Frontier Eye Desk
New York, USA.
Republican lawmakers have intensified calls for a federal investigation into the citizenship of New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, alleging irregularities in his 2018 naturalization process. The move, spearheaded by two House Republicans, has drawn widespread condemnation from civil rights advocates and Democratic leaders, who denounce the campaign as a politically motivated assault fueled by anti-Muslim bias.
Mamdani, 34, a Democratic Socialist and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), made history on November 4 as the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor-elect. Born in Uganda in 1991, he immigrated to the United States at age seven and became a U.S. citizen in 2018 after meeting the five-year residency requirement. He also retains Ugandan citizenship.
Mamdani’s grassroots campaign, centered on housing affordability, public safety, and economic justice, resonated across a city strained by inequality and a prolonged federal government shutdown that began October 1. His June primary win set a record for the most votes in New York City history.
The citizenship controversy first surfaced in June when Rep. Andy Ogles (R–Tenn.) urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Mamdani for possible “willful misrepresentation” on his naturalization forms. Ogles cited Mamdani’s 2017 rap lyrics referencing the “Holy Land Five” — individuals convicted of funneling funds to Hamas — as supposed evidence of sympathy for terrorism.
“If Mamdani lied on his naturalization documents, he doesn’t get to be a citizen — and he certainly doesn’t get to be mayor of New York City,” Ogles said in an October 29 press release, accusing the mayor-elect of embracing “communist and terrorist activities,” though he offered no evidence.
Rep. Randy Fine (R–Fla.), a close ally of former President Donald Trump, echoed the claims on Newsmax, falsely asserting that Mamdani “just moved here eight years ago” and “did not meet the definition to gain citizenship.” Fine called for a review of all naturalizations over the past 30 years, “starting with Mamdani,” and alleged he concealed his DSA membership — which he inaccurately described as a communist organization.
Trump amplified the attacks after the election, threatening to withhold federal funds from New York City if Mamdani assumes office. In July, the New York Young Republican Club even invoked the 14th Amendment’s Section 3, arguing Mamdani gave “aid and comfort” to U.S. enemies through supposed “pro-Hamas” activism and opposition to immigration enforcement.
Legal scholars have dismissed the allegations as unfounded. Denaturalization — the process of revoking U.S. citizenship — is rare and requires “clear, convincing, and unequivocal” evidence of fraud or willful misrepresentation.
“DSA affiliation has no bearing on eligibility for citizenship,” said Cassandra Burke Robertson, a professor of law at Case Western Reserve University. “And song lyrics, however controversial, are protected by the First Amendment unless they involve direct material support for terrorism.”
While denaturalization proceedings have increased under the current Trump administration’s 2025 directive prioritizing national security cases, experts say the chances of success against Mamdani are “extraordinarily unlikely.”
Mamdani: ‘This Is About Islamophobia’
Mamdani has condemned the campaign as an attack on his faith and identity.
“In a moment when Americans are struggling just to afford the basic dignities of life, the Republican Party’s focus is on trying to denaturalize the Muslim guy who won New York City’s Democratic primary with the most votes in history,” he told MSNBC in October. “It shows their agenda is cruelty and punishment.”
He added: “Islamophobia has become endemic to American politics. It’s time we name it for what it is.”
Civil rights groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), have labeled the effort “racist and anti-Muslim,” calling for it to be “swiftly and decisively rejected.”
As Mamdani prepares to take office in January 2026, the controversy underscores America’s deepening partisan divisions over immigration, religion, and national identity. The Justice Department has not commented on whether any probe is underway.