Washington DC - A Tennessee Congressmanis facing heavy backlash for sharing a racist social media post calling for the deportation of Zohran Mamdani following his historic Democratic primary win for mayor of New York City.
Congressman Andy Ogles (r.) recently called on President Donald Trump's administration to deport New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani (l.) © Collage: ANGELA WEISS / AFP & IMAGO / SOPA Images
On Thursday, Andy Ogles, who represents Tennessee's 5th Congressional District, shared an X post calling Mamdani "an antisemitic, socialist, communist who will destroy the great City of New York."
"He needs to be DEPORTED," Ogles wrote. "Which is why I am calling for him to be subject to denaturalization proceedings."
Ogles attached a letter he sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi, requesting an investigation into whether Mamdani "procured US citizenship through willful misrepresentation or concealment of material support for terrorism."
His effort has received heavy criticism, such as Democrats with the House Homeland Security Committee describingit as "racist drivel," and some X users calling for Ogles to resign.
Mamdani is a three-term New York state assemblyman who recently defeatedformer governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor. Originally from Uganda, he came to the US at the age of seven, and officially earned his naturalized citizenship in 2018.
If he manages to win the general election in November, Mamdani will become the first Muslim ever elected to the position, a reality that has not been sitting well with some hard-line MAGA Republicans.
Zohran Mamdani speaks to supporters during an election night gathering at The Greats of Craft LIC in Long Island City, NYC on June 24, 2025. © MICHAEL M. SANTIAGO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
As Mamdani's popularity rapidly rose in the race, he faced heavy criticism from the right, particularly for his religion and his opposition to Israel's bombing of Gaza.
His victory earlier this week seemed to fuel the flames even more.
President Donald Trump reacted in a social media post, calling Mamdani a "Communist Lunatic," and accusing the Democratic Party of having "crossed the line."
Some MAGA Republicans have even resorted to Islamophobic attacks aimed at Mamdani.
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene shared an imageon X of the Statue of Liberty wearing a burqa, while South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace seemed to suggest in a postthat Mamdani was somehow involved in the September 11 terrorist attacks – despite the fact that he was 9 years old at the time.
In an X post responding to an earlier call for him to be deported from yet another MAGA official, Mamdani described the attacks as "bigotry" and "an assault on the values of our city and our Constitution."
