Lebanese envoy in Detroit 'has no place' in US, State Department says

The US State Department has ordered the deportation of Lebanon’s consul general in Detroit, Ibrahim Charara, due to his social media posts, according to a representative of the department. Concern arose over Charara's posts, which appeared to glorify Hezbollah's 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, resulting in the deaths of 241 US service members and 58 French troops.

The Lebanese consul in Detroit has been labeled persona non grata, as stated by the State Department. The state department routinely reviews information about foreign mission members allowed to work in the US, taking action when necessary to comply with US law and international obligations. Since the beginning of Donald Trump's second term in 2025, the State Department has been more stringent in checking the social media accounts of individuals applying for visas and work in the US.

The State Department's efforts have also led to a higher number of visa revocations for students, workers, and others based on their findings. However, these social media monitoring practices have been criticized for lacking context and sometimes being subjective. The consulate general in Detroit, based in Lebanon, has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

The consulate's website, updated in March, contains a statement condemning an attack on a Jewish synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan. Lebanon's consulate general in Michigan operates from a 28-story office building utilized by various businesses, organizations, and other entities.