In 2020, Eman Hammoud was among the thousands of Michigan Muslims who played a pivotal role in securing President Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump. Just a month ago, the Palestinian American immigration lawyer was certain she would back his campaign again in 2024. However, recent weeks have shaken her confidence as she witnessed the Biden administration’s unwavering support for Israel following its declaration of war on Hamas after the Palestinian militant group’s deadly attack on October 7. Despite thousands of civilian casualties in Gaza, there have been no calls for a ceasefire or red lines set for Israel. Hammoud, like many others, now finds herself in a moral dilemma.
“He’s put us in a very difficult situation,” Hammoud told CNN. “It has become almost impossible for me, morally, to vote for someone that’s taken the stances that he’s taken in the past few weeks.”
Arab and Muslim Americans, though constituting a small percentage of the population, wield significant influence in battleground states such as Michigan. The rejection of voters like Hammoud, hurt and betrayed by the Biden administration’s stance, could potentially cost Biden both the state and his chance at reelection.
Michigan boasts over 200,000 Muslim American voters, 146,000 of whom voted in 2020, according to Emgage, an organization empowering Muslim Americans politically. Biden’s narrow win in Michigan, a state that narrowly went to Trump in 2016, underscores the significance of the Muslim vote.
Nada Al-Hanooti, Michigan’s executive director of Emgage Action, emphasized, “That just proves that the Biden administration needs the Muslim vote to win.”
The stakes are particularly high in Dearborn, a Detroit suburb where more than half of the population is of Middle Eastern or North African descent. Despite the binary nature of elections, Democrats in Dearborn, who campaigned and donated to Biden, now express hesitation about supporting him, even if he were to endorse the community’s primary request: an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
While the GOP’s campaign platforms, including denying aid to Gaza and reinstating Trump’s travel ban on certain Muslim-majority countries, are viewed as worse options by Muslim and Arab American voters, rising Islamophobia and incidents like the stabbing death of 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadea Al-Fayoume, being investigated as a hate crime, have instilled fear among these communities.
“The President and this administration have been unequivocal: there is no place for Islamophobia, xenophobia, or any of the vile racism we have seen in recent weeks,” stated Biden campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa. “As MAGA Republicans continue to run on an openly Islamophobic platform — including renewed support for Donald Trump’s Muslim ban — the stakes of next year’s election could not be more consequential.”
Nevertheless, many Muslim and Arab Americans who once supported Biden find it hard to envision doing so again or encouraging their friends and family to back him.
“There is not a question in my mind that our president is in trouble in Michigan,” said Abbas Alawieh, a Democratic strategist in Dearborn. “The political ramifications of this are as deep as the pain people are experiencing, and that is bone-deep.”
Muslim American voters’ political clout in Michigan is evident locally. In 2018, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a vocal critic of Israel and the administration’s response to the Gaza conflict, became the first Palestinian American elected to Congress. Similarly, former state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud became the first Arab and Muslim American elected as the mayor of Dearborn in 2021, further underlining their influence.
Biden’s unwavering support for Israel doesn’t come as a surprise to many Arab Americans given his history. However, recent weeks have shattered the image of Biden as the “empathizer-in-chief,” leaving many disillusioned.
“As someone who has lost children, we thought that he was somebody who could empathize with what’s going on in the Middle East, and clearly we were wrong,” said Adam Abusalah, a Palestinian American and former Biden campaign field organizer in Michigan.
Now, burdened by guilt over supporting Biden’s campaign, Abusalah lamented, “This is the man that I went out and knocked on doors for. I feel guilt and I absolutely do regret what I did on the Biden campaign.”
Muslim and Arab Americans who spoke to CNN cited a series of perceived missteps by the Biden administration since the conflict began. The US vetoed an October 18 UN Security Council draft resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses,” and Biden questioned the accuracy of Palestinian casualty reports from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health, further widening the rift.
The White House, attempting to mend relations, engaged in multiple listening sessions and outreach efforts with Muslim and Arab Americans. Yet, these efforts have faced criticism. During a meeting with prominent Muslim community figures, Emgage CEO Wa’el Alzayat confronted Biden about his lack of empathy toward Palestinians, highlighting the administration’s unhelpful rhetoric.
In response, the administration announced plans to develop a national strategy to combat Islamophobia. However, for many, these gestures might be too little, too late.
Sam Baydoun, a Wayne County, Michigan, commissioner, expressed skepticism, stating, “What does that mean, a humanitarian pause? Why not say unconditional ceasefire?” His sentiments echo the frustrations of many Arab Americans who, despite their previous support, are now reluctant to back Biden.
Hussein Dabajeh, a Lebanese-American political consultant, expressed similar sentiments, emphasizing that the community’s message will be clear: “show them that we have numbers, but don’t vote for anyone.”
As tensions rise, Muslim and Arab Americans in Michigan grapple with their disillusionment, their immediate concerns focused on the plight of Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire. The outcome of the upcoming election remains uncertain, as Biden faces a significant challenge in regaining the trust of these communities.
