Republican Congressman Andy Ogles has renewed his allegations against New York State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, claiming in a post on X that Mamdani “came to the U.S. from Uganda to turn America into an Islamic theocracy.” In a formal letter, Ogles argued that Mamdani’s past statements and political associations reveal a “broader pattern of conduct inconsistent with the oath of allegiance.” He urged the Justice Department to determine whether denaturalization proceedings are warranted, citing immigration laws that prohibit new citizens from belonging to communist or totalitarian groups.
Ogles’ campaign gained support from Rep. Randy Fine of Florida, who accused Mamdani of concealing key information during his citizenship process. Fine alleged that Mamdani failed to disclose his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America and his public defense of the “Holy Land Five,” a group of Palestinian-American leaders convicted in 2008 of providing material support to Hamas. Fine also took to X, claiming that “New York City falls to communism next week” in reference to the upcoming mayoral election. Both lawmakers framed their accusations as a matter of national security and ideological integrity in government.
Mamdani, who represents Astoria, Queens, has firmly denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated attempts to weaponize immigration law against a progressive elected official. He dismissed the claims as baseless, saying, “No matter how many times these Republican Congress members or the president of this country calls me a Communist, it doesn’t make it true.” A Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed receipt of Ogles’ letter but noted that responses to congressional correspondence are delayed due to the ongoing government shutdown. She declined to comment further, emphasizing that the department does not discuss ongoing or potential investigations. The controversy continues to fuel partisan tensions over ideology, immigration, and political loyalty.