Robert Davi, the veteran actor known for roles in "Die Hard" and "Licence to Kill," criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday after a city map highlighting immigrant enclaves omitted Little Italy from its listings.

The "New York City Immigrant Enclaves" map resurfaced on social media earlier this week when users noticed it highlighted 30 immigrant communities across the five boroughs but excluded Little Italy, as well as historically Jewish and Irish neighborhoods. Following criticism from Italian-American groups, city officials said they plan to update the map to include Little Italy.

What the Right Is Saying

Davi, who was born in Astoria, Queens, posted a video on X criticizing Mamdani for omitting Little Italy from the map. "I hope every New York Italian American and Irish American spits on you when they see you," Davi said. "Shame on you. Respect the city you're in and understand the people who helped build it." The 75-year-old actor noted his grandparents immigrated from Sicily and Naples, and his grandfather enlisted in World War I and was wounded three times while helping to build New York City as an Italian immigrant. Davi also suggested there should be constitutional amendments preventing those born outside the U.S. from running for public office without spending time in America first.

What the Left Is Saying

Mamdani defended the map during a press conference Friday, stating it was originally created under the previous administration in 2023 before he took office. "This map was initially created by the prior administration in 2023, and when we inherited it, we added a few additional neighborhoods," Mamdani said. He emphasized that the map is not meant to be exhaustive of all ethnic communities in New York City. "It's clearly not an exhaustive list of the more than 200 ethnic communities that call our city home, and we're going to be making additional changes in the future to reflect that and that includes Little Italy." The mayor's office directed inquiries to his public remarks defending the map.

What the Numbers Show

According to the Library of Congress, more than 4 million Italians immigrated to the United States between the 1880s and 1924, with roughly one-third settling in New York City. The disputed map highlighted 30 immigrant communities across the five boroughs. Mayor Mamdani stated there are more than 200 ethnic communities that call New York City home.

The Bottom Line

The controversy over the city map highlights ongoing tensions between cultural preservation and immigration policy representation in New York City. Italian-American groups had called for Little Italy's inclusion, arguing it represents a significant part of the city's immigrant history. Officials have committed to updating the map to include the neighborhood. Davi is among those who have called on Mamdani to more directly acknowledge the contributions of established ethnic communities while also criticizing his broader policy positions.