Iraqi immigrant with murder record arrested after assaulting anti-immigrant activist
Abbas Abdoush, a 57-year-old Iraqi who served over 15 years for a 1999 murder, was detained for attacking right-wing activist Jake Long at a Dearborn event.
Abbas Abdoush, an Iraqi national who arrived in the U.S. in 1992, became a lawful permanent resident before a 1999 second-degree murder conviction stripped him of his status. After serving more than 15 years, he was ordered removed in June 2022 but remained in the country. On Aug. 2, at Dearborn’s annual Arbaeen gathering, video captured Abdoush striking right-wing provocateur Jake Long, who was broadcasting anti-immigrant rhetoric from a sidewalk.
Police also detained two 25-year-old men from Detroit and Dearborn who participated in the melee. ICE seized Abdoush again on Aug. 5, transferring him to the North Lake Processing Center where he will receive due process. The incident highlights tensions between immigrant communities and anti-immigration activists in the Detroit area.
Why it matters
The case underscores ongoing friction over immigration and public safety in a diverse Michigan community.
In this story