The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced the filing of a counter-complaint in the Washtenaw County Circuit Court on behalf of Ypsilanti Township property owner Abdulghani Saleh.
That counter-complaint alleges that township officials – specifically Community Compliance Director Belinda Kingsley – engaged in discriminatory and selective enforcement targeting Saleh because of his religion, ethnicity, and perceived association with a local mosque.
The counter-complaint asserts claims for Abuse of Process, Violation of the Equal Protection Clause, and Unlawful Takings under both the U.S. and Michigan Constitutions. It details repeated incidents in which Township officials allegedly refused to meet with Saleh or his representatives to resolve zoning concerns, issued notices to incorrect addresses, obstructed access to required site planning processes, and made statements reflecting anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias.
According to the lawsuit, Ypsilanti Township and its officials have previously used zoning and code enforcement in a biased manner against the Islamic Association of Ypsilanti (the Mosque), including issuing citations for conditions identical to those on neighboring non-Muslim-owned properties where no enforcement action was taken.
“CAIR-Michigan has a long history of fighting unfair zoning practices against Muslims and Islamic places of worship, and it is surprising that in 2025 we are still having to fight the same battles for equal treatment in many municipalities,” said Amy V. Doukoure, CAIR-MI Lead Staff Attorney. “Government officials cannot use their enforcement powers to punish or block lawful property use simply because of who owns it or how they worship. The law requires fair and equal enforcement of zoning ordinances, and this case shows what happens when bias replaces fairness.”
“No one in our community should face discriminatory treatment by public officials based on their religion or ethnicity,” said Jad Salamey, CAIR-MI Immigration and Civil Rights Staff Attorney. “We are taking this stand to ensure that all residents—Muslim or otherwise—are treated with dignity, equality, and due process.”
CAIR-MI is seeking a court order preventing Ypsilanti Township from engaging in discriminatory enforcement, compensatory and punitive damages, and the removal of any Township directives that block Saleh from the normal zoning and permitting process available to other property owners.
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Lead Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure, (586) 943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com; CAIR-MI Immigration and Civil Rights Attorney, Jad Salemy, (313) 314-3819, jsalamey@cair.com