Mohammed Almawla appointed to Dearborn Heights City Council

The Dearborn Heights City Council in Michigan has appointed Mohammed Almawla to a vacant seat in a 4-2 vote, The Arab American News reported on October 13. Council members Hassan Saab, Bob Constan, Denise Malinowski-Maxwell and Margaret King voted for Almawla, while Tom Wencel and Nancy Bryer backed the other candidate, Ray Muscat.

Almawla, owner of Visual Lion LLC, was born in 1992 in a refugee camp in Saudi Arabia after his family fled Saddam Hussein's Iraq, and came to the United States in 1995. He previously served as a special assistant to the director of the Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs.

In his council interview, Almawla said his priorities include long-term flood mitigation along Ecorse Creek, responsible stewardship of the city's finances, public safety, and support for small businesses. He serves until the seat is filled by election, with the appointment expiring upon certification of the November 2, 2027 election.