When a man seeks to lead the largest city in America, his citizenship should be beyond question. Yet the candidacy of Zohran Mamdani, an avowed socialist Democrat and recently naturalized U.S. citizen, has raised a troubling question: Did he obtain his citizenship under false pretenses?

That question became official on June 26, when Congressman Andy Ogles, Republican of Tennessee, formally asked the Department of Justice to investigate whether Mamdani’s 2018 naturalization should be revoked under 8 U.S.C. §1451(a) for “willful misrepresentation or concealment of material support for terrorism.”

The request, addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, was not a partisan stunt. It was a carefully structured one-page letter that laid out specific evidence, cited public sources, and explained why Mamdani’s own words may point to something more serious than youthful rebellion or artistic expression.

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At the center of the controversy is a rap song Mamdani recorded in 2017, titled Salaam. In that track, he praises the “Holy Land Five”—five leaders of the Holy Land Foundation, who were convicted in 2008 of funneling over $12 million to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. His lyrics were direct: “Free the Holy Land 5, my love to the Holy Land 5, my guys.”

Hamas, of course, carried out the October 7, 2023, slaughter of Israelis.

Mamdani’s declaration came just one year before he took his oath of allegiance to the United States. Ogles noted that when applying for citizenship, applicants must disclose any affiliations or support for organizations that threaten U.S. security. Concealing such ties, if proven, would constitute a direct violation of federal law.

In his letter, Ogles wrote that “the naturalization process depends on the good-faith disclosure of any affiliation with, or support for, groups that threaten U.S. national security.” He stressed that glorifying convicted Hamas financiers as “my guys” was not mere free speech, but a legitimate basis for inquiry into whether the candidate withheld relevant information from federal authorities.

The congressman also pointed out Mamdani’s refusal to disavow the slogan “globalize the intifada.” That phrase, popularized in Palestinian activist circles, calls for expanding violent anti-Israel uprisings around the world, including in the United States. To Ogles, this pattern of expression reflects more than rhetoric; it suggests a worldview incompatible with American allegiance.

The legal argument for denaturalization rests on whether Mamdani knowingly concealed material facts about his views or associations when he became a citizen. Courts have long held that if citizenship was obtained through fraud or deliberate omission, it can be revoked, even years later. The DoJ has the authority to pursue such cases where there is credible evidence of deception.

Ogles was careful to anticipate objections about free speech. He acknowledged that the First Amendment protects artistic expression but emphasized that speech suggesting illegal conduct or the concealment of material support for terrorism warrants scrutiny. Simply put, if an individual’s words reasonably imply conduct that would have been disqualifying for citizenship, the government has every right to investigate.

In a public statement accompanying his letter, Ogles described Mamdani as “an antisemitic, socialist, communist radical” whose rise to prominence in New York politics represents a direct threat to American values. He called for denaturalization and deportation if the allegation proves true.

The response to Ogles’ referral spread quickly. By June 27, major outlets such as NewsNation highlighted the congressman’s central argument: that Mamdani’s omission of his pro-Hamas sympathies during naturalization, if confirmed, constitutes lying under oath. Ogles’ demand for a DoJ investigation resonated with citizens across the country who feel that national security has too often been sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.

Two days later, The Western Journal framed Ogles’ action as a warning against complacency. It observed that Mamdani’s pattern of behavior—his lyrics, his public statements, his refusal to disavow violent slogans—could not be dismissed as a coincidence. The publication suggested that bureaucratic leniency toward such figures endangers the nation by allowing anti-American ideologies to spread unchecked.

The issue gained further traction when, on June 30, the Trump administration’s DoJ issued an internal memorandum directing federal prosecutors to pursue denaturalization cases aggressively wherever evidence of fraud exists. The timing of this policy reaffirmed Ogles’ call for stricter enforcement and signaled that Washington was finally taking citizenship fraud seriously.

The next day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump supported investigating Ogles’ claims, stating that “any evidence of concealed terrorism ties should be investigated without hesitation.” Trump himself addressed the matter on July 2, during a press conference, calling Mamdani a “100% Communist lunatic” whose citizenship “was likely a scam built on lies.”

By early autumn, the issue had escalated far beyond a single letter. On October 8, Florida Congressman Randy Fine, a Republican, reignited national debate by denouncing Mamdani as “little more than a Muslim terrorist” and demanding his deportation to Uganda. Fine’s comments reflected genuine anger among voters who believe the system too often protects destroyers rather than creators.

On October 25, the Hindustan Times reported that Fine’s advocacy was energizing conservatives nationwide. His insistence that Mamdani’s path to citizenship “reeks of rule-breaking fraud” tapped into widespread frustration among Americans who feel betrayed by leaders unwilling to defend the bedrock principle of national integrity.

The larger issue transcends one man. It’s about whether the United States still enforces the standards that define what it means to become an American. Citizenship is not a costume to be worn when convenient. It’s a literal pledge of allegiance to the red, white, and blue.

Ogles’ referral is serious. It has forced an uncomfortable reckoning. If a mayoral candidate can publicly glorify convicted Hamas financiers, refuse to disavow terrorist rhetoric, and still be treated as an upstanding citizen, then this country is in for unfathomable trouble. The question isn’t whether Mamdani’s lyrics are art. The question is whether they reflect views that make him ineligible for citizenship.

Americans are right to demand answers. The law exists to ensure that citizens are made only of those who tell the truth about their allegiances. If that standard fails, so does the entire concept of citizenship.

When a nation forgets to defend its own integrity, it stops being one. That’s why Andy Ogles’ letter matters. It’s not an act of vengeance. It’s an act of guarding the meaning of American citizenship from those who would exploit it. If the facts prove that Zohran Mamdani lied to obtain his place among us, then revoking his citizenship is justice for all the American people.

So, where is Donald Trump’s DoJ on this? The clock is ticking, and it grows louder by the second. In the background, Mamdani’s mocking laughter echoes.

Dr. Joseph Ford Cotto is the creator, host, and producer of News Sight, delivering sharp insights on the news that shapes everyday life. He also provides affordable, results-driven consulting for business, management, media, politics, and the economy. During the 2024 presidential race, he developed the Five-Point Forecast, which accurately predicted Donald Trump’s national victory and correctly called every swing state. Cotto holds a doctorate in business administration and is a Lean Six Sigma Certified Black Belt.