Michigan city rolls out first police patch in Arabic — critics warn of ‘sharia law’

“This is America, and English is the language we use here,” one commenter wrote. Another said bluntly: “The terrorists have won.”

By World Israel News Staff

The Dearborn Heights Police Department in Michigan has unveiled a new patch that — for the first time in the nation — features Arabic writing on police uniforms.

The patch, designed by Officer Emily Murdoch, places the Michigan state seal in the center with “Dearborn Heights Police” written in both English and Arabic.

Officials insist the goal is to “reflect and honor the diversity” of the city, where more than one-third of residents are of Arab descent. The patch is optional for officers to wear.

The department praised the patch as a gesture of inclusivity, with officials calling it a “symbol of unity, respect, and shared commitment to service.”

Nearby Dearborn has already made headlines for becoming the first U.S. city with a Muslim police chief and for allowing hijabs as part of its official uniform.

But critics say the new patch crosses a troubling line. Hundreds of angry comments flooded the department’s Facebook post — many of which the department quickly shut down by disabling the comment section.

Detractors blasted the Arabic lettering as “terrorist symbols,” warned it was “bringing Sharia law to our police,” and accused city officials of bowing to political correctness at the expense of American identity.

“This is America, and English is the language we use here,” one commenter wrote. Another said bluntly: “The terrorists have won.”

The controversy quickly spread beyond Michigan. Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.), who recently won a special election to Congress, slammed the move in a post on X: “They said their goal was to bring sharia law to America. You should’ve believed them. Pray for Michigan.”

Fine’s warning echoed the concern of many Americans who see the Arabic patch not as harmless “diversity,” but as the steady erosion of national unity and the normalization of foreign ideologies in American institutions.

Supporters argue the optional patch is simply a nod to the city’s demographics. But for many, the symbolism is clear: placing Arabic script on U.S. police uniforms represents yet another step in undermining America’s traditions, values, and language.

While Dearborn Heights officials celebrate the patch as progress, conservatives see it as a dangerous concession — one that raises serious questions about where the line will be drawn in the future.