Democratic socialist and State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani has emerged as the likely Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City — and now finds himself the target of escalating far-right attacks, including calls for his deportation, despite being a U.S. citizen.
Mamdani, 33, claimed victory in the primary this week after former Governor Andrew Cuomo conceded. Almost immediately, right-wing figures and groups launched a wave of Islamophobic and xenophobic rhetoric against him.
The New York Young Republican Club (NYYRC) responded to the results with a “call to action” on social media, urging the Trump administration to revoke Mamdani’s citizenship and deport him. They cited the Cold War-era Communist Control Act of 1954 — a rarely enforced law — as their legal basis, and directly appealed to White House officials Stephen Miller and Tom Homan to act.
“The radical Zohran Mamdani cannot be allowed to destroy our beloved city,” the group wrote, insisting, “The time for action is now.”
Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018, moved to New York with his family in 1998. He could become the city’s first Muslim and Indian-American mayor. His platform includes rent freezes for controlled units, free public buses, and universal childcare — policies critics have painted as extreme.
Right-wing figures wasted no time in launching personal attacks. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) referred to Mamdani as “little Muhammad” and labeled him “an antisemitic, socialist, communist who will destroy the great City of New York.” Ogles called for denaturalization proceedings against him.
Stephen Miller, Trump’s influential advisor, claimed Mamdani’s win was proof of the dangers of “uncontrolled migration,” and warned it was a sign of what happens when a nation “fails to protect its borders.” Former President Trump himself joined the pile-on, calling Mamdani a “Communist Lunatic” in a post on Truth Social.
The NYYRC, a group for Republicans under 40 founded in 1911, has become increasingly vocal under Trump’s second term. Some Republicans, like Georgia Sen. Mike Collins, even praised the idea of reviving McCarthy-era tactics, tweeting that Mamdani’s win “might be time to bring back the Un-American Activities Committee.”
Mamdani has forcefully pushed back. “Like nearly 40 percent of New Yorkers, I wasn’t born in this country,” he wrote in response to the attacks. “I moved here at age 7. It’s my home. And I’m proud to be a citizen, which means standing up for our Constitution. Councilmember Paladino might consider reading it.”
That message followed inflammatory comments from New York City Councilmember Vickie Paladino, who declared on social media that it would be “insane” to elect someone who’s been a citizen for “less than 10 years,” accusing Mamdani of hating America. Her office later doubled down, citing his alleged involvement in “far-left” and “antisemitic” college groups as grounds for deportation — accusations Mamdani has strongly denied, stating he condemns antisemitism in all forms.
Mamdani’s rise has shaken establishment forces within both parties. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, recently cleared of federal corruption charges, plans to run as an independent. Adams has faced criticism from fellow Democrats for allegedly cooperating with the Trump administration on immigration enforcement.
Despite the noise, Mamdani remains focused on the issues that won him the nomination. “Our campaign is about building a city where everyone can thrive — not just the wealthy,” he said in a recent statement. “We’re not going to be intimidated.”
