Indian-origin politician Zohran Mamdani, who is now the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, has said he will not be afraid of U.S. President Donald Trump. This follows Trump’s threat to have him arrested over his pledge to stop ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) operations in the city.

In a strong statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Mamdani said, "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."

He added, "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: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation."

Zohran Mamdani, a prominent Democratic Socialist and son of renowned Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, officially secured the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor on Tuesday. He defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the primary and will now contest the general election in November.

Why did Trump threaten Mamdani?

After Mamdani won the primary, President Trump sharply criticised him. Speaking to reporters, Trump said Mamdani’s promise to block ICE from arresting undocumented immigrants is against the law. "Well, then we will have to arrest him. We don't need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I am going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation," Trump said.

Trump also said, "A lot of people are saying he (Mamdani) is here illegally. You know we are going to look over everything. And ideally, he's going to turn out to be much less than a communist, but right now he's a communist. That's not a socialist."

Is Mamdani's citizenship being investigated?

The White House has now hinted at a possible investigation into Mamdani’s U.S. citizenship. Republican Congressman Andy Ogles demanded that Mamdani’s citizenship be cancelled. Responding to this, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said he may have hidden "terrorist" sympathies when he became a citizen.

Mamdani, who moved from Uganda to the U.S. in 1998 at the age of 7, has not yet responded to these claims.

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