because the signs are in their city.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud spoke at a city council meeting in Dearborn, Michigan on September 9, 2025. (Dearborn City)
Mayor Hammoud replied, shocking many attendees. “The best advice I have for you is not to drive or close your eyes on Warren Avenue,” Hamod said.
He went further, accusing Barham of being “a paranoid, you’re a racist, and You’re Islamophobia“Before the announcement: “Even though you live here, I hope you know as mayor that it is not popular here.” And, the day you move out of the city will be the day I carry out the parade to celebrate the fact that you move out of the city. ”
Muslim voters voted on November 5, 2024 at a voting venue in Dearborn, Michigan. (Adam James Dewey/Anadolu via Getty Image)
The controversy stems from Wayne County’s decision to commemorate Siblaney through a street sign in August.
FOX 2 Detroit reported that the county commission approved the designation, not the city council. Hammoud and other local officials attended the ceremony to celebrate the unveiling.
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Fox News Digital contacted Mayor Hammoud’s office and Siblani for comment, but received no response at the time of publication. The effort to reach Ted Barham by phone was also unsuccessful.
Dearborn, This city and The highest Muslim population in the United States has long sparked debate over cultural and political identities. For many ordinary residents, the question of whether elected officials would like to listen to all voices or only those they choose to celebrate at the moment they captured.
