MAGA Rep Slammed After Calling For Mamdani To Be Stripped Of His Citizenship And Deported Over Rap Lyric

Tennessee Republican Andy Ogles was called out after he shared a letter he sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging her to denaturalize and deport New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani over a lyric in a rap song Mamdani released in 2017.

Mamdani ran a campaign centered around economic populism, arguing that the city, a global financial center, has grown unaffordable for everyday residents, citing soaring rents and grocery prices, and outlining policies aimed at reducing the cost of living.

His efforts paid off—he ultimately bested former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a seismic win for progressives that has reverberated across the country. But Mamdani's win has also ignited an Islamophobic backlash against him, including from Ogles.

Taking to X, Ogles wrote:

"Zohran "little muhammad" Mamdani is an antisemitic, socialist, communist who will destroy the great City of New York. He needs to be DEPORTED. Which is why I am calling for him to be subject to denaturalization proceedings."

Ogles shared images of a letter he sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging the Department of Justice to investigate whether Mamdani should be stripped of his U.S. citizenship. In the letter, he alleged that Mamdani may have obtained naturalization fraudulently by willfully misrepresenting or concealing "material support for terrorism," even referencing a rap song Mamdani released in 2017.

His letter said, in part:

“According to public reports, including a June 21, 2025 New York Post article, Mr. Mamdani expressed open solidarity with individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses prior to becoming a U.S. citizen. Specifically, he rapped: ‘Free the Holy Land Five / My guys."

“Publicly praising the Foundation’s convicted leadership as ‘my guys’ raises serious concerns about whether Mr. Mamdani held affiliations or sympathies he failed to disclose during the naturalization process."

“While I understand that some may raise First Amendment concerns about taking legal action based on expressive conduct, such as rap lyrics, speech alone does not preclude accountability where it reasonably suggests underlying conduct relevant to eligibility for naturalization.”

The term “Holy Land Five” refers to five senior officials from the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, once the largest Muslim charity in the United States. In 2008, a federal jury convicted them of funneling millions of dollars to Hamas.

You can see Ogles' post and read the letter below.

@RepOgles/X

@RepOgles/X

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development "was shut down by the Bush administration and designated as a terrorist organization in the wake of 9/11, even though it donated money to Palestinian charities that the U.S. government itself supported. Its leaders are serving sentences of up to 65 years in federal prison."

The organization notes that the defendants "were never accused of directly funding terrorist organizations or terrorist attacks, nor were the Palestinian charities they funded accused of doing so. Despite this, "they were prosecuted under US 'material support' legislation on the notion that the social programs they financed help win the 'hearts and minds' of Palestinian people for Hamas."

Mamdani's stance has drawn backlash, including from some Jewish organizations who argue his views and Muslim identity reflect antisemitism—a charge Mamdani rejects. He has spoken publicly about receiving hate messages, including ones declaring, “the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim.”

Many have condemned Ogles' action, saying it's ultimately rooted in Islamophobia.

Mamdani previously addressed the weaponization of antisemitism and the divisive tone of the race during his victory speech, saying the mayoral campaign “filled our airwaves with millions in smears and slander.”

The New York Police Department confirmed that Mamdani has been the target of repeated car bomb threats left in voicemails by an unknown individual making anti-Muslim remarks.

As part of his platform, Mamdani has pledged to increase funding for the city’s anti-hate crime program by 800 percent, aiming to more aggressively combat both Islamophobia and antisemitism, among other hate-fueled threats.