Rashida Tlaib

DEARBORN, MI - U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud joined residents Monday for an emergency anti-war town hall amid escalating violence in the Middle East.

The event, organized by Arab Americans for Progress, blended personal testimony with policy-focused calls to action, including congressional efforts to limit U.S. military involvement through War Powers resolutions.

“What we have on our hands is not just a policy problem,” Abbas Alawieh told the crowd. “We have a political problem. It’s a question of political will.”

Alawieh, a former congressional chief of staff now running for Michigan’s 2nd State Senate District, framed the moment as a turning point, calling on voters in the battleground state to make opposition to war a political priority.

“In order for you to win the swing state of Michigan, you must be a pro-peace candidate,” he said.

Personal toll drives urgency

Much of the night centered on the human cost of the conflict, particularly for families in Dearborn with ties overseas.

Hammoud described the issue as deeply personal, recounting the impact on his own family in Lebanon.

“Taking the position of being anti-war is not simply a policy position, it is a moral position,” he said.

He shared that members of his extended family had been killed and displaced, including relatives lost in a single strike.

“In the day when there were 100 airstrikes in 10 minutes, we lost 14 cousins in one apartment building,” Hammoud said.

The mayor said those experiences reflect what many local residents are facing.

“When you speak with your neighbors here in the city, this is the reality that they are reckoned with,” he said.

Alawieh also shared his own story, describing how his grandmother’s home in southern Lebanon was destroyed and how she has since been displaced.

“She’s just lost everything she’s ever owned,” he said.

Push for federal action

Tlaib outlined several policy efforts during a presentation shown at the event, including War Powers resolutions related to Iran and Lebanon.

“Only Congress has the power to declare war,” Tlaib said. “Yet President Trump began this illegal war.”

She said she plans to vote in favor of a resolution aimed at halting U.S. military involvement.

“I am voting yes again on the War Powers Resolution this week to stop another endless war,” she said.

Tlaib also emphasized the role of public pressure, pointing to past examples where constituent outreach influenced lawmakers.

“Don’t think those calls don’t work,” she said. “You guys just helped flip four Democrats.”

Slides presented during the event also highlighted a separate resolution “standing with the people of Lebanon,” which calls for ending U.S. support for military operations, delivering humanitarian aid and investigating potential war crimes.

Another slide contrasted a proposed $200 billion supplemental funding request tied to military efforts with domestic priorities such as education, health care and housing.

Local action and organizing

Speakers urged residents to take action beyond protests.

Hammoud pointed to steps already taken in Dearborn, including divesting city funds from weapons manufacturers.

“We didn’t just pass a resolution, we actually divested from weapons manufacturers,” he said.

Tlaib urged residents to remain engaged beyond elections.

“Vote, but it’s vote plus,” she said. “After you vote, you’ve got to hold them accountable.”

Tlaib emphasized that protests and public pressure can influence lawmakers.

“It does work to dissent,” she said. “They’re (lawmakers) shaken by the fact that people are asking them why they support the war.”

A community response

The town hall drew residents sharing personal stories of loss and frustration, with some calling for direct action, including visits to lawmakers’ offices and increased pressure on elected officials.

Alawieh said local advocacy remains central to influencing national policy.

“If we want things to get better over there, the best thing we could possibly do is make our country better right here,” he said.

Organizers said more than 110 people attended the town hall and are now being urged to take additional steps, including contacting U.S. Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters.

They also encouraged attendees to join a follow-up demonstration at 10 a.m. Tuesday outside the federal building at 719 Griswold St., Suite 700, in Detroit, where both senators have offices.