The Islamization Of American Towns: New Jersey's First Islamic City Is A Warning

A shocking transformation is unfolding in Paterson, New Jersey, where local officials are rapidly reshaping the city into an Islamic stronghold. Once a beacon of American industry and blue-collar resilience, Paterson has become a case study in how unchecked Islamic immigration, demographic shifts, and political pandering can erode a city's original identity.

Muslim elected leaders with deep ties to radical Islamic organizations are prioritizing Islamic identity over American values, steering Paterson away from its historical roots. Every policy change, symbolic gesture, and political appointment moves the city closer to becoming an Islamic enclave.

The latest development? The Hilal Lighting Ceremony, a city-endorsed event marking Ramadan, held in the heart of "Little Palestine"--Palestine Way. This was no mere religious event but a thinly veiled political rally for Palestinian nationalism.

Officially renamed in 2022, Palestine Way cements Paterson's transformation into a de facto Palestinian enclave, complete with flags, street signs, and businesses mirroring the very nations many residents supposedly fled. The area is home to an estimated 15,000 Arabs, dominated by Palestinian presence. Main Street, now a mile-and-a-half-long strip lined with Palestinian flags, Arabic signs, and halal restaurants, is more than cultural representation--it is a territorial claim.

This pro-Palestine event was spearheaded by left-wing Mayor Andre Sayegh, Islamic Councilmen Shahin Khalique, MD Forid Uddin, and Ibrahim Omar, and Islamic Deputy Mayor Raed Odeah--leaders who have made catering to Islamic interests a defining feature of their governance. The event's oversized crescent moon, publicly displayed for 30 days, is not about Ramadan--it is a symbol of Islamic political dominance in America.

Their governance raises critical questions: Are these officials serving the public interest, or are they using their positions to build an Islamic parallel society?

The event was backed by many groups with concerning histories:

Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC) - A mosque known for radical sermons. Imam Baker Assaf has acknowledged that Islamic law prescribes throwing homosexuals off roofs but claims they refrain from doing so in America because it is not an Islamic country. Imam Mohamed Hassaballa has called Christians 'idolaters' and spoken about Muslims 'overtaking disbelievers.' Hamas-linked CAIR official Ayman Aishat has used the mosque to solicit donations while demonizing U.S. politicians and defending pro-Palestinian activism.

Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Mosque - A religious institution with previous ties to controversy.

Palestinian American Community Center (PACC) - An activist group lobbying for radical pro-Palestinian policies in Paterson.

National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA) - While presented as a professional medical organization, NAAMA has engaged in advocacy efforts that extend beyond healthcare, aligning itself with pro-Palestinian political movements and using its platform to promote activism that favors Islamic and Palestinian interests over American policies.

Palestinian American Community Center (PACC): this group is not simply a cultural or social organization--it is a political entity pushing a radical pro-Palestinian/Hamas agenda while operating within the United States. It has actively lobbied for pro-Palestinian policies, organized radical demonstrations, and served as a platform for dangerous anti-Israel and anti-Jewish activism.

These are not merely cultural or religious organizations; they are activist entities leveraging their influence to solidify Paterson as an Islamic enclave and normalize political Islam in America.

With these organizations steering Paterson's transformation, their influence is echoed in the words of the city's leadership. During the event, Mayor Sayegh made shocking declarations:

"Paterson is the capital of Palestine in the United States of America."

"Paterson is the fourth holiest city in the world, Jerusalem, Mecca, Medina, and then Paterson."

Sayegh further boasted about policies catering to Islamic governance, including school closures for Eid, halal food in public schools, the Adhan (Islamic call to prayer) broadcast in the city, and the use of City Hall for Ramadan events:

"Patterson embraces and appreciates Islam so much so that we are one of the few cities in the country where children are afforded a day off for both Eid holidays... where children in schools can have halal food in their cafeterias... where the Adhan, the call to prayer, can be heard in the city. And I also would like to state that since taking office, we opened up the doors of City Hall for the first time in Paterson's history to have a community Iftar to break fast in Paterson."

These are not mere words; they signal an explicit effort to reshape Paterson's identity from an American city to a Palestinian-Islamic hub. Furthermore, he boasted how Paterson has

Paterson's elected officials allowed Islamic radical Rania Mustafa, the executive director of the controversial Palestinian American Community Center, to use the event's platform to push anti-Israel rhetoric and promote the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS), which wants to destroy the Israeli economy.

Economic boycotts of Israel (BDS movement)

Political activism against U.S. policies supporting Israel

Mobilizing the Muslim community (ummah) for elections to push pro-Palestinian candidates

Mustafa announced during her speech that the PACC released a controversial advocacy guide to help the "community" take action during Ramadan. Below is some of the radical pro-Palestinian action items allowed to be promoted at the government-backed event:

Beyond political activism and economic pressure campaigns, the Palestinian agenda is also being cemented into Paterson's very infrastructure.

In 2022, Councilman Alaa Abdelaziz, the city's first Palestinian-American council member, successfully pushed to rename Main Street to Palestine Way, a symbolic declaration of allegiance to a foreign entity. This renaming was deliberately timed for May 15, the so-called "Nakba" day, a propaganda effort designed to delegitimize Israel's right to exist.

The Nakba narrative falsely portrays Israel as an aggressor, ignoring the historical reality that Arab leaders rejected peace and launched a war of annihilation against Israel in 1948. Abdelaziz and his allies push this falsehood to rewrite history and foster anti-Israel sentiment.

This Ramadan lighting ceremony is just one step in a broader agenda to institutionalize Islam in Paterson's public life. Democrat officials, including Mayor Sayegh, have repeatedly used government spaces to promote Islamic events:

Each year, the city hosts Palestine Week, during which Palestinian flags are raised on government buildings and displayed throughout the city. At this annual event, crowds chant the genocidal slogan, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," a call for the complete destruction of Israel. 

This chant explicitly rejects Israel's right to exist. Shockingly, this event is officially sponsored by Paterson city officials. Furthermore, the controversial Mayor Sayegh declared, "Paterson is the capital of Palestine in the United States, where we proudly raise the Palestinian flag, where we have proudly renamed Main Street Palestine Way, and where we celebrate Palestine Day on Palestine Way."

Organizing Palestinian heritage celebrations, where speakers openly voiced their radical anti-Israel sentiments.

The city now boasts Muslim officials like Serene Tamey, Paterson's first hijab-wearing Palestinian-American police officer, and Hon. Abdulmageid (John) Abdelhadi, the first Palestinian-American chief judge in the U.S.--appointments that further cement Islamic governance in Paterson.

What is happening in Paterson is not an isolated case but part of a nationwide pattern, where Islamic enclaves increasingly exert influence over local governance and public spaces.

This is happening across America, as Muslim-majority enclaves push for Islamic governance, increased mosque influence, and the erasure of existing American traditions. What happens when other towns follow Paterson's example? How long before Islamic law takes precedence over American law in these areas?

This is not about religious freedom. This is a calculated effort to Islamize American towns, one street and one elected position at a time. The Hilal Lighting Ceremony is just another step toward ensuring Islam is not just accepted but becomes the dominant cultural and political force.

Paterson is a warning for every American town and city. The question is no longer if this will happen elsewhere--it's where next? How many more communities must fall before we acknowledge the pattern?

If this can happen in Paterson, it can happen anywhere. The time to act is now. America's future depends on it.

Originally published at RAIR Foundation