Zohran Mamdani's election as New York City's first Muslim and South Asian mayor-elect has thrust him into a storm of controversy, with Republican figures demanding the revocation of his U.S. citizenship.
Born in Uganda and a naturalized citizen since 2018, the 34-year-old democratic socialist secured a resounding win in the mayoral race.
His victory speech in Brooklyn celebrated the city's immigrant heritage, declaring New York a place built, powered, and now led by immigrants.
Yet, detractors in Washington have swiftly moved to challenge his eligibility for office.
Republican lawmakers, including Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee and Randy Fine of Florida, have called for investigations into Mamdani's naturalization process.
They allege, without evidence, that he concealed ties to communism through his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America and supported terrorist activities via 2017 rap lyrics referencing the Holy Land Five, convicted members of a charity linked to Hamas.
Ogles urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue denaturalization, stating in an October 29 release that failure to disclose such alignments warrants deportation.
Fine echoed this on Newsmax, questioning Mamdani's recent citizenship and implying ineligibility.
Experts dismiss these claims as baseless.
Immigration lawyer Jeremy McKinney noted that denaturalization demands clear, unequivocal evidence of willful material lies affecting eligibility.
PolitiFact found no credible proof of falsehoods in Mamdani's application, which requires disclosure of communist or totalitarian party affiliations — criteria not met by the DSA, a group rejecting communist tenets like state ownership and hostility to democracy.
Historian Harvey Klehr affirmed democratic socialism's distinction from communism.
The process remains rare, reserved for cases like Nazi war criminals or proven terrorism links, and requires judicial order via criminal or civil action.
Under the Trump administration, such proceedings have increased, prioritizing national security concerns, but experts like Cassandra Burke Robertson deem a case against Mamdani extraordinarily unlikely.
The New York Young Republican Club has invoked the 14th Amendment, accusing Mamdani of aiding enemies through pro-Hamas support and anti-ICE stances — a long-shot bid needing supermajorities in Congress and likely Supreme Court review.
Experts clarify that policy critiques do not constitute insurrection or wartime aid.
Amid the barrage, Mamdani has refused to retreat.
Facing Islamophobic attacks — including a Super PAC ad juxtaposing him with 9/11 imagery and flyers exaggerating his features — he addressed crowds in the Bronx, vowing no longer to hide in the shadows.
In Brooklyn, he said:
I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations decried the rhetoric as racist and Islamophobic.
Supporters praise his authenticity.
Minhaj Khan of the Indian American Muslim Council highlighted Mamdani's bold stand against anti-Muslim ills, resonating with communities.
Alina Shen of CAAAV Voice credited his unyielding identity for mobilizing South Asian voters on affordability platforms.
Drawing from his parents — father Mahmood Mamdani, a Columbia professor and civil rights participant expelled from Uganda, and mother Mira Nair, acclaimed filmmaker of Ugandan Indian stories — Mamdani embodies pluralism.
His campaign, inspired by Bernie Sanders, focused on housing, healthcare, and taxi driver aid, fostering hope among immigrants amid ICE crackdowns.
Irene Hsu of CAAAV said his platform shifts power to the city's essential workers.
Faidra Tzedakis, a recent permanent resident, saw in his win proof that immigrants and youth can reshape the American dream toward justice and acceptance.
As threats loom, Mamdani's defiance underscores a pivotal moment for immigrant leadership in America.