Calls for Zohran Mamdani's deportation; Trump's border czar says 'game on'

India Today

a day ago

Republicans and affiliated groups are seeking a federal investigation into the citizenship status of Zohran Mamdani, who won the Democratic primary for the New York City's mayoral post, with some calling for his denaturalisation and deportation. Mamdani, son of Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair, found himself at the centre of a political firestorm following his primary win ahead of the November New York City's mayoral election.advertisementAnd amid calls for probe and deportation US President Donald Trump's border czar, Tom Homan issued a warning to Zohran Mamdani saying that immigration enforcement will "double down and triple down on sanctuary cities". Homan added that if immigration enforcement officials can't arrest people in jail, they would "find them" in neighborhoods or work sites, adding, "so game on, we're coming".Mamdani, who has been an assembly member since 2021, became an American citizen in 2018 shortly after graduating from college. He has also faced Islamophobic attacks due to his political views and stance on US foreign policy.
Tennessee Republican Congressman, Andy Ogles, has urged the federal government to revoke the US citizenship of New York City mayoral candidate Mamdani and initiate deportation proceedings against him.Ogles shared images of a letter he wrote to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging the Department of Justice to examine whether Mamdani's US citizenship should be revoked on the basis that he may have obtained it through "wilful misrepresentation or concealment of material support for terrorism".advertisementIn response to the Democratic primary poll outcome, the New York Young Republican Club, a Manhattan-based GOP group for members aged 18 to 40, issued a "call to action" on X. The group was founded in 1911."The radical Zohran Mamdani cannot be allowed to destroy our beloved city of New York," the club wrote in the post, tagging the White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Donald Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan.This comes days after the American President called Mamdani a "100% Communist Lunatic".The group urged President Donald Trump to invoke the Red Scare-era Communist Control Act to revoke Mamdani's citizenship and "promptly deport him".The Communist Control Act of 1954 is a Cold War-era law passed at the height of anti-communist hysteria. The law, which technically remains on the books, declared the Communist Party illegal and allowed for the stripping of rights of individuals deemed part of a communist organisation.The club also called on White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Trump Border Czar Tom Homan to take action against the 33-year-old Ugandan-American Democratic leader.Following Mamdani's victory, Miller claimed New York City is the "clearest warning yet of what happens to a society when it fails to control migration," The Independent reported.advertisement"The entire Democrat party is lining up behind the diehard socialist who wants to end all immigration enforcement and abolish the prison system entirely," he added.THERE WILL BE ANOTHER 9/11 IN NYC: FAR-RIGHT COMMENTATORFar-right commentator and political operative Laura Loomer, in a post on X, said that New York City would face "another 9/11" if Zohran Mamdani were to become mayor.New York City Council Member Vickie Paladino described Mamdani as a "known jihadist terrorist" and "communist" in a radio interview, calling for his deportation despite his American citizenship, according to a report in The Guardian.New York Representative Elise Stefanik, Trump's one-time pick for UN ambassador, sent fundraising emails branding Mamdani a "Hamas terrorist sympathiser" before the race was even called.The backlash intensified in conservative circles, with the American President's son, Donald Trump Jr reposting a message on social media.The post read, "I'm old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it", adding his own comment: "New York City has fallen".'NYC NOT AN AMERICAN CITY ANYMORE'Marjorie Taylor Greene, US Representative for Georgia's 14th congressional district since 2021, also joined in by sharing an AI-generated image of the Statue of Liberty covered in a burqa. The image depicts a digitally modified version of the Statue of Liberty, veiled in a black burqa.advertisementRight-wing commentator Matt Walsh decried New York's immigrant population, lamenting how New York isn't "an American city any more" because of its population being 40% foreign-born.The backlash was sparked by Mamdani's promises, his views on Israel, and support for the Palestinian cause.Mamdani, whose father is Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani, is married to Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist.In Tuesday's heated Democratic primary election event, New York City Mayor Eric Adams slammed the 33-year-old, calling him a "snake oil salesman" following Mamdani's victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was seeking a political comeback.MAMDANI'S POLITICAL JOURNEY SO FARSince 2021, Mamdani has been representing Astoria, Queens, in the New York State Assembly.His victory in the mayoral primary indicates that his ideas are becoming more popular in the city.His campaign has plans, like establishing city-run grocery stores, freezing rent increases in rent-stabilised housing, and providing free city buses. These ideas would be funded by a $10 billion tax increase on businesses and wealthy residents, Mamdani said.advertisementMamdani has been vocal about international issues, especially regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. His firm pro-Palestinian position has drawn sharp criticism from pro-Israel organisations.His supporters view him as a bold and much-needed progressive voice for New York City.Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to parents with roots in India. He moved to New York along with his family at the age of seven in 1998 and became an American citizen in 2018 shortly after graduating from college.His mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning filmmaker who has made cult films such as Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, and Mississippi Masala. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an anthropology professor at Columbia University.- EndsMust Watch