DEARBORN, Michigan – A Political Battle in the Heart of Arab America
The suburban streets of Dearborn, Michigan, framed by neat lawns and tree-lined avenues, offer a peaceful, idyllic setting. But within this calm, a highly contested political battleground is playing out—a battleground that could determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. Dearborn, home to the largest Arab American population in the United States, has become ground zero for a pivotal demographic in Michigan’s election contest, and both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are targeting it.
The Arab American community in Michigan, estimated to number around 200,000 registered voters, is a key swing group, with the potential to sway the state’s 15 electoral votes. Historically, Arab Americans in Michigan have leaned Democratic, voting for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. But in 2024, many are expressing frustration with the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of foreign policy, particularly their stance on the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has deeply affected the local Arab and Muslim community.
As Harris campaigns in Dearborn and other areas, she is confronted with a complex reality. Many Arab American voters are disillusioned, especially due to what they perceive as the administration’s unwavering support for Israel in its military actions against Hamas in Gaza. These voters, largely of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, are personally affected by the violence, with some having lost relatives in airstrikes on Gaza and southern Lebanon. This emotional and political context is shaping the way many Arab Americans view the election and their relationship to Harris.
Despite this, Harris and her campaign have attempted to reach out, emphasizing her calls for a ceasefire and support for Palestinian self-determination. But her nuanced position, which balances support for Israel’s right to self-defense with advocacy for Palestinian rights, has failed to resonate with many in this community. Some voters feel that Harris, in an effort to maintain consistency with Biden’s policy, has failed to adequately address their pain and concerns, which they view not as distant foreign policy issues, but as very real, local matters.
The campaign’s outreach efforts have included door-to-door canvassing and interfaith dialogues. Recently, Harris’s campaign enlisted faith leaders from diverse backgrounds—an imam, a rabbi, and a Christian pastor—to help bridge the divide. These leaders, along with a group of volunteers, have been canvassing Dearborn, engaging in face-to-face conversations with voters. One of the canvassing leaders, Imam Mika’il Stewart Saadiq, used a parable to explain the stakes of the election, emphasizing that the community cannot allow the divisions to “sink” them.
Yet, not all are convinced by these outreach efforts. Many Arab Americans in Dearborn remain uncommitted or dissatisfied with both major parties. While some may consider voting for Trump, motivated by frustration with the Democratic Party’s policies, others remain reluctant due to the former president’s controversial track record with the Muslim community, including the 2017 travel ban and his close relationship with far-right Israeli leaders.
In a recent rally in Ann Arbor, Kamala Harris was introduced by Assad Turfe, a prominent Arab American leader, who attempted to rally the community by expressing solidarity with those mourning lost family members in Gaza and Lebanon. But even as Turfe voiced his support for Harris, protesters in the crowd—many wearing Palestinian symbols—chanted slogans condemning her stance on Israel, further underscoring the division within the Arab American community.
At a local Arab coffee shop in Dearborn, Saeed Khan, a Wayne State University professor, reflected on the campaign’s failure to fully grasp the depth of pain felt by the community. “The Harris campaign was late to realize how deep the pain is here for people who have lost their extended families in southern Lebanon and in Gaza,” Khan said. “Her abundance of caution, trying to maintain consistency with Biden and his policies, could cost her this election.”
With less than a week before Election Day, both candidates are locked in a tight race for the Arab American vote in Michigan, with recent polling showing Harris trailing Trump by 18 points compared to Biden’s support in 2020. Despite her attempts to balance competing interests, it remains uncertain whether Harris can win back this critical bloc of voters who feel their voices have been ignored. For many in Dearborn and across Michigan, the election will be about more than just policy—it will be about whether they feel truly heard and represented.
