NEW YORK (VINnews) — The U.S. Justice Department has asked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to respond to allegations of unequal treatment of Jewish residents as federal officials expand efforts to investigate antisemitic incidents, according to the Justice Department and a report by the New York Post.

The inquiry follows complaints raised by former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, who told the Post he recently met with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Important development.
Last week I spoke with @HarmeetKDhillon about the climate under Mayor Mamdani. The letter Governor Paterson and I sent to the Justice Department is being taken seriously. Glad to see the DOJ actively investigating and demanding answers. https://t.co/leH8RB9vJK

— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) August 4, 2026

In a statement to the Post, the Justice Department said its Civil Rights Division is “actively investigating and prosecuting” hate crimes, including antisemitic offenses, in New York City and across the country.

Hikind told the newspaper that Dhillon informed him the department had sent a letter to Mamdani seeking information about what it described as the treatment of Jewish New Yorkers. The Justice Department has not publicly released the letter or disclosed its specific contents.

The reported federal inquiry follows several recent antisemitic incidents in New York City, including the July stabbing of a Jewish man on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Police said the suspect also attacked an Asian man in a separate incident and is facing criminal charges.

The Post also reported that newly released NYPD statistics show antisemitic incidents account for more than half of the city’s reported hate crimes so far this year.

Hikind criticized Mamdani’s handling of antisemitism, while Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said rhetoric directed at Israel can contribute to hostility toward Jewish communities and urged city leaders to do more to combat antisemitism.

Mamdani, an outspoken critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, has previously said he condemns antisemitism and that his administration has increased funding for programs aimed at combating hate crimes.

The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment. The Justice Department has not indicated whether its inquiry could result in further legal action.