Amer Ghalib Explained

Amer Ghalib
Office:Mayor of Hamtramck
Term Start:November 3, 2021
Predecessor:Karen Majewski
Birth Place:Yemen
Party:Democratic
Children:3

Amer Ghalib is an American politician currently serving as the Democratic mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, since November 3, 2021. He is the first Arab American and Muslim to serve as mayor of Hamtramck. He is a social conservative and implemented policies in Hamtramck banning pride flags from publicly owned flagpoles and investments in Israeli companies. He endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 United States presidential election.

Early life and career

Ghalib was born in Yemen. He emigrated to the United States in 1997 and worked in a factory that made plastic components for cars whilst attending Hamtramck High School.[1] He studied biology at Henry Ford Community College before attending Wayne State University where he received a biology degree.[1] He then attended the Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica which he left without a degree and became a healthcare worker at a medical office in Hamtramck.[2]

Mayor of Hamtramck

In the 2021 Hamtramck mayoral election, Ghalib defeated incumbent mayor Karen Majewski with 68% of the vote.[3] He became both the first Arab American and Muslim to hold the position and according to the Detroit Free Press became the first non-Polish mayor in 100 years.[2] A member of the Democratic Party, he worked with what was believed to be the first all-Muslim city council in the United States. In June 2023, the city council banned the pride flag from publicly owned flagpoles with Ghalib stating that he "intended to bring neutrality to city property without promoting sexuality, racism, religion or politics."[4] In June 2024, Ghalib and the city council unanimously passed a resolution which required the city to avoid investing in Israeli companies or those supporting "Israeli apartheid."[5] [6]

During the 2024 Michigan Democratic presidential primary, Ghalib supported the Uncommitted Movement and recommended voters vote uncommitted instead of Joe Biden.[7] [8] In September 2024, Ghalib endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 United States presidential election after meeting him at a town hall in Flint in which they discussed issues affecting Arab and Muslim Americans.[9] Kurt Streeter of The New York Times reported that as a social conservative, Ghalib found more in common with Republicans who had "actively courted him."[10] In his endorsement, Ghalib acknowledged their disagreements on key issues but that he believed that Trump would end the Israel–Hamas war.[10] [11] Trump reposted his endorsement on Truth Social.[9]

Personal life

Ghalib has three children and is a Muslim.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Making history: HFC alumnus is Hamtramck’s first Muslim mayor. January 5, 2022. www.hfcc.edu. https://web.archive.org/web/20241201135325/https://www.hfcc.edu/news/2022/making-history-hfc-alumnus-hamtramcks-first-muslim-mayor. 1 December 2024. December 1, 2024. live.
  2. Web site: Amer Ghalib ousts Karen Majewski, becoming Hamtramck's first Muslim mayor. Niraj. Warikoo. November 3, 2021. Detroit Free Press. https://web.archive.org/web/20230409222044/https://eu.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/11/03/hamtramck-mayor-amer-ghalib/6241155001/. 9 April 2023. November 2, 2024. live.
  3. News: Raiyn . Sascha . Amer Ghalib Defeats Karen Majewski in Hamtramck Mayoral Race . 3 November 2024 . WDET . November 3, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20240414165304/https://wdet.org/2021/11/03/amer-ghalib-defeats-karen-majewski-in-hamtramck-mayoral-race/. 14 April 2024. live.
  4. Web site: Detroit-area human relations commissioners ousted after flying LGBTQ+ flag in violation of new ban. July 14, 2023. AP News. https://web.archive.org/web/20231204142315/https://apnews.com/article/hamtramck-michigan-lgbtq-flags-cb4a05064e5cc6882f3072966e66a413. 4 December 2023. November 2, 2024. live.
  5. News: Lee . Michael . Who is Amer Ghalib, the Trump-endorsing mayor of the US' only Muslim-majority town? . Fox News . September 23, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240926231817/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/who-amer-ghalib-trump-endorsing-mayor-uss-only-muslim-majority-town. 26 September 2024. November 3, 2024. live.
  6. News: Sercombe . Charles . City officials call for divestment and boycott of Israel, a first in the state . 3 November 2024 . The Hamtramck Review . June 7, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240716125553/https://www.thehamtramckreview.com/city-officials-call-for-divestment-and-boycott-of-israel-a-first-in-the-state/. 16 July 2024. live.
  7. News: Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib explains endorsement of Donald Trump . 3 November 2024 . WXYZ . September 23, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240923190026/https://www.wxyz.com/news/national-politics/america-votes/hamtramck-mayor-amer-ghalib-endorses-donald-trump-in-2024-presidential-election. 23 September 2024. live.
  8. News: Sercombe . Charles . Mayor is urging voters to choose 'uncommitted' in primary election . 3 November 2024 . The Hamtramck Review . February 16, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240924001039/https://www.thehamtramckreview.com/mayor-is-urging-voters-to-choose-uncommitted-in-primary-election/. 24 September 2024. live.
  9. Web site: Mayor of only Muslim-run city in US endorses Trump for election. September 23, 2024. Al Jazeera. https://web.archive.org/web/20241001122450/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/23/mayor-of-only-muslim-governed-us-city-endorses-trump. 1 October 2024. November 2, 2024. live.
  10. Web site: A Muslim Mayor Endorses Trump, and a City of Immigrants Finds Itself Undone. Kurt. Streeter. October 26, 2024. The New York Times. https://archive.today/20241027210242/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/26/us/hamtramck-michigan-ghalib-trump.html. 27 October 2024. November 2, 2024. live.
  11. Web site: Democratic Muslim mayor backs Trump in key swing state. Billal. Rahman. September 23, 2024. Newsweek. https://archive.today/20240924200506/https://www.newsweek.com/democratic-muslim-mayor-trump-swing-state-1957674. 24 September 2024. November 2, 2024. live.

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