Amer Ghalib

Amer Ghalib
Mayor of Hamtramck
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 3, 2021
Preceded byKaren Majewski
Personal details
Born1978 or 1979 (age 45–46)[1]
Yemen
Political partyDemocratic
Children3

Amer Ghalib is an American politician 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 endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 United States presidential election.

As mayor of Hamtramck, he implemented policies banning pride flags from publicly owned flagpoles and avoiding city investment in Israeli companies.

Early life and career

Ghalib was born in Yemen.[2] He immigrated to the United States in 1997 and worked in a factory that made plastic components for cars whilst attending Hamtramck High School.[2] He studied biology at Henry Ford Community College before attending Wayne State University where he received a biology degree.[2] 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.[1] He has three children.[1]

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 American mayor in 100 years.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, he worked with what was believed to be the first all-Muslim city council in the United States.[4][5] 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."[6] He met with former U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn on September 12, 2023.[7] 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.[8]

2024 elections

During the 2024 Michigan Democratic presidential primary, Ghalib supported the Uncommitted Movement and recommended voters vote uncommitted instead of Joe Biden.[9][10] 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.[11] 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."[5] In his endorsement, Ghalib acknowledged their disagreements on key issues but that he believed that Trump would end the Israel–Hamas war.[5] Trump reposted his endorsement on Truth Social and Ghalib joined him on some of his presidential campaign rallies.[11][12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Warikoo, Niraj (November 3, 2021). "Amer Ghalib ousts Karen Majewski, becoming Hamtramck's first Muslim mayor". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Making history: HFC alumnus is Hamtramck's first Muslim mayor". www.hfcc.edu. January 5, 2022. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  3. ^ Raiyn, Sascha (November 3, 2021). "Amer Ghalib Defeats Karen Majewski in Hamtramck Mayoral Race". WDET. Archived from the original on April 14, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  4. ^ Kast, Brett; Falconer, Marlon (September 24, 2024). "Hamtramck residents react to Mayor Amer Ghalib endorsing Donald Trump". WXYZ 7 News Detroit. Archived from the original on November 19, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Streeter, Kurt (October 26, 2024). "A Muslim Mayor Endorses Trump, and a City of Immigrants Finds Itself Undone". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 27, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  6. ^ "Detroit-area human relations commissioners ousted after flying LGBTQ+ flag in violation of new ban". AP News. July 14, 2023. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  7. ^ Warikoo, Niraj (September 12, 2023). "Ex-Trump adviser Michael Flynn visits Hamtramck to engage with Muslims and mayor". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Sercombe, Charles (June 7, 2024). "City officials call for divestment and boycott of Israel, a first in the state". The Hamtramck Review. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  9. ^ "Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib explains endorsement of Donald Trump". WXYZ. September 23, 2024. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  10. ^ Sercombe, Charles (February 16, 2024). "Mayor is urging voters to choose 'uncommitted' in primary election". The Hamtramck Review. Archived from the original on September 24, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Mayor of only Muslim-run city in US endorses Trump for election". Al Jazeera. September 23, 2024. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  12. ^ "Donald Trump campaigns in Hamtramck with Mayor Amer Ghalib". The Detroit News. October 18, 2024. Archived from the original on October 24, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.