'Good Luck With That': Trump's Border Chief Slams NYC Candidate Mamdani Over Vow To Expel ICE
Last Updated:
Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has made immigration justice a cornerstone of his political mission.
US President Donald Trump's Border Czar, Tom Homan, has sharply reacted to NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's vow to 'kick the fascist ICE out of New York City."
A day after Mamdani's victory, Homan told Fox News, 'Good luck with that. Federal law trumps him every day, every hour of every minute."
He added, 'We're going to be in New York City, matter of fact, because it's a sanctuary city and President Trump made it clear a week and a half ago, we're going to double down and triple down on sanctuary cities."
Homan, who is an ex-ICE director, highlighted, 'We're going to concentrate in sanctuary cities because we know they're releasing public safety threats and national security threats back to the street. So we know we've got a problem there."
At 33, Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has made immigration justice a cornerstone of his political mission. Aligned with democratic socialist ideals, Mamdani advocates for severing ties between New York authorities and federal immigration enforcement.
His proposals aim to shield immigrant communities by eliminating local cooperation with ICE, enhancing access to legal representation, and implementing stronger safeguards for sensitive immigrant data.
It further adds, 'He'll ensure our immigrant New Yorkers are protected by strengthening our sanctuary city apparatus: getting ICE out of all city facilities and ending any cooperation, increasing legal support, and protecting all personal data."
First Published:
June 28, 2025, 20:24 IST
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The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Manhattan's progressive man
In a stunning political upset that has caught the eye of political observers and could potentially upend the Democratic Party in the U.S., a new progressive star has emerged: Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the presumptive winner of the New York City mayoral primary. For an Indian progressive uninitiated in American politics, the name Zohran Kwame Mamdani will invoke references to two familiar figures. The 33-year-old is the son of noted postcolonial theorist and academic Mahmood Mamdani, who has written extensively on the legacy of colonialism in Africa, and acclaimed film director Mira Nair. His middle name is, of course, a reference to Kwame Nkrumah, the Ghanaian Pan-Africanist revolutionary leader. But now the younger Mamdani has become a name to be reckoned with on his own accord. By defeating a formidable establishment figure — former Governor Andrew Cuomo — in the New York City mayoral Democratic primary race, Mr. Mamdani has catalysed sharp discourse within the fractured and soul-searching Democratic Party, still reeling from stinging defeats in the presidential and Congressional races in 2024 that heralded the Trump 2.0 era. New York is largely a Democratic stronghold, and the winner of the primary typically goes on to win the mayoral race. In the November Mayoral election, Mr. Mamdani will take on the incumbent, the unpopular Eric Adams, who is expected to run as an independent. Mr. Mamdani's political career is relatively short — he was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020. In the State capital of Albany, he joined a small group of lawmakers affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a progressive and socialist organisation that was formed in 1982 but truly took flight during Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign in 2016. Since then, it has emerged as a major leftist pressure group operating both within and outside the Democratic Party. Mr. Mamdani's victory is reminiscent of a similar triumph in New York when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (fondly known as AOC) won a Congressional election in the city's 14th district in 2018. While Mr. Mamdani's legislative record is relatively modest in terms of Bills passed, his colleagues acknowledge that his work helped shift the Assembly's ideological emphasis to the left. If elected, Mr. Mamdani would be the city's youngest Mayor since 1917 and the first Muslim to hold the post. Mr. Mamdani's victory was no mean feat. He had to overcome the challenge posed by a candidate with extensive political experience — former two-term New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mr. Cuomo has deep establishment ties and was endorsed by multi-billionaire Michael Bloomberg and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, among others. He was also backed by a super Political Action Committee that raised $25 million to bankroll his candidacy. The fact that Mr. Cuomo had resigned from his gubernatorial duties a few years ago after being embroiled in sexual harassment cases did not deter him from attempting to obscure this record while running a conventional campaign that featured attack ads targeting Mr. Mamdani's identity and views. Grassroots mobilisation Mr. Mamdani overcame these challenges by relying on massive grassroots mobilisation — reportedly 50,000 volunteers organised by the DSA's New York Chapter conducted a door-to-door campaign that reached an astounding 1.5 million doors. Focusing on one key issue — 'affordability' in New York's high-cost economy — Mr. Mamdani pledged to address this through a series of concrete measures. These included freezing rents for nearly a million New Yorkers in rent-stabilised apartments, providing free city buses (based on a pilot programme he had helped start as a lawmaker), creating city-owned grocery stores that would keep food costs low by buying wholesale and operating on city land, and providing childcare for infants and toddlers. The focus on livelihood-based 'bread-and-butter economic issues' helped his campaign build a broad coalition of support, including in neighbourhoods that were won by Donald Trump in the 2024 elections. Notably, Mr. Mamdani's message was tailored to redirect working-class frustration away from the Right's targets — immigrants and marginalised groups — toward a different culprit: billionaires. The endorsements by the doyen of the American democratic Left, Bernie Sanders, and its key public figure, AOC, also bolstered his candidacy. Interestingly, Mr. Mamdani managed to register a strong win while unapologetically taking a pro-Palestine position, accusing Israel of committing 'apartheid and genocide in Gaza', supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and openly embracing his Muslim identity. This stood in sharp contrast to the Democratic Presidential campaign in 2024, where candidate Kamala Harris tacked to the right of centre, refused to halt arms sales to Israel, and did not allow a Palestinian voice to speak at the Democratic Convention. In many ways, Mr. Mamdani's campaign — focused on welfare issues while celebrating his identity as the son of immigrant parents and a practising Muslim — represented everything the Trump administration has demonised during its current tenure. Seen in this light, Mr. Mamdani's victory could possibly be the biggest win for the democratic socialist movement that has taken root in U.S. cities since Mr. Sanders's national campaign. It offers a boost to a demoralised American Left caught between the right-wing populism of Mr. Trump (which has attracted segments of the traditional working class) and what critics see as the vapid centrism of the Democratic Party establishment that refuses to change course, particularly on foreign policy. Inevitably, the question arises: Is Mr. Mamdani's win a blueprint for future success for the beleaguered Democratic Party? His campaign — combining modern social media tools with traditional door-to-door campaigning — managed to generate broad support across a sprawling urban metropolis, offering lessons for other Democratic mobilisations in similar environments across the U.S. A freewheeling, accessible style is clearly a more effective approach than the carefully scripted strategy that cost Democrats in 2024. Road ahead Yet, challenges remain. Republicans are already working to brand Mr. Mamdani as the radical face of the Democratic Party, while the media establishment that supports the GOP has sought to use his identity to tarnish his record, with one Republican Congress representative's fundraising appeal branding him as a 'Hamas Terrorist sympathiser'. His brand of democratic socialism may indeed prove a difficult sell in the small towns and red bastions of middle America. Ultimately, Mr. Mamdani's victory may be less a simple blueprint to be copied and more a mirror held up to the Democratic Party. It has forced a reckoning, proving that a campaign centred on economic justice and unapologetic principles can generate a powerful movement. The question for party leadership is not whether they can perfectly replicate a New York City race, but whether they are willing to embrace the grassroots energy, class-based populism, and bold vision that this stunning victory represents. The future of the party may well depend on their answer.
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Zohran Mamdani's political upset gives hope to many South Asian Americans, Muslims
The success of Zohran Mamdani in New York City's Democratic primary for mayor is euphoric for Hari Kondabolu, a stand-up comedian who's been friends with the candidate for 15 years. Supporters and pundits agree that Zohran Mamdani's campaign has demonstrated social media savvy and authenticity.(AP) Mamdani stunned the political establishment when he declared victory in the primary on Tuesday, a ranked choice election in which his strongest competition, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, conceded defeat. When he launched his campaign, the unabashed democratic socialist ranked near the bottom of the pack. Now, the 33-year-old state assemblyman has a chance to be New York City's first Asian American and Muslim mayor. Mamdani's family came to the United States when he was 7, and he became a citizen in 2018. He was born to Indian parents in Kampala, Uganda. For Kondabolu, this moment is not just exciting, but emotional. 'I think so many of us have had those experiences in New York of being brown and in a city that has always been really diverse and feels like ours. But after 9/11, like you start to question it like, is this our city too,' Kondabolu said. 'And 25 years later ... it's surreal, like this is the same city but it's not because we've elected this person.' Mamdani's campaign has piqued the interest of many Indian, Pakistani and other South Asian Americans, as well as Muslims — even those who may not agree with Mamdani on every issue. Despite that opposition, some still see his rise as a sign of hope in a city where racism and xenophobia erupted following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. South Asians and Muslims riveted by primary in New York, and beyond Many of New York City's over 300,000 South Asian residents have been inspired by Mamdani's extraordinary trajectory. 'My mom was texting her friends to vote for him. I've never seen my mother do that before,' Kondabolu said. 'So the idea that it's gotten our whole family activated in this way — this is, like, personal.' Snigdha Sur, founder and CEO of The Juggernaut, an online publication reporting on South Asians, has been fascinated by the response from some people in India and the diaspora. 'So many global South Asians ... they're like, 'Oh, this guy is my mayor and I don't live in New York City,'' Sur said. At the same time, some are also concerned or angered by Mamdani's past remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he publicly called a 'war criminal.' In 2005, the U.S. revoked Modi's visa to the U.S., citing concerns that, as chief minister of the state of Gujarat, he did not act to stop communal violence during 2002 anti-Muslim riots that left more than 1,000 people dead. An investigation approved by the Indian Supreme Court later absolved Modi. Rights groups have accused Modi's government of widespread attacks and discrimination against India's Muslims and other minorities. In Michigan, Thasin Sardar has been following Mamdani's ascent online. When he first heard him, he struck him as 'genuine' and he felt 'an instant connection,' he said. 'As a Muslim American, this victory puts my trust back in the people,' said Sardar, who was born and raised in India. 'I am happy that there are people who value the candidate and his policies more than his personal religious beliefs and didn't vote him down because of the color of his skin, or the fact that he was an immigrant with an uncommon name.' New York voter Zainab Shabbir said family members in California, and beyond, have also excitedly taken note. 'My family in California, they were very much like, 'Oh, it's so nice to see a South Asian Muslim candidate be a mayor of a major city,'' she said. A brother told her Mamdani's rise is a great example for his kids, she said. But the 34-year-old — who donated, voted and canvassed for Mamdani — said it was his vision for New York City that was the draw for her. She and her husband briefly chatted with Mamdani at a fundraiser and she found him to be 'very friendly and genuine.' She suspects that for some who aren't very politically active, Mamdani's political ascent could make a difference. 'There's a lot of Muslim communities like my parents' generation who are focused a lot more on the politics back home and less on the politics here in America,' said Shabbir. 'Seeing people like Zohran Mamdani be in office, it'll really change that perspective in a lot of people.' Embracing Indian and Muslim roots Supporters and pundits agree that Mamdani's campaign has demonstrated social media savvy and authenticity. He visited multiple mosques. In videos, he speaks in Hindi or gives a touch of Bollywood. Other South Asian American politicians such as Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna praised that. 'I love that he didn't run away from his heritage. I mean, he did video clips with Amitabh Bachchan and Hindi movies,' Khanna said, referencing the Indian actor. 'He shows that one can embrace their roots and their heritage and yet succeed in American politics.' But his triumph also reflects 'the urgency of the economic message, the challenge that people are facing in terms of rent, in terms of the cost of living, and how speaking to that is so powerful,' the progressive California Democrat added. Tanzeela Rahman, a daughter of Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, said she grew up 'very low income' in New York. 'I felt seen by him in a way politicians have not seen me ever,' the 29-year-old financial systems analyst said. 'I think very few people in government understand … how hard it is to survive in New York City.' She found Mamdani to be 'unabashedly Muslim' and also 'a voice, who, literally, to me sounds like a New Yorker who's stepping in and saying, hey, let's reclaim our power,' she said. While Mamdani has been speaking to the working class, he had a somewhat privileged upbringing. His mother is filmmaker Mira Nair and his father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a professor at Columbia University. He lived in Queens but attended The Bronx High School of Science. Even as a teen, he cared about social justice, Kondabolu, the comedian, recalled. His campaign messaging on issues such as affordable housing and free bus rides might not resonate with South Asian households in New York City who have income levels above the median. But, the irony is that his campaign and 'great kind of soundbites' earned support from that demographic, too, according to Sur. 'It was, I think, a surprise that he did so well among the wealthiest, including his own community,' Sur said. Mamdani's outspoken support for Palestinian causes and criticism of Israel and its military campaign in Gaza resonated with pro-Palestinian residents, including Muslims, but caused tension in the mayor's race. Some of his positions and remarks on the charged issue have drawn recriminations from opponents and some Jewish groups, though he's also been endorsed by some Jewish politicians and activists. Racism and xenophobia Mamdani's success immediately elicited strong anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric from some high-profile conservatives on social media, including conservative media personality Charlie Kirk who posted that 'legal immigration can ruin your country.' In response, Democratic Congressman Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, tweeted 'For years they sold people the lie of 'we have no problem if you come the right way!'' His supporters aren't concerned that racism and Islamophobia will distract from Mamdani's campaign. Those feelings clearly weren't 'enough for him to lose' the primary, Kondabolu said. 'There's a new generation that wants their voice heard and that generation came out in full force, not just by voting, but by, like, getting all these other people to be emotionally invested in this candidate,' Kondabolu said. 'That's extraordinary.'
News18
6 hours ago
- News18
'Good Luck With That': Trump's Border Chief Slams NYC Candidate Mamdani Over Vow To Expel ICE
Last Updated: Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has made immigration justice a cornerstone of his political mission. US President Donald Trump's Border Czar, Tom Homan, has sharply reacted to NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's vow to 'kick the fascist ICE out of New York City." A day after Mamdani's victory, Homan told Fox News, 'Good luck with that. Federal law trumps him every day, every hour of every minute." He added, 'We're going to be in New York City, matter of fact, because it's a sanctuary city and President Trump made it clear a week and a half ago, we're going to double down and triple down on sanctuary cities." Homan, who is an ex-ICE director, highlighted, 'We're going to concentrate in sanctuary cities because we know they're releasing public safety threats and national security threats back to the street. So we know we've got a problem there." At 33, Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has made immigration justice a cornerstone of his political mission. Aligned with democratic socialist ideals, Mamdani advocates for severing ties between New York authorities and federal immigration enforcement. His proposals aim to shield immigrant communities by eliminating local cooperation with ICE, enhancing access to legal representation, and implementing stronger safeguards for sensitive immigrant data. It further adds, 'He'll ensure our immigrant New Yorkers are protected by strengthening our sanctuary city apparatus: getting ICE out of all city facilities and ending any cooperation, increasing legal support, and protecting all personal data." First Published: June 28, 2025, 20:24 IST
