In brief
Egyptian‑American activist Ahmed El‑Sayed was sworn into the Michigan Legislature on Tuesday, the first Arab‑born state lawmaker. His victory sparked celebrations across Arab‑American communities and saw the Arabic term “habibi” trend on social media. The election data shows a rise in immigrant‑seeded votes, especially in Dearborn, Southfield, and Livonia.
Egyptian‑American activist Ahmed El‑Sayed was sworn in as a new member of the Michigan Legislature on Tuesday, becoming the first Arab‑born state lawmaker in the United States. The 37‑year‑old teacher, who grew up in Detroit’s north side, told reporters that the moment was “so meaningful” for his community.
“When you talk to my students, I call them ‘habibi’—my dear—so I am showing them love and respect. To be able to officially serve the people of Michigan with that spirit is a dream come true,” he said.
The swearing‑in ceremony was attended by dozens of volunteers from Dearborn, Detroit’s Arab‑American heartland, and a delegation of leaders expatriated from the Middle East. In a video posted on Instagram, crowds chanted “Habibi, habibi” in unison, turning the Arabic phrase—meaning “my beloved”—into a rallying slogan in American politics.
According to a survey of social‑media activity, more than 120,000 tweets used the hashtag #Habibi in the weeks leading up to the election, and Google Trends recorded a sharp rise in usage of the term in the United States after El‑Sayed’s win, suggesting a surge of nationalist sentiment within Arab‑American circles.
El‑Sayed built his campaign on community organizing, promising to address education inequality, criminal‑justice reform, and support for small businesses in minority neighborhoods. Voter turnout was 58 % among white‑born residents, down 3 percentage points from 2022, but up 12 % among voters who identified as the child of immigrant parents.
The Michigan Secretary of State’s office identified Dearborn, Southfield, and Livonia as the top precincts for immigrant‑seeded votes. Political analysts say the election may signal a shift in Democratic Party dynamics for leveraging diaspora communities, as Americans with roots in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia have grown from 3.1 % to 4.4 % of the electorate according to the Pew Research Center.
In his speech, El‑Sayed emphasized the role of diaspora communities: “We come with our stories, our hopes, and our unique perspectives. We want to speak in a language that acknowledges our human nature – not a language of division.”
