On Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani paid a quick visit to Metro Detroit. The Iraqi leader’s first stop was at the Islamic Institute of America, a Dearborn Heights mosque, and his second stop was at the Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield, where he had dinner with local Iraqi Americans.

al-Sudani’s visit was not publicly announced or open to the media to cover, but local leaders said it underscored the influence of Metro Detroit’s Middle Eastern community.

The Dearborn Heights mosque is run by imam Sayed Hassan Qazwini, who is of Iraqi descent, and the country club visit was intended to reach out to the local Chaldean community, said The Arab American News Publisher Osama Siblani, one of the local leaders who met with the prime minister. Chaldeans are Eastern Rite Catholics and many are of Iraqi descent.

People of Iraqi descent are part of the large and influential Arab American community that resides in Southeast Michigan. It’s estimated that more than 250,000 people of Arab descent live in Wayne County alone.

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and his deputy Assad Turfe joined the Iraqi counsel general in Detroit and other community leaders in welcoming the Iraqi prime minister at Detroit Metro Airport on Thursday, April 18. – Photo by The Arab American News

“His visit is particularly significant because Wayne County is home to a vibrant Iraqi American community,” said Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, who welcomed al-Sudani as he arrived at Detroit Metro on Iraqi Airways with a large delegation on Thursday evening. “Tens of thousands of Iraqi Americans have established themselves here, contributing to the thriving local culture and embodying the spirit of the American Dream.”

Deputy County Executive Assad Turfe was with Evans and other Iraqi and Arab American leaders who welcomed the prime minister as he arrived.

“The county in general and the state of Michigan in particular has a very thriving Iraqi community that has done very well since they arrived here in the early ’90s after the Gulf War,” Turfe said.

Statewide, the latest U.S. Census estimate is 90,000 Michigan residents are of Iraqi descent.

Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun, State Rep. Alabas Farhat, a Democrat who represents most of Dearborn, Melvindale and parts of Detroit, and Siblani were in the receiving line. al-Sudani left Michigan around midnight, according to Wayne County officials.

Iraqi Counsel General in Detroit Mohamad Hassan Said Mohamad and his wife led the delegation of Iraqi officials to receive al-Sudani as he arrived at Detroit Metro Airport.

The prime minister arrived in Michigan from Washington after meeting with President Biden and other White House officials.

Biden’s remarks referred to the security of Israel and relationships between the U.S. and Iraqi amid tensions in the Middle East.

“The United States is committed to Israel’s security,” Biden said, according to a press pool report. “We’re committed to a ceasefire that will bring the hostages home. We’re also committed to the security of our personnel and our allies, including Iraq.

“Our relationship between Iraq and the United States is critical,” the president added.