(AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani rankled some feathers Wednesday when a map created by the city’s Mayor’s Office of Immigrant’s Affairs (MOIA) ahead of the World Cup was shared widely online — and plenty of people noticed Little Italy, among other historic neighborhoods, was missing. MOIA has also created individual maps for many of the city’s immigrant neighborhoods.
When asked about the map, a spokesperson for MOIA told the New York Post the map “highlights neighborhoods in New York City that have substantial foreign-born populations from regions and countries around the world.”
The spokesperson also said, “It does not highlight religious groups. Little Odessa, which is featured in the map, has a substantial Jewish population. The immigrant enclave series began during the [Eric] Adams’ administration, and we are planning to add more neighborhoods in the upcoming months.”
The map, titled New York City Immigrant Enclaves, was shared by writer Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt on X. She wrote, “The Mayor’s Office made a map of NYC’s immigrant enclaves: Little Africa, Little Poland, Little Palestine. But they just couldn’t figure out how to represent 11% of the city. Couldn’t decipher where the Jews are from. Asked everyone. Huge riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.”
The Mayor’s Office made a map of NYC’s immigrant enclaves: Little Africa, Little Poland, Little Palestine. But they just couldn’t figure out how to represent 11% of the city. Couldn’t decipher where the Jews are from. Asked everyone. Huge riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an… pic.twitter.com/hdnzhtTt9T
— Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt (@avitalrachel) July 8, 2026
The map also prompted outcry from the Italian American Civil Rights League.
“Zohran Mamdani wants to ERASE Italian Americans. First, he denied our permit for Unity Day 2026. Now, he is excluding Little Italy as a recognized location all together on the map,” the organization wrote on X. “Italian Americans BUILT NEW YORK CITY. Not third world Ugandans, We stand AGAINST COMMUNISTS!”
Zohran Mamdani wants to ERASE Italian Americans.
First, he denied our permit for Unity Day 2026.
Now, he is excluding Little Italy as a recognized location all together on the map.
Italian Americans BUILT NEW YORK CITY. Not third world Ugandans,
We stand AGAINST COMMUNISTS! pic.twitter.com/BYgVuie6jX
— The Italian American Civil Rights League (@TheIACRL) July 9, 2026
There are also plenty of conservative pundits and leaders offering their own takes:
🧵 The major Sepharadi corridor of South Brooklyn, Syrian, Egyptian, Lebanese, and others, from the East side of Ave. J down toward Ave. V, gets left out completely.
So does the Bukharian Jewish community in Queens, largely from Uzbekistan and Central Asia.
The Brooklyn… https://t.co/jgH0gt2vee
— Isaac Choua (@ChouaIsaac) July 8, 2026
Little Italy isn’t just a neighborhood, it’s one of the cornerstones of New York City’s immigrant story.
As Co-Chair of the @NYCCouncil @ItalianCaucus, I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in demanding that the City correct this mistake. pic.twitter.com/l7g8fedeGo
— Councilman Frank Morano (@CMFrankMorano) July 9, 2026
Leaving Italians off an NYC immigrant map is basically a hate crime, but it’s also revealing.
My family is exactly why the communist has no use for assimilated ethnic groups.
My grandfather adopted this country, changed his name from Luigi to Louis, and we even anglicized the… https://t.co/vMMDVnheYv
— Will Ricciardella (@WillRicci) July 9, 2026
Mamdani rejecting Italians in New York City. Only a Ugandan would do that. Italian Americans actually helped build this country.
I think I’m going to celebrate these great Americans by ordering some canolis from Baby John’s if they can deliver. https://t.co/LjIOhvatc6
— Jim Pfaff (@jimpfaff) July 9, 2026
But MOIA had a few defenders. Maple Opinion editor David Mastracci wrote on X that Little Italy is “no longer an enclave for Italian immigrants, and hasn’t been one for a very long time. The 2000 census found that just 44 people born in Italy lived in the neighbourhood. The 2010 census found that literally 0 people born in Italy lived there, and just 5 per cent of residents were Italian Americans.”
“Italian immigration to the U.S. is a drop in the bucket compared to what it used to be; the few Italian immigrants coming now generally no longer need ethnic enclaves; the neighbourhood itself has become incredibly expensive, the polar opposite of what it was when the bulk of Italians came; the Italian Americans that did used to live there mostly left for the suburbs (which is the case with most ethnic enclaves eventually),” he added.
Everyone has done a nice job of dunking on this, but a few extra thoughts…
I find the history of New York’s first Little Italy to be really interesting, and the neighbourhood has appeared in some of my favourite films.
With that said, it’s no longer an enclave for Italian… https://t.co/iws4uD9uMJ pic.twitter.com/YWY5g60lno
— Davide Mastracci (@DavideMastracci) July 9, 2026
Roger Stone weighed in as well.
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