One judge, 330 million people: How to freeze a nation without winning an election

Published September 17, 2026 8:00am ET



You don’t have to lie to mislead people. You just have to tell them a true thing about the wrong situation.

Before he took office, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani put out a video telling residents how to handle federal immigration agents. Most of what he said was correct. Agents usually can’t force their way into your home without a warrant signed by a judge. You don’t have to answer their questions. You can film them, as long as you don’t get in the way. All true.

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