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Mamdani put Ramadan at the center of NYC’s cultural life, bringing joy — and a backlash
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, at center in a black suit, prayed and broke the daily Ramadan fast with men incarcerated at the city’s Rikers Island jail complex.
Brian Mann/NPR
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Brian Mann/NPR
When Mayor Zohran Mamdani took the stage at the Museum of the City of New York last week, he was surrounded by city workers invited to share iftar, the dinner held after sunset to break the daily Ramadan fast.
“It is not every day that we see in one room the sheer breadth of Muslim life in New York City,” Mamdani said, flashing his trademark grin and offering the traditional holiday greeting. “I will say it once again, Ramadan mubarak, my friends.”
It was a moment of celebration and pride not only for New York City’s community of roughly one million Muslims but also for many Muslims across the country.
Over the last year, Mamdani had risen with astonishing speed from a Democratic Socialist backbencher in the state legislature to the pinnacle of power in the U.S.’ U.S.’s largest city.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks to city workers during a Ramadan iftar meal at the Museum of the City of New York.
Andres Kudacki/AP
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Andres Kudacki/AP
But during his speech on March 12, Mamdani also described this gathering as an act of defiance. “For nearly as long as there has been a New York City, there have been Muslim New Yorkers,” he said. “But for nearly as long, those with power and and platform have sought to dehumanize us.”
He was responding, in part, to Alabama’s Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville, who earlier that day had reposted an image of Mamdani celebrating public iftar dinner next to an image of the 9/11 terror attacks with the words “the enemy is inside the gates.”
NPR reached out to Tuberville’s office for comment – they didn’t respond. Speaking to the crowd in Harlem, Mamdani described Tuberville’s post as “bigotry.”
“When I hear such hatred and disdain unchecked in its rancor, I feel an isolation and a loneliness that many of you have felt as well,” Mamdani said.
The U.S.’ leading Muslim politician portrayed by the right as “dangerous”
Attacks on Mamdani from the right began last year, during his rapid ascent. With a disarming political style and masterful use of social media, he quickly emerged as the country’s most influential Muslim politician
Tuberville’s post isn’t the only attack Mamdani has faced during Ramadan. After he criticized President Trump’s decision to launch a war against Iran, one of New York City’s most influential talk radio hosts, Sid Rosenberg, blasted Mamdani on social media, calling the mayor a “cockroach” and accusing him of hating Jews.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani sharing iftar with his wife Rama Duwaji.
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During a press conference, Mamdani described Rosenberg’s post as racist. “To be called animals, insects, to be called a jihadist mayor, to be called a cockroach, this language is painfully familiar to me as a Muslim New Yorker, but also as someone born in East Africa,” he said.
Facing an intense public backlash, Rosenberg offered a partial apology on his radio show saying he regretted calling Mamdani names, but he then described Mamdani as dangerous. “I think his policies should scare the living daylights out of any decent New Yorker,” he said.
Tensions escalated again a few days later, on March 7, when a small group of far-right activists gathered outside Mamdani’s official residence in Manhattan, calling for an end to what they described as “the Islamic takeover of New York City.” There was a clash with counter-protesters and two Muslim men from Pennsylvania allegedly threw improvised explosive devices.
Police detain a man after he attempted to detonate an improvised explosive device during a counterprotest against an anti-Islam protest outside Gracie Mansion.
Julius Constantine Motal/FR171675
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FBI officials say the attack was inspired by ISIS. The devices failed to detonate, there were no injuries, and the men were arrested and are awaiting trial. At a press conference, Mamdani spoke carefully, condemning the anti-Muslim rally and the attempted violence.
“While I found this protest appalling, I will not waver in my belief that it should be allowed to happen. Ours is a free city where the right to protest is sacred,” he said.
Far-right bigotry against Muslim Americans isn’t new, but it has intensified in recent weeks following the launch of U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, and after other violent attacks in Michigan and Virginia allegedly perpetrated by Muslims. Those incidents, one targeting a synagogue, are also being investigated as acts of terrorism.
Tennessee Republican Congressman Andy Ogles posted on X that Muslims “don’t belong in American society.” Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., who recently faced criticism for saying he’d choose dogs over Muslims, wrote: “We need more Islamophobia, not less. Fear of Islam is rational.”
Khalid Latif, one of New York’s most influential imams, thinks efforts to portray Muslims as violent and un-American are well organized and often effective. “The ability to mobilize people through fear has been a proven strategy,” he said.
How iftar dinner helps bridge divides
Families gather at the Islamic Center of New York City to pray and break the daily Ramadan fast.
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Latif leads the Islamic Center of New York City, where volunteers recently prepared an evening iftar meal of chicken and rice and dates. The entire community was invited to join. Latif says these gatherings, and those hosted by Mamdani, offer a chance to set aside differences.
“You and I can be an iftar dinner together and you don’t have to share faith with me and we can just both sit and eat,” he said.
People gathered here said they hope this year’s more visible, high-profile celebration of Ramadan, led by Mamdani, will help give non-Muslims a less stigmatized view of their culture and faith.
“It is nice to note be treated as the other and to be viewed as part of the ingrained fabric of this city and the U.S.,” said Saquib Rahim, a physician, who had come to an iftar dinner with his family.
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“It is nice to note be treated as the other and to be viewed as part of the ingrained fabric of this city and the U.S.,” said Saquib Rahim, a physician, who had come to the iftar with his family. “Ramadan is about community, charity and togetherness.”
A “Muslim brother” at Rikers Island
Mamdani continued to hold his high profile iftar dinners throughout Ramadan, including a history-making gathering at Rikers Island. He was the first mayor to pray and break the fast with Muslim men, many awaiting trial, held at the city’s massive jail facility.
Muslim men detained at the Rikers Island jail facility, many awaiting trail, joined Mayor Mamdani for prayer and an iftar meal during Ramadan.
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“This is one of the most meaningful evenings I’ve had as mayor of New York City,” Mamdani told NPR. “This is me just being a Muslim New Yorker. There are some for whom that is a political act.”
At times Mamdani was surrounded by incarcerated men, shaking hands and leaning close to talk. Jail officials allowed NPR to speak with some of those who prayed and ate with Mamdani, on the condition that we not use their names. They described the mayor as a “Muslim brother.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani surrounded by men incarcerated at the Rikers Island jail facility, where he prayed and shared an iftar meal.
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“I’m ecstatic. He cares about us even though we’re going through a rough time,” one man said. Another said it felt like a hopeful validation. “It’s a proud thing to not be looked down upon, especially when you have someone as powerful as the mayor here. That’s a blessing.”
Throughout this Ramadan, other New Yorkers said they see Mamdani’s public observance of the holiday as a pivot point for their community, a moment after years of stigma and suspicion when they feel welcome in a new way.
“For me I think it’s a symbol of tide shifting,” said Mazeefa Ahmed, a 22-year-old student who joined an iftar at the Islamic Center.
“You know, we’re good people and we have nothing to hide,” said Syed Adnan Bhukari, a city worker who joined Mamdani’s iftar in Harlem. “I think Zohran being elected is showing the positive side to everyone.”
As this year’s Ramadan ends on Thursday, Mamdani has been in office less than four months. There are still deep tensions. ICE raids continue in New York City, some involving Muslim immigrant families. Verbal and social media attacks by Republican politicians aren’t going away.
Mamdani still faces deep suspicion, not least among many of the city’s Jewish leaders, over his support for Palestinian rights. The war in Iran and continued violence in Gaza, Israel and other parts of the Middle East are also being felt deeply in New York City.
Mamdani said Muslim families will keep gathering “because it is together that we find ease,” he told the crowd in Harlem. “And we find it in the city that is our home.”
A federal judge on Wednesday permanently barred President Donald Trump’s administration from implementing most of his first executive order on elections, part of which sought to require people to show documentary proof of citizenship when they register to vote.
The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper in Boston effectively converts a preliminary injunction she issued a year ago, in which she temporarily blocked many of Trump’s efforts to overhaul elections, into a permanent ban.
Casper rejected the Republican administration’s argument that the lawsuit to block the changes brought by Democratic state attorneys general was premature because the rules had yet to be put in place. Instead, she agreed that the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to regulate elections, and that Trump’s requirements violated the separation of powers.
The Constitution “does not grant the President any specific powers over elections,” wrote Casper.
Among other proposed changes, Trump’s order would have required people to provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote, prevented mail ballots from being counted if they arrive after Election Day, even if they were postmarked by then, and punished states that failed to comply by withholding certain federal money.
In a statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said she was grateful the court had blocked Trump’s “unconstitutional attempt to seize control of our elections” and would continue to defend voting rights in this year’s midterm elections.
“Generations of Americans fought tirelessly for the right to vote, and we honor their legacy by protecting that right against anyone who tries to undermine it,” said James, a Democrat.
A voter casts a ballot during New York’s primary election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose state was the lead plaintiff in the case, said the ruling reaffirmed the constitutional principle that it s up to the states and Congress to set election rules.
“While we are proud of this result, we are clear-eyed that President Trump’s attacks on voting rights and our elections show no signs of slowing down,” Bonta, a Democrat, said in a statement. “So let me be clear: we will keep fighting back every step of the way.”
Requests for comment sent to the White House and he U.S. Department of Justice were not immediately returned.
The ruling was the latest in a series against the elections executive order Trump signed just months after taking office for his second term. The Republican president has since signed another executive order on elections that seeks to create a national voter list and limit mail balloting. That directive also faces multiple legal challenges.
Last fall, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., overseeing a separate challenge to the first election executive order by civil rights and Democratic Party-aligned groups blocked the government from taking steps to include the proof-of-citizenship requirement on the federal voter registration form. That judge later barred Trump’s defense secretary from requiring documentary proof of citizenship when military personnel register to vote or request ballots.
In an apparent nod to the difficulty of implementing a proof-of-citizen requirement by executive order, Trump is pushing legislation in the Republican-controlled Congress to create such a mandate. The SAVE America Act has passed the House but has stalled in the Senate, leading Trump to advocate for eliminating the filibuster that is blocking the legislation.
On Wednesday, he abruptly canceled the expected signing of a bipartisan housing bill, saying he would not sign legislation until Congress passes his proof of citizenship requirement for voting.
The president and many of his Republican allies have been promoting the narrative that voting by noncitizens is a major problem, when in fact it’s quite rare. The federal voter registration form already requires people to attest that they are U.S. citizens. Violating that is punishable as a felony that can lead to prison or deportation.
In another major voting case, the U.S. Supreme Court is due to issue an opinion soon on whether mail ballots must arrive by Election Day. That could immediately change the rules in 14 states that allow grace periods ranging from days to weeks if the ballots are postmarked by Election Day.
Casper, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama, is the chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
new video loaded: Mamdani Allies Sweep New York Primaries
transcript
transcript
Mamdani Allies Sweep New York Primaries
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s progressive coalition had a big night on Tuesday. Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez won their Democratic House primaries.
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“I see a New York that we can all afford. I see a New York that truly invests in its babies, not bombs.” Reporter: “What’s the first thing you’re looking forward to doing in Congress?” “Well, tomorrow — thank you — I mean, tomorrow morning, you know, I’m going to be back at 26 Federal Plaza doing court watching, and we want to carry that into Congress as well.”
By Julie Yoon
June 24, 2026
A massive 826,780-square-foot warehouse sits illuminated Feb. 12, 2026, in the El Paso suburb of Socorro, Texas, that was recently purchased by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for $122.8 million.
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Morgan Lee/AP
A federal appeals court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to resume carrying out speedy deportations of undocumented migrants throughout the United States, not just near the border.
A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit threw out a lower court decision that temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s expanded use of expedited removal. The ruling was a big victory for the Republican administration, which views the expansion of so-called expedited removal as a key tool for carrying out its mass deportation policy.
Expedited removal — quick deportation without a chance to appear before a judge — has previously been applied to migrants arriving by sea or caught at or near the border shortly after crossing.
In January, Trump expanded its use to undocumented migrants all over the United States. Immigration agents began whisking migrants away from courthouses where they had gone for immigration proceedings and then removing them from the country within days.
“The Trump administration’s push for fast-track deportations will subject people to an unfair and error-prone system,” Anand Balakrishnan, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said in a statement.
Balakrishnan represented plaintiffs in arguments before the appellate panel and said its ruling “undermines the fundamental principle that people receive due process when the government seeks to deport them.”
DC Circuit Judge Justin R. Walker, one of the judges on the panel, said the plaintiffs had not shown the expanded use of expedited removal violated due process rights. Immigrants received notice of removal proceedings and were given a chance to respond, he wrote in his opinion.
Walker and the second judge in the majority, Neomi Rao, were appointed by Trump. The third judge on the panel was appointed by President Barack Obama, a Democrat.
Walker said there was no requirement that the administration inform immigrants that they can avoid expedited removal if they can show they have been in the United States for more than two years.
“The constitutional requirement is notice of the action the government is taking and the grounds for it, plus an opportunity to respond,” he wrote, adding that the plaintiffs’ “contrary reasoning would require immigration officers to provide what amounts to legal advice.”
Walker and Rao vacated an order by U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb that put the expanded use of expedited removal on hold. Cobb, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, a Democrat, ruled in August that the administration had not developed procedures to ensure migrants were not wrongly deported under the expedited process.
The plaintiffs had put forward “substantial evidence” that the expedited removal process, on the contrary, carried a high risk of error when applied more broadly, Cobb said. The ruling cited examples of people who had lived in the U.S. for far longer than two years but were still ordered to be removed in expedited proceedings.
In his opinion, Walker acknowledged evidence of such errors, but said they resulted from “individual officers’ failure to follow the law — not defects in the written directives under review or the procedures they incorporate.”
The Trump administration has argued that its expansion of expedited removal includes protections to prevent arbitrary removal. In a court filing in October, Justice Department attorneys said Cobb’s ruling was an “egregious error” that was depriving the administration of an “essential tool to combat the unprecedented surge of illegal immigration over the past few years” and efficiently deport potentially millions of people.
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