Why are Republicans demanding deportation of Mamdani, New York’s rising Muslim socialist star — but can he legally be deported?

Dubai: Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist and three-term New York State assemblyman, has ignited a political firestorm after pulling off a stunning upset in the Democratic mayoral primary by defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Born in Uganda to Indian parents, Mamdani moved to New York City at age seven and became a US citizen in 2018. If elected, he would become the city’s first Muslim mayor.

However, Mamdani’s rise has sparked a wave of Islamophobic and racist attacks from Republican lawmakers and commentators.

President Donald Trump slammed Mamdani on his Truth Social platform, calling him a “100% Communist Lunatic” and accusing Democrats of supporting radical leftists.

Trump criticised Mamdani’s appearance, voice, intelligence and political allies, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Chuck Schumer, describing the moment as “a big moment in the History of our Country!”

Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan fired back at Mamdani’s pledge to expel Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from New York City, stating, “Good luck with that, federal law trumps him every day, every hour of every minute.” Homan vowed to “double down and triple down on sanctuary cities,” signalling increased federal enforcement in opposition to Mamdani’s progressive stance.

Republican leaders have taken the rhetoric further, calling on the Trump administration to revoke Mamdani’s citizenship and deport him. The New York Republican Club urged invoking the Red Scare-era Communist Control Act to strip Mamdani of citizenship and promptly deport him. They called on White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, a hardline immigration hawk, and Homan to take immediate action, declaring, “The time for action is now.”

Stephen Miller claimed that New York City’s election of Mamdani serves as a “clear warning” of the consequences of uncontrolled immigration, accusing Democrats of rallying behind a socialist agenda to end immigration enforcement and abolish prisons.

Other Republican lawmakers joined the chorus. South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace posted a poll asking if Mamdani should be denaturalised and deported, while Georgia Representative Mike Collins suggested resurrecting the House Un-American Activities Committee.

Mace also implied a link between Mamdani and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which occurred when Mamdani was nine years old. Meanwhile, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene shared Islamophobic imagery online, including an altered Statue of Liberty draped in a burqa.

Despite these attacks, no legal evidence has been presented that Mamdani violated US naturalisation laws.

Denaturalisation, or revoking citizenship, is extremely rare in the United States and only possible if a person:

• Obtained citizenship through fraud or concealment of criminal/extremist ties

• Was involved with groups advocating violent overthrow of the US government within five years of naturalization

• Committed serious crimes such as terrorism or war crimes prior to naturalisation without disclosure

The US government must prove these claims in federal court with strong evidence. Even if citizenship is revoked, deportation is not automatic. The individual reverts to lawful permanent resident status (green card holder), allowing them to remain in the country unless separate legal grounds for deportation exist.

Zohran Mamdani remains undeterred, continuing to advocate for progressive policies and promising to challenge federal immigration enforcement amid growing hostility and Islamophobic attacks.