In response to an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) labeling Dearborn as America's "jihad capital," Mayor Abdullah Hammoud has taken decisive action to protect the city's residents. The mayor has ordered an increased police presence across all places of worship and major infrastructure points to ensure the safety of the community.

The article, written by Steven Stalinsky, executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute, drew sharp criticism from Mayor Hammoud, who denounced it as "bigoted" and "Islamophobic." In an online post, the mayor announced the immediate ramping up of law enforcement presence, citing the alarming rise in Islamophobic rhetoric targeting Dearborn on social media since the publication of the WSJ piece.

Rights advocates, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) and the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee, have condemned the article's anti-Arab and racist slant. They argue that suggesting the city's residents, including religious leaders and politicians, support Hamas and extremism is baseless and dangerous.

Mayor Hammoud, in an interview with the Detroit Free Press, expressed his concern about the impact of such inflammatory writing on the safety of Dearborn residents. He deemed the publication of Stalinsky's piece as "more than irresponsible journalism."

The Wall Street Journal, owned by the Murdoch family News Corp empire, did not respond to requests for comment. Stalinsky, however, stood by his article.

The controversy surrounding the opinion piece comes amid a rise in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian bias, and antisemitism in the United States. These incidents have been attributed, in part, to the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East since October, when Hamas carried out a deadly attack from Gaza into southern Israel.

According to the US Department of Justice, there has been an alarming increase in anti-Arab and antisemitic hate speech and physical violence across the nation since early October. Incidents such as the November shooting of three students of Palestinian descent in Vermont and the October stabbing of a six-year-old Palestinian American in Illinois have raised alarm bells.

Dearborn, known for its large Arab American population, is now taking proactive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of its residents in the face of growing hostility and discrimination.

As the mayor and local officials work to address this issue, it is hoped that the community can come together to combat bigotry and hatred, fostering an environment of inclusivity and tolerance in Dearborn and beyond.