One of the classic definitions of antisemitism is insisting on one standard of morality and/or legality for the Jewish people, but a very different one for everyone else. For example — and I’m pulling this silly, unrealistic example out of a hat — if an American politician vowed to arrest the duly-elected Israeli leader but decried the arrest of the illegitimately elected Venezuelan leader, your Antisemitism Detector should start beeping.
Especially when the Venezuelan leader was a wanted fugitive under American law — and the Israeli leader was not.
Welcome to the manic mind of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, where there’s one standard of “justice” for Israel and the Jews, and another for everyone else. Just days after swearing to “support the Constitution of the United States,” and thus the laws of our country, the young mayor decided to ignore American law and instead follow international law.
Even when American law explicitly forbids the arrest of the Israeli leader on American soil.
Because Mayor Mamdani hasn’t backed down from his threat to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
"Being a city of international law means looking to uphold international law," Mamdani said. "And that means upholding the warrants from the International Criminal Court, whether they're for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin."
But New York City is an American city governed by American law — as codified by the same U.S. Constitution that Mamdani just swore to faithfully uphold. And, as the Times of Israel accurately noted, American law is clear:
Despite the new mayor’s repeated statements on arresting Netanyahu, the International Criminal Court does not have jurisdiction in the United States, and US federal law makes it illegal for local government to cooperate with the court. A separate federal law prohibits imprisonment and obstruction of foreign officials, including heads of state.
The first statute is 22 USC 7423: Prohibition on cooperation with the International Criminal Court, and it says in plain English:
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no agency or entity of the United States Government or of any State or local government may extradite any person from the United States to the International Criminal Court, nor support the transfer of any United States citizen or permanent resident alien to the International Criminal Court.
[…]
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no agency or entity of the United States Government or of any State or local government, including any court, may provide support to the International Criminal Court.
The second statute is 18 USC 112: Protection of foreign officials, official guests, and internationally protected persons:
Whoever assaults, strikes, wounds, imprisons, or offers violence to a foreign official, official guest, or internationally protected person or makes any other violent attack upon the person or liberty of such person, or, if likely to endanger his person or liberty, makes a violent attack upon his official premises, private accommodation, or means of transport or attempts to commit any of the foregoing shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. [emphasis added]
Nonetheless, Mayor Mamdani is outraged that the U.S. government would arrest Venezuelan “president” Nicolás Maduro:
I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 3, 2026
Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and…
That’s despite Maduro ducking indictments from U.S. courts for narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and more. Maduro was, quite literally, a fugitive from American law.
As Vice President JD Vance explained it:
And PSA for everyone saying this was "illegal":
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 3, 2026
Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism. You don't get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas.
Yet Mamdani has declared it an “act of war” to arrest Maduro in accordance with American law — but not an “act of war” to arrest Netanyahu in violation of it. Very peculiar, isn’t it?
Gee, we almost get the impression that Mamdani’s motivations are something other than strict fidelity to the lawbook. Like, perhaps, he has one set of standards for the Jews, and an entirely different standard for the communists/socialist leaders who share his love for the “warmth of collectivism.”
There’s a word for that.
It’s called “antisemitism.”
One Last Thing: 2026 is a critical year for America First: It began with Mayor Zohran Mamdani declaring war on “rugged individualism” and will reach a crescendo with the midterm elections. Nothing less than the fate of the America First movement teeters in the balance.
Never before have the political battlelines been so clearly defined. Win or lose, 2026 will transform our country.
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