Lebanese Americans sue US government and defence firms over Leahy Law breaches
The Arab American Civil Rights League and 16 individual plaintiffs name Secretary of State Marco Rubio and major contractors Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Caterpillar in a suit claiming indiscriminate force in Lebanon triggers mandatory aid restrictions.
A class action lawsuit filed in the US District Court in Michigan alleges that the United States government and several defence contractors are violating federal law by supporting Israel’s military operations in Lebanon. The suit, lodged on Tuesday, argues that US assistance to Israeli forces breaches the Leahy Law, a statute prohibiting military aid to foreign governments credibly linked to gross human rights violations.
The plaintiffs, comprising the Michigan-based Arab American Civil Rights League and 16 individual US citizens, have named Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a defendant. The legal action also targets major defence firms Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Caterpillar, alleging these companies are knowingly facilitating illegal actions in the conflict by supplying equipment and funds to Israel.
Central to the complaint is the claim that Israeli forces have employed indiscriminate force, resulting in the destruction of property in Lebanon without military necessity. Among the named plaintiffs is Michigan politician and businessman Nasser Beydoun, who alleges his family home in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon, was destroyed without justification. The group seeks to represent tens of thousands of Lebanese Americans whose property has been or may be damaged by Israeli air strikes and other military activity.
Nabih Ayad, lawyer and head of the Arab American Civil Rights League, argued that the Leahy Law is applied globally but suffers from a lack of enforcement regarding Israel. “The law is very clear and has been enforced around the world, but when it comes to Israel, there is zero enforcement,” Ayad stated on Wednesday, citing credible information regarding gross human rights violations in the region.
The lawsuit references a June statement by US President Donald Trump, in which he acknowledged the indiscriminate nature of Israel’s force in Lebanon, noting that apartment blocks should not be demolished to locate individuals. The Arab American Civil Rights League has a history of such litigation, including challenges to previous immigration policies, suits against banks for alleged discrimination, and a 2023 case regarding evacuations from Gaza.
