NEW YORK (Diya TV) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered a forceful immigration-themed speech Friday, criticizing federal immigration enforcement, concentrated wealth and what he called an “arena of supremacy” in the United States. He spoke ahead of the Fourth of July weekend while standing alongside eight recently naturalized U.S. citizens.
Mamdani, who became a U.S. citizen in 2018, framed his remarks around immigration, opportunity and civic participation. He praised generations of immigrants who settled in New York and argued that newcomers have helped shape the city’s economy, culture and identity.
He also criticized the nation’s wealth gap. Without naming Elon Musk directly, Mamdani referred to “the world’s first trillionaire” and said some wealthy Americans continue to seek greater power and influence while many families struggle to meet basic needs.
“We see the wealthiest country in the history of the world, one where children go to sleep hungry while the world’s first trillionaire hungers for more,” Mamdani said.
The mayor also accused powerful interests of dominating industries and influencing elections. In addition, he criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in New York City. He described federal agents as “masked agents terrorizing our streets” and later said residents often unite when “ICE invades our neighborhoods.”
Mamdani connected his message to New York’s long immigration history. He cited Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty as symbols of opportunity. He said immigrants continued to build lives in the city despite restrictive laws, workplace tragedies, and discrimination.
“That legacy of every generation of Americans insisting that the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness extends to them, too, is no relic of the past,” he said.
He highlighted the Great Migration of Black Americans, the arrival of Puerto Ricans after World War II, and later immigration from the Caribbean, South Asia, West Africa, and many other regions. Mamdani then spoke about his own family’s journey to New York.
Born in Uganda in 1991, Mamdani moved to New York at age 7 and holds dual U.S. and Ugandan citizenship. He said his parents, who are originally from India, saw the Statue of Liberty from an airplane window as they approached the city.
“Even from the air, we could make out the promise of America,” he said.
During the speech, Mamdani reflected on the idea of American exceptionalism. He argued that the nation’s strength comes not only from wealth or power but also from the possibility of social mobility and change.
“The truth, my friends, is that America is exceptional because here nothing is fixed into place,” he said.
He also addressed the newly naturalized citizens standing beside him. He said they now have a role in defining the country’s future.
“You each hold a special power. The power to determine what America means,” Mamdani said.
The mayor then contrasted his vision of America with what he described as the view of some powerful people. He said those leaders often promote exclusion and division instead of broader participation.
“America, in their view, is an arena of supremacy where only a select few are allowed freedom,” he said.
At the same time, Mamdani defended protest and political activism as forms of patriotism. He rejected the idea that criticizing the country means rejecting it.
“Patriotism has never been about pretending our nation is without flaws,” he said. “Patriotism is every act of righteous dissent.”
He concluded with a call for Americans to continue working toward the country’s founding ideals.
“What power each of us holds to bring America ever closer to the greatness so many have seen when they looked upon these shores,” Mamdani said. “God bless America. God bless New York City. And happy Fourth of July.”
Mamdani’s remarks came as immigration remains a major national issue and as New York City continues to debate how local leaders should respond to federal immigration policies.
