Can Congress deport Zohran Mamdani? Here’s what US law really says

Can Congress deport Zohran Mamdani? Here’s what US law really says

Shortly after Zohran Mamdani became the front-runner and later winner in the 2025 New York City mayoral race, several Republican members of US Congress loudly called for his denaturalisation and deportation. One congressman, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, demanded that the US Department of Justice investigate the citizenship process Mamdani underwent, alleging he concealed “terrorist” or “communist” affiliations.

Mamdani, 34, born in Uganda and naturalised as a US citizen in 2018, moved to the United States with his family at age seven and went on to serve in the New York State Assembly before the mayoral race. The accusations against him cite his past membership in the Democratic Socialists of America and alleged comments or associations with pro-Palestinian or “intifada” rhetoric, claims he contests and which have not been substantiated.

However, the legal path for stripping someone of US citizenship is extraordinarily narrow and seldom used. Denaturalisation typically requires the government to prove either that citizenship was obtained by fraud or wilful concealment of material facts, or that the individual has committed certain acts, such as treason or affiliation with a terrorist organisation, that render them ineligible. There is no credible public evidence at this point that Mamdani falsified his naturalisation application or knowingly misrepresented matters that would have precluded citizenship.

Moreover, even after citizenship is revoked, deportation is not automatic unless there is a valid basis for removal. US immigration law distinguishes between citizens (natural-born or naturalised) and non-citizens (including lawful permanent residents), and citizens enjoy far greater protections. Because Mamdani currently holds citizenship status, the DOJ would first need to pursue a complex legal process in federal court to revoke it before any deportation could be considered.

Civil-rights groups, including the Council on American‑Islamic Relations, have characterised the move against Mamdani as racially and religiously motivated. They argue that the targeting of a Muslim, South-Asian naturalised citizen who has become a major political figure in New York reeks of xenophobia.

In short: while Republicans can call for an investigation into Mamdani’s citizenship, current law makes it virtually impossible to deport a US citizen without extraordinary and clearly documented wrongdoing. Until a credible case emerges showing fraud, concealment, or disqualifying behaviour, Mamdani remains a protected citizen under US law.