Donald Trump makes shocking threat to deport New York mayor candidate Zohran Mamdani

President Donald Trump has caused a stir by saying he wants to arrest and deport New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, calling him a “communist” and suggesting he may not be in the country legally. These comments come after Mamdani took a strong stance against ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), which has put him in direct opposition to Trump’s immigration policies.

Trump’s statement adds to a long list of recent controversies. The U.S. is still dealing with the fallout from its missile strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, and there have been violent anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. Trump also recently introduced what he’s calling the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which sparked a heated conflict with Elon Musk. Trump even threatened to deport Musk, despite their once-friendly relationship.

On top of all that, Trump opened a controversial new immigration center in Florida, which he nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.” At the same event, he shocked many by talking about the possibility of deporting even U.S. citizens—raising eyebrows across the country. Now, it seems Trump is turning his attention toward political opponents like Mamdani, who aren’t afraid to criticize him.

Mamdani has responded forcefully, calling Trump’s threats “an attack on democracy.” In a public statement, he said, “If you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation.” He made it clear that he isn’t backing down.

Zohran Mamdani is the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York. He was born in Uganda and moved to the U.S. as a child. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018 and went on to serve in the New York State Assembly, representing the 36th District. He’s been outspoken on issues like housing, corporate influence, and immigration. Mamdani made history as the first South Asian man and the first Ugandan to serve in the NYS Assembly, and he’s also one of only a few Muslims to ever be elected to that body.

In a recent exchange with reporters, Trump said, “A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally. We’re going to look at everything.” When asked what he would do if Mamdani tried to stop ICE from arresting people, Trump replied, “Well then we’ll have to arrest him.” He also labeled Mamdani a communist—a common attack Trump uses against his critics.

But is it even possible for Trump to deport Mamdani?

In rare situations, naturalized U.S. citizens can lose their citizenship through a legal process called denaturalization. This only happens when there’s proof of serious wrongdoing, such as lying on the citizenship application or committing acts like terrorism or war crimes. The Justice Department recently emphasized that it would pursue denaturalization in valid cases, and in June, they stripped citizenship from a man convicted of distributing child sexual abuse material.

However, experts say that Trump’s threats likely have no legal basis in Mamdani’s case. Michael Kagan, a law professor at the University of Nevada, explained that denaturalization only happens if the government can prove someone lied or hid important information during their citizenship process. He said the idea that Trump could deport Mamdani or Musk is far-fetched and seems to be more about scaring political opponents than taking lawful action.

In short, while Trump’s comments are attention-grabbing, legal experts say the chances of Mamdani actually being deported are extremely low. The remarks appear to be part of a broader strategy to intimidate critics, rather than a serious legal move.