Republicans Call to Challenge Mamdani’s Citizenship—Is It Even Possible?

Zohran Mamdani is set to become New York City’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor, a historic achievement. However, some Republican leaders appear unable to accept his rise and are now questioning the legitimacy of his U.S. citizenship, even calling for it to be revoked.

Former President Donald Trump has been attacking Mamdani since before the election. Born in Uganda, the 34-year-old politician was labelled a “communist” by Trump, who claimed that if Mamdani became mayor, he would cut off New York’s central funds. Following these remarks, some Republicans have demanded an investigation into Mamdani’s citizenship.

Members of Congress, Andy Ogles and Randy Fine, have alleged that Mamdani may have concealed or misrepresented information when applying for citizenship. Ogles stated, “If he provided false information on his citizenship application, his citizenship should be revoked and he should be barred from holding the mayoral office.” However, fact-checking site PolitiFact has reported that no evidence supports these claims.

Mamdani arrived in the United States from Uganda in 1998 at the age of seven and became a U.S. citizen in 2018. Under American law, the authority to revoke citizenship rests with the courts, and it is only possible if it can be proven that the applicant committed fraud during the naturalisation process.

Immigration attorney Jeremy McKinley said, “There is no credible evidence that Mamdani was ineligible for citizenship. Therefore, calls to revoke his citizenship are legally baseless.”

Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Republicans have claimed that he failed to disclose this membership on his citizenship application and that the organisation adheres to “communist” ideals. Legal experts counter that the DSA is not a communist party and that membership does not obstruct a path to U.S. citizenship.

The New York Young Republican Club has also argued that some of Mamdani’s statements demonstrate sympathy for America’s “enemies,” which they claim violates the Fourteenth Amendment. Experts, however, stress that the amendment pertains to engaging in war or rebellion—not to expressing political opinions.

Case Western Reserve University professor Cassandra Burke Robertson commented, “Any legal challenge to revoke Mamdani’s citizenship would not succeed in court. Such actions would set a dangerous precedent for civil liberties.”

Although revocations of citizenship in the United States are rare, there have been a few instances under the Trump administration. Nonetheless, experts agree that the likelihood of Mamdani’s citizenship being revoked is virtually zero. However, the controversy may still complicate his path politically as he prepares to assume office.