Trump Threatens to Arrest Zohran Mamdani Over Sanctuary City Campaign Promises

“A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally. He’s, you know, we’re going to look at everything,” Trump said.

President Donald Trump listens during a roundtable at "Alligator Alcatraz," a new migrant detention facility in Florida
Evan Vucci/AP

President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to arrest New York City’s Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani if he carried through with campaign promises to enact sanctuary city policies.

The president, during a trip to a south Florida immigration detention facility he’s taken to calling “Alligator Alcatraz,” called the 33-year-old U.S. citizen a “communist” and even suggested that he may be in the United States illegally.

“Well then, we’ll have to arrest him,” Trump said in response to a question about Mamdani’s promises to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in New York City. “Look, we don’t need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I’m gonna be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation.”