'Illegal migrant': Can US strip Mamdani’s citizenship as Trump, Republicans ramp up attack?

The Trump administration has suggested it might strip Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, of his US citizenship as part of a crackdown on foreign-born citizens accused of certain crimes, according to a report from The Guardian.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president is considering an investigation after Republican Congressman Andy Ogles called for Mamdani’s citizenship to be revoked. Ogles claims Mamdani may have hidden his support for “terrorism” during his naturalization process.

Mamdani, 33, was born in Uganda to Indian parents and became a US citizen in 2018. He has drawn national attention—and controversy—for his outspoken support for Palestinian rights.

Trump threatens arrest

Asked about Mamdani’s call to stop undercover ICE agents from deporting immigrants, President Trump said on Tuesday, “Well, then, we’ll have to arrest him,” according to Axios.

In response, Mamdani posted on social media, “The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I refuse to let ICE terrorize our city.”

He added that Trump’s threats are an attack on democracy and an attempt to silence those who speak out.

Islamophobic attacks and political backdrop

Mamdani has also faced Islamophobic attacks since winning last week’s New York mayoral primary, defeating figures including former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The controversy comes as the Trump administration has directed government lawyers to prioritize efforts to denaturalize foreign-born citizens who committed certain crimes or lied during their citizenship process.

Ogles urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Mamdani, accusing him of possibly gaining citizenship through false statements or concealing support for terrorism. As evidence, he cited a rap song by Mamdani praising members of a group convicted of funding Hamas, as well as Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada.”

Ogles also posted on social media, calling Mamdani “an antisemitic, socialist, communist who will destroy the great City of New York,” and saying he “needs to be deported.”

When asked about Ogles’s claims, Leavitt said, “I have not seen those claims, but surely if they are true, it’s something that should be investigated.”

The Justice Department confirmed it received Ogles’s letter but declined further comment.

Democrats push back

Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, condemned the push to denaturalize Mamdani, calling it “racist bullshit.”

“Trump will stop at nothing to protect billionaires and price gouging corporations, even racist bullshit like this,” Murphy wrote. “Zohran won because he ran a campaign focused on putting power back in the hands of working people. And that’s a threat to the Mar-a-Lago crowd.”

Mamdani, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, has faced intense scrutiny of his social media posts and activism since his primary victory, where he promised left-leaning policies for New York City if elected.

Trump’s continued criticism

Amid criticism from conservatives, Trump has labeled him “a pure communist” and threatened to cut federal funds to New York if Mamdani becomes mayor and “doesn’t behave himself.”

At a press event in Florida, Trump repeated his “communist” accusation and hinted Mamdani might have obtained citizenship illegally.

“We don’t need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I’m going to be watching over him very carefully,” Trump said. “A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally. We’re going to look at everything.”

Praise for Eric Adams

Trump also praised current New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for reelection as an independent after leaving the Democratic Party. Trump said Adams was “a good person” and hinted he’d helped him, possibly referring to the Justice Department dropping a corruption case against Adams earlier this year.

In his post, Mamdani said it was unsurprising that Trump praised Adams while threatening him.