New York City, New York, USA: Concerns surface following policy changes after Mamdani assumed office on January 1.
U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon stated that federal agencies would maintain close oversight of New York City to identify any possible breaches of religious freedom protections.
Her remarks came after Jewish advocacy organizations raised objections to the removal of posts related to antisemitism from the official X account of the New York City mayor following the leadership transition on January 1.
Responding to the concerns, Dhillon said authorities were prepared to take action if warranted, including investigations, legal proceedings, and criminal charges.
The deleted content had highlighted municipal resources and a report focused on antisemitism. These posts were originally published under former mayor Eric Adams shortly before the change in administration.
In correspondence sent to city oversight officials, the National Jewish Advocacy Center characterized the removals as troubling and questioned whether New York public records regulations, including document retention rules, had been properly followed. The organization requested confirmation that the deleted material was preserved in official archives and urged renewed commitments to protecting Jewish residents.
The controversy unfolded amid a series of policy reversals initiated after Mamdani took office on January 1. On his first day, he rescinded several executive orders enacted by Adams following the former mayor’s federal indictment in September 2024.
Those orders addressed multiple antisemitism related issues, including adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism and opposition to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
Mamdani has said the Mayor’s Office dedicated to addressing antisemitism will remain in place but confirmed plans to eliminate the IHRA definition, citing free expression concerns, and disband a pro Israel business advisory group. He has publicly distinguished anti Zionism from antisemitism and denied accusations directed at him personally. Jewish advocacy organizations have voiced apprehension that the policy rollbacks and content deletions may indicate a diminished focus on combating antisemitism.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, has reaffirmed that addressing antisemitism and safeguarding places of worship continue to be enforcement priorities.
As of January 2, Mamdani’s office had not released a public statement responding to Dhillon’s comments.
