Texas Republican Proposes Sweeping Immigration Bill Targeting Political Beliefs
Republican Representative Chip Roy of Texas has introduced controversial legislation that could fundamentally reshape American immigration policy by allowing the denial of entry and deportation of non-citizens based on their political or ideological affiliations.
The MAMDANI Act of 2026
On Monday, Representative Roy proposed the Measures Against Marxism's Dangerous Adherents and Noxious Islamists Act, known as the MAMDANI Act of 2026. The bill is named after Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist Mayor of New York City, and aims to enact what Roy describes as sweeping changes to the immigration system.
According to a press release from the Trump ally, the act would authorize the government to deport, denaturalize, deny U.S. citizenship, or refuse entry to any non-citizen who is a member of a socialist party, a communist party, the Chinese Communist Party, or an Islamic fundamentalist party. It would also apply to those who advocate for socialism, communism, Marxism, or Islamic fundamentalism.
Mediaite reports that the legislation would additionally bar judicial review of decisions related to inadmissibility, deportation, or denaturalization, potentially limiting legal challenges to such actions.
Roy's Justification and Rhetoric
In his press release, Representative Roy framed the bill as a necessary response to what he perceives as long-standing issues with American immigration policy. "Why do we continue to import people who hate us?" Roy asked. "Not just for the last six years, but for the last 60 years, our immigration system has been cynically used to disadvantage American workers' competitiveness in favor of mass-importing the third world."
He argued that this has resulted in higher crime, lower wages, and the spread of ideologies fundamentally opposed to American values. Roy specifically targeted what he called the "Red-Green Alliance," stating that the legislation deploys new tools to combat Marxist and Islamist advances that have, in his view, devastated Europe and now threaten Texas and the United States.
Focus on Mayor Zohran Mamdani
The bill's namesake, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, has been a focal point of Roy's criticism even before Mamdani's election on November 4, when he won a landslide victory over Andrew Cuomo. In October, Roy published an opinion piece in The Federalist warning that "Mamdani's rise signals the Islamic revolution remaking the US."
Roy accused the mayor of using pro-immigration policies to advance an Islamic cultural revolution and alter the country's identity. He highlighted Mamdani's past association with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, who was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and has been linked to other terrorist activities, according to the New York Post.
Additionally, Roy pointed to what he described as fabricated stories from Mamdani, including claims about a Muslim aunt being too scared to ride the subway after 9/11. Internet investigations later suggested inconsistencies in Mamdani's account, with his only living aunt reportedly residing in Tanzania at the time of the attacks.
Broader Political Context
Roy has urged fellow Republicans in Congress to support immigration policies that combat what he terms cultural transformation. According to the Independent, this marks the third bill this year named after Mamdani and sponsored by Republicans, indicating a sustained political effort targeting the mayor and his ideologies.
The proposed MAMDANI Act raises significant questions about civil liberties, free speech, and the intersection of immigration enforcement with political beliefs, setting the stage for intense debate in legislative circles.
