DETROIT — Religious, political and civil rights leaders across Metro Detroit strongly condemned the terrorist attack targeting the Islamic Center of San Diego earlier this week, describing the incident as another alarming sign of escalating Islamophobia and politically fueled anti-Muslim hatred in the United States.

At the same time, several police departments in predominantly Muslim communities across Metro Detroit intensified security measures around mosques and Islamic institutions ahead of Eid al-Adha prayers.

In response to the attack, the Imams Council of Michigan held a press conference Wednesday at the Da’wah Institute, bringing together religious leaders, elected officials and civil rights advocates — including Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed — to express solidarity with California’s Muslim community.

Speakers also warned about the growing role of inflammatory political and media rhetoric in fueling hostility toward Muslim Americans amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

“An attack on religious freedom”

Imam Steve Mustapha Elturk, president of the Islamic Organization of North America (IONA) and co-chair of the Imams Council of Michigan, said any attack targeting a house of worship represents an attack on “the core values of religious freedom, human dignity and peaceful coexistence.”

Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, spiritual leader of the Islamic House of Wisdom, warned that the tragedy comes amid a growing wave of Islamophobia and hate speech, which he said has increasingly been weaponized by certain political figures.

“This rhetoric has deliberately been exploited and transformed into a weapon,” Elahi said.

Shaikh Ayham MishMishan, founder and executive director of the Da’wah Institute, said many Muslims increasingly fear being targeted because of their appearance or faith.

“I truly do not want to feel targeted because of my emotions, my appearance or my beliefs,” MishMishan said. “There is serious concern within our community, and we hope law enforcement agencies will help secure this site.”

He added that he had contacted the Detroit Police Department to request additional security measures but had not yet received a response at the time of the press conference.

“Hate speech creates violence”

Sayyed Ali Jafri, a scholar at the Zainabia Center, described the alleged attackers as “victims of a system that promotes anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia in America.”

He argued that certain politicians and media outlets have normalized dangerous anti-Muslim rhetoric, warning that such language undermines America’s constitutional ideals.

“Sowing division and discord is a profound disservice to the people of this country,” Jafri said, while expressing hope for national unity regardless of race, ethnicity, culture or religion.

Meanwhile, Imad Hamad, executive director of the American Human Rights Council, said the continued pattern of mass shootings and domestic terror attacks demonstrates that hate and violence do not discriminate among communities.

Hamad warned that anti-Muslim political rhetoric creates fertile ground for violence targeting Muslim Americans.

“This is hateful, un-American and completely unacceptable,” Hamad said.

He added that the growing threat represents “a serious national challenge” requiring proactive planning and ongoing cooperation between law enforcement agencies and local communities.

Abdul El-Sayed condemns attack

El-Sayed condemned the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego as part of what he called a renewed wave of blatant Islamophobia.

He questioned what type of ideology had influenced the young attackers and led them to open fire on a mosque before ultimately taking their own lives.

“Words have consequences,” El-Sayed said. “I do not know exactly what these young men were exposed to, but whatever it was had clearly been planted deeply into their minds, teaching them to hate so intensely that they believed they had the right to commit violence against people simply because they worship differently.”

The Democratic Senate candidate added that Americans must embrace a political approach grounded in unity rather than division.

“Regardless of how you worship, if you are praying to God for the things we need and deserve, we will never achieve those goals unless we work together to build them,” he said.

Increased security around Metro Detroit mosques

Following the California attack, several police departments across Muslim-majority communities, including Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Hamtramck, increased patrols around mosques and Islamic institutions as a precautionary measure.

The Dearborn Heights Police Department has conducted extra patrols and maintained a visible presence at the Islamic Institute of America to protect worshippers following past threats made against the mosque.

Police Chief Michael Guzowski said the department deployed additional officers and designated patrols to strengthen security around religious centers.

Community leaders argued that attacks against Muslim Americans are rarely isolated incidents, but instead emerge alongside broader waves of hate speech and explicit threats targeting Muslims and Islamic institutions.

Anti-Muslim rhetoric and threats

Concerns intensified following the recent visit of far-right antagonist Jake Lang to Metro Detroit earlier this month.

During his May 10-11 visit, Lang allegedly harassed Muslim residents in Hamtramck before later burning a copy of the Quran outside the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn.

After The Arab American News published a report about Lang’s visit, one online commenter posted a violent message calling for continuing to burn the “unholy Quran” and start burning mosques.

According to the newspaper, management immediately contacted the Dearborn Police Department, which reportedly identified the individual and his Southgate residence within 30 minutes.

According to the publisher of The Arab American News, the suspect will be facing charges.

The commenter allegedly wrote that Muslims were “taking over” cities like Hamtramck and called for Muslims to be deported and stripped of citizenship.

Similarly, far-right commentator Laura Loomer posted inflammatory comments on X following the San Diego attack, calling for the deportation of all Muslims from the United States.

Her comments drew widespread condemnation from civil rights advocates, who warned that such rhetoric contributes directly to hostility and violence against Muslim communities.

CAIR calls for restoration of federal security grants

Amid growing security concerns, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) sent an urgent letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin calling for the immediate restoration of the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program to help protect Islamic institutions.

CAIR warned that mosques, Islamic schools and Muslim community centers continue to face unequal access to federal security funding despite rising threats.

The organization also raised concerns over reported restrictions placed on Muslim organizations seeking security grants, including limitations tied to constitutionally protected advocacy activities.

According to CAIR, previous Department of Homeland Security actions included freezing temporary security grants and considering proposals that would broadly restrict Islamic organizations from receiving federal funding.

The group further alleged that dozens of Muslim organizations later lost funding after being targeted by what it described as vague and politically motivated accusations promoted by the anti-Muslim group Middle East Forum.

CAIR also criticized grant conditions restricting participation in what the government labels “prohibited discriminatory boycotts”, warning that such language could be used to target constitutionally protected advocacy related to Palestinian rights.