Muslim-majority U.S. cities reshape local politics, culture and law
Cities such as Paterson, New Jersey, and Hamtramck, Michigan, now have Muslim majorities that are influencing municipal policies, symbols and public life.
Founded as America’s first industrial city, Paterson, N.J., now hosts the nation’s largest Palestinian community and a Muslim population that runs city council, police and schools, even renaming a stretch of Main Street “Palestine Way.” Mayor Andre Sayegh signed a sister-city pact with Ramallah and proclaimed Paterson the “fourth-holiest city” in Islam, while the Islamic Center of Passaic County is led by Imam Mohammad Qatanani, a figure with past Hamas ties.
In Hamtramck, Michigan, an all-Muslim elected slate has renamed the main street “Palestine Avenue,” permitted the adhan to sound five times daily, and seen several council members charged with ballot-stuffing. The pattern extends to nearby New Jersey towns, Detroit’s suburbs and Minneapolis, where Muslim officials have reshaped school menus, police uniforms and city symbols, prompting criticism over the erosion of secular norms and concerns about extremist rhetoric. Critics point to links between some leaders and groups such as Hamas or the Muslim Brotherhood, while supporters argue the changes reflect legitimate immigrant community building.
Why it matters
The shift shows how concentrated immigrant groups can transform local governance and cultural norms, raising debates over integration and secularism.
In this story
