Zohran Mamdani faces deportation threat from Donald Trump

ByP

Only days after becoming New York City’s first Muslim mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani is facing an extraordinary challenge: the President of the United States is threatening to revoke his citizenship.

On November 4, the 34-year-old won a sweeping victory over Independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. When he’s sworn in on January 1, 2026, Mamdani will be the first Muslim, first South Asian, first African-born, and first Millennial to lead New York City.

At his election night rally, Mamdani joked about not fitting the “traditional” mold for mayor. “I am young. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And I won’t apologize,” he told cheering supporters. “Tonight, New York has voted for change.”

His campaign centered on affordability, proposing free buses, universal childcare, and a freeze on rent-stabilized units. Despite well-funded rivals, his grassroots effort surprised political analysts nationwide.

Mamdani’s story began far from New York. He arrived from Uganda in 1998 at age seven and became a U.S. citizen in 2018 — a step that eventually made his political rise possible. But his win also brought fierce backlash, including attacks from President Donald Trump.

Tensions grew after Mamdani vowed in June 2025 to stop “masked ICE agents” from intimidating immigrants. Trump responded by calling him a “nut job,” questioning his citizenship, and suggesting he could be arrested or deported — claims Mamdani condemned as authoritarian intimidation.

Other Republicans escalated the rhetoric. Congressman Andy Ogles demanded Mamdani be stripped of citizenship, accusing him — without evidence — of hiding “communist” or “terroristic” ties. Legal experts quickly dismissed the claims, noting that denaturalization requires a court order and real proof.

Despite the political storm, Mamdani remains defiant. As he said on election night, “If they want to come for one of us, they’ll have to get through all of us first.”