Zohran Mamdani Faces Deportation Demands From Republicans: Can Trump Revoke His Citizenship?

Last Updated:June 27, 2025, 11:37 IST

Republicans are calling for NYC mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani to be denaturalised and deported. Here's why they want it and whether it's legally possible

New York mayoral candidate, State Rep. Zohran Mamdani (D-NY) speaks to supporters during an election night gathering on June 24. (Image: AFP)

A political firestorm has erupted following Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani‘s stunning upset over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary — a key contest to determine the party’s nominee for New York City’s top post. While the final result of the primary is expected on July 1, Cuomo conceded the race less than two hours after polls closed, and Mamdani has already declared victory. If confirmed, Mamdani will become the Democratic Party’s official nominee for the November 2025 general election.

But with his meteoric rise, the 33-year-old state assemblyman has also drawn sharp attacks from prominent Republicans, with some going as far as demanding that US President Donald Trump revoke Mamdani’s US citizenship and deport him.

So, why do Republicans want Trump to deport Mamdani, and more importantly, can the US President actually do that?

Who Is Zohran Mamdani?

Zohran Mamdani, 33, was born in Uganda to Indian parents — acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and political theorist Mahmood Mamdani —lived briefly in South Africa, and moved to New York City at age 7. He became a naturalised US citizen in 2018, which means he was not born a citizen but acquired it through the legal immigration process.

Elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020, Mamdani represents a constituency in Queens, a borough of New York City known for its large immigrant population. He is affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America and is often associated with the party’s far-left wing. Mamdani is backed by progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and other members of the so-called “Squad," a group of Democratic lawmakers known for their radical positions on policing, immigration, and foreign policy.

If elected in November, Mamdani would make history as New York City’s first Muslim and Indian-American mayor.

Why Are Republicans Calling For His Deportation?

Tennessee Republican Representative Andy Ogles sparked outrage this week by publicly calling Mamdani “little Muhammad" and demanding that he be “DEPORTED."

“He needs to be DEPORTED," Ogles posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding: “Which is why I am calling for him to be subject to denaturalisation proceedings."

Ogles sent a formal letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting that the Department of Justice open an investigation into whether Mamdani obtained US citizenship fraudulently. He claimed that Mamdani might have concealed ties to groups accused of supporting terrorism, specifically citing a 2017 rap lyric in which Mamdani referenced the “Holy Land Five" — founders of a now-defunct Muslim charity convicted in 2008 of funding terror group Hamas.

“Publicly praising the Foundation’s convicted leadership as ‘my guys’ raises serious concerns about whether Mr. Mamdani held affiliations or sympathies he failed to disclose during the naturalisation process," Ogles wrote in the letter.

He added: “While I understand that some may raise First Amendment concerns about taking legal action based on expressive conduct, such as rap lyrics, speech alone does not preclude accountability where it reasonably suggests underlying conduct relevant to eligibility for naturalisation."

The NY Young Republican Club’s Call To Action

Adding fuel to the fire, the New York Young Republican Club (NYYRC) issued what it called a “call to action" on social media, urging Trump and his advisors to invoke the 1954 Communist Control Act to strip Mamdani of his citizenship.

“The radical Zohran Mamdani cannot be allowed to destroy our beloved city of New York," the NYYRC posted. “The Communist Control Act lets President Trump revoke @ZohranKMamdani’s citizenship and promptly deport him."

They tagged White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and border czar Tom Homan, writing: “The time for action is now. New York is counting on you."

Other Republicans followed suit. South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace posted a poll asking if Mamdani should be denaturalised and deported.

Georgia Rep. Mike Collins tweeted: “Might be time to bring back the [House Un-American Activities] Committee."

What Are They Alleging?

Republicans are accusing Mamdani of:

Glorifying convicted supporters of Hamas, via old rap lyricsHarbouring undisclosed affiliations that might constitute material support for terrorismBeing a socialist and communist, invoking outdated Cold War-era laws like the Communist Control ActNot being American enough, citing that he’s been a citizen for less than 10 years

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller claimed Mamdani’s win shows what happens when a country fails to control immigration: “The entire Democrat party is lining up behind the diehard socialist who wants to end all immigration enforcement and abolish the prison system entirely."

Trump himself weighed in on Truth Social: “It’s finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor."

What Has Mamdani Said?

During his victory speech, Mamdani said: “This has been a historically contentious race. One that has filled our airwaves with millions in smears and slander… I hope now that this primary has come to an end, I can introduce myself once more. Not as you’ve seen me in a 30-second ad or in a mailer in your mailbox, but as how I will lead as your mayor."

He also fired back at Republican councilwoman Vickie Paladino, who claimed he was trying to undermine America: “Like nearly 40 percent of New Yorkers, I wasn’t born in this country. I moved here at age 7. It’s my home. And I’m proud to be a citizen, which means standing up for our Constitution. Councilmember Paladino might consider reading it."

Can Trump Actually Deport Mamdani?

So far, none of Mamdani’s critics have presented concrete legal evidence that he violated US naturalisation law. Still, the process of denaturalisation — legally revoking someone’s citizenship — is possible in the United States, though it remains extremely rare.

Under American law, a person can lose their US citizenship only if:

They obtained it through fraud or deliberate misrepresentation (such as hiding criminal or extremist affiliations)They were associated with a group promoting violent overthrow of the US government within five years of naturalisationThey committed serious crimes like terrorism or war crimes before becoming a citizen and failed to disclose them during the process

The US government must prove all this in federal court, using strong and convincing evidence. What counts as “material misrepresentation" (i.e., a serious lie that would have affected the citizenship decision) often depends on the specifics of the case.

Even if denaturalised, Mamdani would not be automatically deported. He would revert to being a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). That status allows him to live and work in the US but can make him vulnerable to deportation, though that would require a separate legal process with valid grounds.

Some Republicans are also invoking the Communist Control Act of 1954, a Cold War-era law passed during America’s anti-communist “Red Scare." It aimed to ban Communist Party activity in the US. However, this law has barely been enforced, has faced multiple constitutional challenges, and has never been used to revoke someone’s citizenship. Legal experts view it as largely symbolic and unenforceable today.

What Happens Next?

For now, the legal threats appear more political than procedural. No formal denaturalisation case has been filed. Whether or not Trump can actually deport Mamdani may be a legal longshot. But the controversy has already turned into a potent flashpoint in an increasingly polarised US political landscape.

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