Zohran Mamdani pushes back against Trump’s deportation threat amid ICE dispute
TOI World Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Jul 03, 2025, 00:32 IST
( Image credit : AP, TOIGLOBAL )
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee, strongly condemned President Trump's threat of deportation for opposing ICE. Mamdani, a naturalized citizen, accused Trump of political intimidation after Trump criticized his stance on immigration enforcement. The controversy has ignited widespread backlash, with figures like Governor Hochul and Senator Gillibrand denouncing Trump's remarks and supporting Mamdani.
Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has forcefully responded to a threat from President Donald Trump, who suggested Mamdani could face deportation for opposing cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Speaking on Tuesday, Mamdani condemned the statement as political intimidation and an assault on democratic values.
“The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp, and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city,” Mamdani said at a press briefing in Queens. “His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy, but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows.”
Mamdani, 33, was born in Uganda to Indian parents and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018. He currently serves as a state assembly member representing parts of Queens and has emerged as a leading voice in New York’s progressive political movement.
Trump’s comments came during a visit to a migrant detention facility in Florida, where he criticized Mamdani’s refusal to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. “We don’t need a communist in this country,” Trump said, referring to Mamdani’s left-leaning views. “But if we have one, I’m going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation.”
Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist and has advocated for a range of policies including universal child care, fare-free city buses, rent stabilization, and publicly owned grocery stores. His upset victory in the Democratic primary over former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo marked a major political shift in the city’s mayoral race. Ranked-choice voting results were finalized on July 1, officially confirming Mamdani’s nomination.
The remarks from Trump have sparked widespread backlash and raised concerns about escalating political rhetoric targeting immigrants and minorities. Representative Andrew Ogles of Tennessee referred to Mamdani as “little Muhammad” and publicly questioned his citizenship, calling for a Justice Department investigation. The attacks have been condemned as Islamophobic and racially charged.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a sharp rebuke to Trump’s remarks, posting on X (formerly Twitter): “I don’t care if you’re the President of the United States—if you threaten to unlawfully go after one of our neighbors, you’re picking a fight with 20 million New Yorkers, starting with me.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also reached out to Mamdani to apologize for earlier comments in which she criticized him for using the phrase “globalize the intifada,” saying it had raised concerns among Jewish constituents. Mamdani has since clarified his use of the phrase in broader political terms and not as an endorsement of violence.
The controversy has drawn further attention to Mamdani’s campaign, which has been endorsed by progressive figures including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Both have praised Mamdani for challenging establishment politics and prioritizing working-class issues.
Mamdani also took aim at current Mayor Eric Adams, who is now running as an independent. “At the very moment when MAGA Republicans are attempting to destroy the social safety net, kick millions of New Yorkers off of health care, and enrich their billionaire donors at the expense of working families, it is a scandal that Eric Adams echoes this President’s division, distraction, and hate,” Mamdani said. “Voters will resoundingly reject it in November.”
As the 2025 mayoral race heads into its final stretch, the confrontation between Mamdani and Trump underscores the intensifying national stakes of local elections and the broader debate over immigration, identity, and power in America.
“The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp, and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city,” Mamdani said at a press briefing in Queens. “His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy, but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows.”
Mamdani, 33, was born in Uganda to Indian parents and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018. He currently serves as a state assembly member representing parts of Queens and has emerged as a leading voice in New York’s progressive political movement.
Trump’s comments came during a visit to a migrant detention facility in Florida, where he criticized Mamdani’s refusal to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. “We don’t need a communist in this country,” Trump said, referring to Mamdani’s left-leaning views. “But if we have one, I’m going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation.”
Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist and has advocated for a range of policies including universal child care, fare-free city buses, rent stabilization, and publicly owned grocery stores. His upset victory in the Democratic primary over former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo marked a major political shift in the city’s mayoral race. Ranked-choice voting results were finalized on July 1, officially confirming Mamdani’s nomination.
The remarks from Trump have sparked widespread backlash and raised concerns about escalating political rhetoric targeting immigrants and minorities. Representative Andrew Ogles of Tennessee referred to Mamdani as “little Muhammad” and publicly questioned his citizenship, calling for a Justice Department investigation. The attacks have been condemned as Islamophobic and racially charged.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a sharp rebuke to Trump’s remarks, posting on X (formerly Twitter): “I don’t care if you’re the President of the United States—if you threaten to unlawfully go after one of our neighbors, you’re picking a fight with 20 million New Yorkers, starting with me.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also reached out to Mamdani to apologize for earlier comments in which she criticized him for using the phrase “globalize the intifada,” saying it had raised concerns among Jewish constituents. Mamdani has since clarified his use of the phrase in broader political terms and not as an endorsement of violence.
The controversy has drawn further attention to Mamdani’s campaign, which has been endorsed by progressive figures including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Both have praised Mamdani for challenging establishment politics and prioritizing working-class issues.
Mamdani also took aim at current Mayor Eric Adams, who is now running as an independent. “At the very moment when MAGA Republicans are attempting to destroy the social safety net, kick millions of New Yorkers off of health care, and enrich their billionaire donors at the expense of working families, it is a scandal that Eric Adams echoes this President’s division, distraction, and hate,” Mamdani said. “Voters will resoundingly reject it in November.”
As the 2025 mayoral race heads into its final stretch, the confrontation between Mamdani and Trump underscores the intensifying national stakes of local elections and the broader debate over immigration, identity, and power in America.