Zohran Mamdani with a U.S. passport in the background

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As the NYC mayoral election approaches, right-wing media back GOP push to denaturalize and deport Zohran Mamdani

Written by Gideon Taaffe

Published

In the week before the New York City mayoral election, some in right-wing media have increasingly advocated for frontrunner Zohran Mamdani to be “denaturalized” and “deported.” Following House Republicans' lead, several right-wing media personalities have claimed Mamdani, who moved to the United States at 8 years old, is not a legal citizen and should have his citizenship revoked. 

This latest line of attack follows right-wing media’s delegitimization of foreign-born U.S. citizens and immigrants. Right-wing media have specifically targeted Muslim Americans and have deployed a variety of Islamophobic attacks to suggest they are anti-American or are “pro-terror.”

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  • Right-wing politicians are attempting to revoke Mamdani’s citizenship and questioning his naturalization

    • The Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, was born in Uganda and became a naturalized citizen in 2018. [Politico, 7/1/25]
    • Some House Republicans, led by Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), have pushed for Mamdani’s citizenship to be investigated in order to have him denaturalized and deported. Ogles contends that Mamdani lied on his citizenship application by joining the Democratic Socialists of America, which he called a “communist” organization. Ogles also claims that Mamdani supported terrorists when Mamdani called to free the “Holy Land Five,” a group of pro-Palestine activists who were accused of funding Hamas. Fine called for the federal government to “review every naturalization of the past 30 years — starting with Mamdani.” He added, “I just think we need to take a hard look at how these folks became citizens, and if there is any fraud or any violation of the rules we need to denaturalize and deport.” [The New York Post, 10/25/25]
    • In July, President Donald Trump questioned if Mamdani was in the country “illegally.” Trump said, “A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally. … We’re going to look at everything. And ideally, he’s going to turn out to be much less than a communist, but right now, he’s a communist.” [Politico, 7/1/25]
    • While Zohran Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he does not identify as a communist and has a different platform than the DSA’s. As the co-chair of the New York City DSA chapter told The New York Times, “Zohran’s been really clear that his platform and D.S.A.’s platform are distinct.” Additionally, democratic socialism is different from communism — as Time magazine points out, “democratic socialists believe in a democracy, while communist forms of government are not democracies.” [The New York Times, 8/28/25, 6/29/25; Time magazine, 10/24/18] 

  • Right-wing media have been ramping up deportation rhetoric and weaponizing Islamophobic attacks on Muslim leaders

    • Right-wing media have repeatedly spread the idea that foreign-born American citizens should be “denaturalized.” Recently, conservatives have called for the deportation of progressive Muslim media personalities and politicians like Mehdi Hasan and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). [Media Matters, 3/26/25, 8/27/25; The Times of India, 10/19/25; Twitter/X, 10/22/25, 10/22/25]
    • Since Mamdani won the primary, right-wing media have used Islamophobic attacks to attempt to delegitimize the Democratic nominee. Conservative personalities have claimed Mamdani is a “pro-terror” candidate, a “sharia” supremacist, and a “social justice suicide” bomber. [Media Matters, 7/3/25, 10/23/25]

  • Right-wing media are claiming Mamdani, his “entire family,” and “all the Muslims that came into our country under Obama” should be denaturalized or deported

    • The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh claimed, “Mamdani's entire family should be denaturalized and deported.” [The Daily Wire, The Matt Walsh Show, 10/27/25]
    • War Room host Steve Bannon described Mamdani as a “Ugandan Muslim Not Legal Citizen of United States.” [Twitter/X, 10/26/25] 
    • Bannon: Zohran Mamdani has “got to be denaturalized because his naturalization process was fouled. He's got to be sent out of the country.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 10/27/25]
    • Bannon said the DOJ should put out a notification that Mamdani's citizenship is under review before “Election Day so people in New York understand the guy you’re voting for may not be able to hold the office.” He continued, “In any case, shortly after Election Day … they’ve got to revoke his citizenship because it was given — he lied about the most basic stuff. You can't have association with these people and become an American citizen.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 10/28/25]
    • On War Room, right-wing pundit Jack Posobiec claimed deporting Mamdani is something the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice “need to look into.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 10/28/25]
    • Trump ally Laura Loomer endorsed Fine’s plan to review Mamdani’s naturalization, adding, “I think that they need to denaturalize all the Muslims that came into our country under Obama and since Obama.” Loomer: “You should not be allowed to be a citizen of America if you are caught supporting Islamic terrorism. You can see here, Fine, in recent days, demanded that the federal government review every naturalization of the past 30 years, starting with Mamdani. I agree. I think that they need to denaturalize all the Muslims that came into our country under Obama and since Obama.” [Rumble, Loomer Unleashed, 10/28/25]
    • Loomer also hosted Andy Ogles with the chyron “Deport Mamdani!” Loomer called herself a “proud Islamophobe” and said she was “grateful” to Ogles for “using your voice to actually speak up and do something.” [Rumble, Loomer Unleashed, 10/28/25, 10/28/25]
    • Fox News host Will Cain said Mamdani could be denaturalized and deported for “false information on an application.” Cain said, “False information on an application is one of many things that could lead to denaturalization and deportation. Certainly, being a member of a communist or democratic socialist party should be disclosed in naturalization.” [Fox News, The Will Cain Show, 10/28/25]
    • Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton claimed there is “more than enough evidence to begin denaturalization proceedings against Mamdani....” [Twitter/X, 10/27/25]
    • Real America’s Voice host Mike Crispi claimed, “Zohran Mamdani should be deported and ineligible to run for New York City Mayor.” He posted: “Zohran Mamdani should be deported and ineligible to run for New York City Mayor. We have longstanding laws in this country preventing avowed foreign communists from resettling here. Zohran lied on his citizenship application when he came from Uganda 6 years ago. DEPORT!” [Twitter/X, 6/26/25]
    • Writing for the Gateway Pundit, Wayne Allyn Root called to “denaturalize” and deport Mamdani. He wrote, “Say it with me, ‘DEPORT MAMDANI!’” adding, “Let’s send Zohran packing back to Uganda.” [The Gateway Pundit, 7/1/25]
    • Human Events editor Will Chamberlain posted: “Denaturalize and deport Zohran Mamdani.” Chamberlain repeated the demand in October.  [Twitter/X, 6/24/25, 10/13/25]
    • The Federalist published an op-ed titled, “Denaturalize And Deport Zohran Mamdani For Immigration Fraud.” The piece concluded, “Any serious nation with an interest in self-preservation would immediately denaturalize and deport Mamdani. We cannot allow foreign communists to immigrate to America and take control of our institutions.” [The Federalist, 7/11/25]