Which immigrant and Muslim organizations endorsed Mahmood Mamdani during the 2025 university controversy?
Executive summary
Multiple immigrant- and Muslim-focused organizations publicly supported Zohran Mamdani during the 2025 controversies around his background and campaign. Reporting specifically names the Muslim Democratic Club of New York (also reported as the Muslim Democratic Club) and a wider set of immigrant-rights and Muslim community groups that mobilized for him, including New York Immigration Coalition Action and Islamic community leaders and mosques cited in coverage [1] [2] [3].
1. The clearest organizational endorsement: the Muslim Democratic Club
The most consistently named group in multiple accounts is the Muslim Democratic Club (or Muslim Democratic Club of New York). Long-form reporting traces Mamdani’s political roots and organizing to that club and records it as an explicit endorsing vehicle that helped build his base and visibility [1] [4].
2. Broader endorsements from immigrant-rights coalitions and local civic groups
City & State’s endorsement roundup lists immigrant and community organizations that backed Mamdani in the general election campaign, including New York Immigration Coalition Action and New York Communities for Change, as well as DRUM (Desis Rising Up & Moving), VOCAL Action Fund and others that position themselves as immigrant or tenant advocates [2]. These are coalition actors that operate at the intersection of immigrant rights and progressive electoral politics [2].
3. Mosque leaders and local Muslim institutions mobilized for Mamdani
Feature reporting documents endorsements and grassroots engagement from mosque communities and local imams. The Jamaica Muslim Center and its imam—Imam Shamsi Ali—are cited as having publicly supported Mamdani and helped him reach South Asian congregations, indicating institutional and clerical buy-in in at least some Muslim community sites [3] [1].
4. Campaign ecosystem vs. single “Muslim umbrella” narrative
Coverage shows Mamdani’s support came from a networked ecosystem—progressive Jewish groups, unions, tenant groups, DSA and Muslim and immigrant organizations—not just a single Muslim bloc. Analyses emphasize a diverse coalition (including Bend the Arc, the New York City DSA and teachers’ unions) that overlapped with immigrant-rights groups, complicating claims that only Muslim organizations powered his campaign [5] [2] [6].
5. Disputed or conspiratorial claims — what reporting debunks or qualifies
Fact-checking and reporting note false or sensational claims circulated online (e.g., that ISIS endorsed Mamdani), and authoritative debunkers found those specific endorsements implausible or unsupported by open-source evidence [7]. Media outlets also picked up partisan attacks linking Mamdani to extremist organizations; other reporting either disputes those linkages or offers context about the groups named by critics, noting disputes among experts and advocacy groups [8] [7].
6. Who organized practical immigrant-facing support after federal pressure?
After federal-level threats and heightened enforcement talk, immigrant-rights groups mobilized “know your rights” materials and community training, as described in coverage of post-election reaction and organizing — showing these organizations acted pragmatically to protect residents rather than merely issuing political endorsements [9] [10].
7. Limits of available reporting and open questions
Available sources do not list a comprehensive roster of every Muslim or immigrant organization that endorsed Mamdani; major mentions focus on the Muslim Democratic Club, New York Immigration Coalition Action, local community groups like New York Communities for Change and mosque-level endorsements [1] [2] [3]. Sources do not provide a single consolidated endorsement list that includes smaller neighborhood groups, interfaith sign-ons, or national Muslim organizations beyond occasional campaign funder mentions in opinion pieces and partisan outlets [8] [11].
8. Why naming matters: political narratives and hidden agendas
Conservative outlets and opinion pieces framed Mamdani’s Muslim support as evidence of “radical” backing, sometimes asserting ties to controversial groups; other outlets and activists framed the same support as part of immigrant political mobilization and coalition-building [12] [8] [11]. Readers should note these competing agendas: naming organizations can be used to delegitimize a candidate (through guilt by association) or to highlight grassroots democratic organizing [8] [2].
If you want, I can compile a side-by-side list of every organization named across these articles, with exact quoted language and the source that named it.