'Not scared', says Zohran Mamdani after Trump threatened to 'arrest' and ‘strip’ his citizenship

Indian-origin New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani says he will not be scared by threats from former President Donald Trump.

Advertisement

Trump said Mamdani should be arrested if he tries to stop US immigration agents (ICE) from doing their job in the city. He also called Mamdani a “communist” and questioned if he is even a legal US citizen.

Mamdani responded strongly, saying: "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 terrorise our city. 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 shadow: if you speak up, they will come for you. The Democrat also attacked Trump for praising New York's current Mayor, Eric Adams, "in his authoritarian threats". He said Trump's praises for Adams--who was elected in 2021 as a Democrat but is running as an independent--are unsurprising, "but highlights the urgency of bringing an end to this Mayor's time in City Hall. At the very moment when MAGA (make America great again) Republicans are attempting to destroy the social safety net, kick millions of New Yorkers off of healthcare 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. Voters will resoundingly reject it in November," he said.

My statement on Donald Trump's threat to deport me and his praise for Eric Adams, who the President "helped out" of legal accountability. https://t.co/m7pNcT2DFS pic.twitter.com/UcYakMx4lI

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) July 1, 2025

What did Trump say?

Trump spoke at an immigration event and said Mamdani is a “true communist” and “crazy.” He also claimed Mamdani might not be in the country legally and that he would keep a close watch on him.

“We don’t need a communist running New York,” Trump said. “Maybe we’ll have to arrest him.” Some Republicans are now trying to cancel Mamdani’s citizenship, even though he legally became a citizen seven years ago.

Polls show Mamdani is currently leading in the race for mayor, ahead of both Eric Adams and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. The general election will be held in November.

Mamdani says his campaign is winning because it focuses on helping working people and immigrant communities and not fear or hate.

“We proved that when we give people something real to vote for, they will come back. We surprised everyone — even ourselves,” he said.