Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC Calls Out Xenophobic Rhetoric and Detestable Deportation Comments Following Zohran Mamdani’s Victory in the New York City Mayoral Primary
- Contact
-
Chloe Park cpark@advancingjustice-aajc.org
Washington, D.C. — On Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani secured victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo. His campaign and resulting win have provoked a wave of xenophobic and Islamophobic attacks and detestable calls for deportation of Mamdani, who is Muslim and of Indian descent.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC) issues the following statement in response:
“Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC strongly rejects rhetoric seeking to discredit Mamdani’s achievements solely based on his faith and heritage. Not only are these attacks baseless and offensive, but they are also threats to our democracy. They feed on the same harmful stereotypes that have been used time and time again to ostracize and limit immigrants and communities of color from participating in our democracy.
“Calls to revoke Mamdani’s citizenship and deport him from our country are blatantly threatening and expose the underlying bigotry of many political actors. This rhetoric is also unconstitutional, as the First Amendment prohibits loyalty tests and government retaliation solely based on an individual's beliefs.
“At its core, Mamdani’s victory reflects the diverse needs and lived experiences of voters who have rallied behind him. All political figures, regardless of party, should be open to criticism. However, comments and concerns must be focused on their policies – not rooted in discrimination against their identities. In moments like this, it is more important than ever that we speak out loudly and together against hate.”
###