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city halls in Cleveland and Oakland to Laura Barron-Lopez has more.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Dearborn, Michigan,## is home to one Since the Israel-Hamas war# began, the city's residents,## many of whom have a personal connection to# the region, have urged endorse a cease-fire in Gaza.

The "NewsHour"# has learned the president is planning a trip## to Michigan on Thursday to rally with United Auto# Workers after they endorsed his reelection bid.

The visit comes after Dearborn's mayor, Abdullah# Hammoud, was one of several Arab American## leaders who turned down a meeting with President# Biden's campaign last week, and he joins me now.

Mayor Hammoud, thanks so much# for joining the "NewsHour."

Biden's campaign manager visited Michigan# recently constituencies across the state.

Why did# you choose to decline that invitation?

ABDULLAH HAMMOUD, Mayor of Dearborn,# Michigan: We chose to decline because## I don't think this is the moment Palestinian lives should not be measured# in polls.

For us, this is a moment for our## concerns to be heard, listened to, and for# us to draft a new course together in terms## of changing the direction of what's happening# overseas.

Those are conversations that need## to be had with senior policy staff, with# Cabinet members, not with campaign staff When you send campaign staff as the first# delegation to this community to meet with## us for the first time, that sends a message that# this is purely a political problem that you see.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Has the president's campaign# reached out to you about this upcoming visit,## and would you meet with him if they did?

ABDULLAH HAMMOUD: At this point in time,## I have not h From my perspective, I'm one who firmly believes# that community engagement can be powerful.

When# you come together to talk about policies, that# can save lives.

And so if the president or members## of his administration, not his campaign, want to# meet to talk about charting a new course together## to fundamentally change the direction that they're# currently on, to call for a cease-fire, to end the## slaughter of innocent men, women, and children,# that is a conversation that we're willing to have.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Mayor, there's# no indication from the White House## or from the president that he is going to# change h So barring a call for a cease-fire,## do you think that you and the voters that# you represent can su ABDULLAH HAMMOUD: From our perspective,# we don't like to categorize this issue## strictly as it pertains to the upcoming# elections, because it dehumani It lets us know again that all that matters are# polls and outcomes.

For us, more tha we understand that the stance that we have# taken, one where we're demanding a cease-fire,## is not one that's only relevant and important# to Arab Americans and Muslim Am this is the majority feeling for most# of Americans across this country.

Over 60 percent support a cease-fire.# Over 80 percent of Democrats supp a cease-fire.

So we think this# is the right path forward for## any and all individuals seeking# the highest office i LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Mayor, I understand that# you say th but I do want to ask you about Donald# Trump, who appears nomination for president, and he's made# his stance on the war abundantly clear.

DONALD TRUMP, Former President of# the United States (R) and Current## off every penny of money that we send to the# (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) former President Donald Trump, based# on policies like w who do you believe would best# represent your constituents?

ABDULLAH HAMMOUD: We have survived# the and I'm not blind to what is being said by Trump# and other Republican candi But as it pertains to the decisions that are# being made overseas, it seems like there's no real## difference between President -- former President# Trump and current President Biden.

For us,## I have a value statement.

I believe that no# innocent man, woman or child should be killed.## And I'm looking for the president that does not# believe that that statement has a qualifier.

I think that's a universal# value that we should all adopt.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Mayor, respectfully, I# know you said that difference, but the former President Trump has# also floated religio has also said that he would reject Gazan refugees,# something that the current president hasn't said.

So, do you -- what do you make of those policies# that Trump says he would enact if he wins?

ABDULLAH HAMMOUD: You know, I said there# was no difference as it pertains to some## of the decision-making that's# happ From my perspective, Trump is not a# candidate that I back.

The that you're asking me is actually a question# that needs to be put back into the laps of## the president.

He is the candidate that is# seeking the highest office in the world.

So the question has to be put to him.# What will he do to earn the trust and## the respect of the constituency that he's# trying to represent in that White House?

That is a question that falls on the laps of the# candidate.

As somebody who's run for office, I# don't look at the voters and say, you're at fault# if I'm not elected to the office.

As a I look in the mirror, I listen to the concerns of# the majority of Americans in this nation at this## point in time, 50 percent of which, by the way,# also believe that what is unfolding is a g And so that question has to be put# to him as a candidate.

How will you## change course to listen and heed the# concerns of your Ameri LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Mayor, what do you think your# party and President Biden is not understanding## or needs to fully understand about Muslim# and Arab Americans in Michigan right now?

ABDULLAH HAMMOUD: You know, we# don't have to think about what## it's like in Gaza today.

We don't# have to think about what it's in many of the Arab countries that have# bombs being dropped on a daily basis.

We have lived through those moments.

Many of# my residents have had to dig up relatives from## under the rubble after their residential# towers have been bombed.

They have had to## bury loved ones.

We have one resident who# buried over 12 loved ones.

We re sident who hails from (INAUDIBLE) which is# a village currently being ethnically cleansed,## whose father, grandfather and great-grandfather# were the groundskeepers of the Masjid al Quds.

And so, for us, we have lived through apartheid.# We have lived through occupation.

We have lived## through being sieged and bombarded.

And so for# us, it's extremely personal.

What we're ask from this president and anybody seeking higher# office is to come to this community, listen to our## stories, because we have the firsthand accounts# of what it's like living under these conditions.

And let's put the pen in both of our# hands and let's construct and co-write## this policy together about how we can# usher a new foreign policy era for as a nation.

The days of endless wars# in the Middle East have to close.

We## thought we closed that chapter, but# that's not what's unfolding today.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Mayor Abdullah Hammoud of# Dearborn, Michigan, thank you for your time.

ABDULLAH HAMMOUD: Thank you.

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