New York State Assemblymember and mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani confronted President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, in Albany on Wednesday over the recent arrest of a Columbia University graduate and green card holder Mahmoud Khalil by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Do you believe in the First Amendment,” Mamdani yelled as he tried to approach Homan at the New York state capitol where the border czar had come for a meeting with state lawmakers from the GOP to discuss immigration. Security personnel kept the candidate from getting to Homan.
Taking to the social platform X following the incident, Mamdani shared a clip of him challenging Homan.
“Today I confronted ‘border czar’ Tom Homan who came to Albany to do Trump’s bidding — push for mass deportations, carry out the assault on working class New Yorkers, and justify the unjustifiable detention of legal permanent resident and father-to-be, Mahmoud Khalil,” he wrote in the X post.
Earlier this week, Mamdani condemned the Khalil’s arrest, calling it a “blatant assault on the First Amendment.”
“The arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil — a green card holder whose wife is eight months pregnant — is a blatant assault on the First Amendment and a sign of advancing authoritarianism under Trump. He must be released now,” he said in an X post Sunday.
Some New York state lawmakers had gathered outside the Republican conference room in the state Capitol, where Homan spoke about immigration policies.
“No hate, no fear. Immigrants are welcome here,” they chanted.
Homan addressed a press conference alongside Albany Republicans, slamming Democrats and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for New York’s sanctuary city status.
“You’re not gonna stop us New York State. You gotta change the sanctuary status. If you don’t get out of the way,” he said.
Homan praised New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) for his cooperation with the administration, saying that he will meet with the mayor again this week.
“He’s made great commitments, we’re working on some things, I can’t share it all with you right now,” Homan said.
Mamdani has called the administration’s efforts to end New York City’s sanctuary city status “illegal” during his campaign, saying he will “fight for migrants and asylum-seekers.”
But the Democratic Socialist has a tough challenge ahead of him. Current polls indicate that Andrew Cuomo (31 percent) and Adams (11 percent) lead Mamdani (8 percent), although Mamdani is currently ahead of Brad Lander (5 percent).