Rep. Nicole Malliotakis sharply criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposed Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan on Thursday, warning that the initiative is unconstitutional, deeply divisive, and likely to face significant resistance.

During an appearance on the Newsmax program “Wake Up America,” Malliotakis argued that the proposal reflects what she views as a consistent pattern of race-focused policymaking rooted in socialist ideology.

“Obviously, with everything with Mamdani, it’s always about socialism,” she said. “It’s always pitting people against each other based on race. And it’s awful, actually.”

She contended that the plan—which seeks to incorporate race-based benchmarks into decisions on city spending, policy direction, and allocation of resources in sectors such as housing, education, and economic growth—resembles historical strategies used to divide communities and strengthen political control.

“Look, this is what communists do, what socialists do,” she said. “They always pit people against each other, whether it’s class warfare or racial warfare, dividing the community.”

Malliotakis emphasized her belief that the proposal runs counter to constitutional protections.

“We’re going to push back on this,” she said. “Obviously, it’s unconstitutional.”

“We’ve seen the Democrats do this,” Malliotakis added. “They are constantly using race to force their socialist agenda.”

She cited ongoing political disputes, including controversies over voter identification requirements and redistricting efforts, as part of what she described as a broader push to inject race into public policy decisions.

“Whether it’s denying voter ID for the American people, whether it’s trying to redraw lines like they tried to do … based on race, now trying to tax people based on race,” Malliotakis said. “I mean, you can’t get any more unconstitutional and un-American than that.”

The congresswoman also argued that such policies are contributing to economic strain in New York City and accelerating the departure of residents.

“The bottom line here is not just minorities are being forced out of our city. It is everybody that’s in the middle class, working class,” Malliotakis said. “They’re being pushed out of our city regardless of race, because of these socialist policies and this high taxation.”

Malliotakis said she intends to ensure that the public is made aware of the plan and its implications.

“We’re going to make sure the public knows about it,” she said.

She further suggested that action by the Justice Department under President Donald Trump could be appropriate if the city moves ahead with the proposal.

“If DOJ needs to take action, if they want to go down this unconstitutional route, I believe they should,” Malliotakis said.