Congresswoman Warns Incoming Socialists Are "National Security Threat," Wants Their Access To Intel Limited

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, (R-N.Y.), said two members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) who appear headed to Congress could pose a national security risk, and she wants House leadership to keep them away from sensitive intelligence.

"These people are extreme, they're radical, they are dangerous, and they really have no business being in the United States House of Representatives," Malliotakis, the only Republican representing New York City in the House, told Fox News Digital. "And it scares me that they're going to have access to intelligence."

The two candidates, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, won upset primaries this year over establishment-backed opponents in deep-blue districts. Their races made New York City one of the main battlegrounds in this midterm cycle's fight inside the Democratic Party, and both nominees are all but certain to win in November.

Chevalier defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat, (D-N.Y.), chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in his district covering Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx. Valdez won the open seat spanning parts of Brooklyn and Queens that retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez, (D-N.Y.), currently holds.

Both candidates have called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and have described Israel's war in Gaza as a "genocide."

Malliotakis said the pair's support for the DSA platform makes them "un-American."

"I think they want to undermine the country. I mean, anybody whose campaign is based on no jails, no cops, no borders, is a real detriment to the country," she said.

The congresswoman directed her concerns at House Speaker Mike Johnson, (R-La.), and urged him to examine whether the incoming members present a security risk.

"These are the people that are going to have access to intelligence? I think [Speaker Mike Johnson] really needs to look at that and see if they're a national security threat," Malliotakis said.

If Republicans hold the House majority in November, Malliotakis wants Johnson to restrict which committees Chevalier and Valdez can join.

"I do have a lot of concern about these members having access to sensitive information and intelligence that if put in the wrong hands, could be a detriment to our national security," she said.

Malliotakis's warning follows reporting earlier this year on the DSA's contacts with Beijing. Newsweek reported that DSA members "have been cultivating connections with Chinese Communist Party officials and agreeing to take pro-China positions."

The magazine based its reporting on records from inside the organization and described what those records contained.

The minutes of the DSA meetings show participants discussing contacts with officials from China's ruling party in the name of "anti-imperialism," with some members saying the organization should avoid topics that are sensitive for Beijing, such as China's threats to invade Taiwan, its security crackdown in Hong Kong and abuses of the Uyghur Muslim minority. They also discuss visits to China. Chinese officials did not take part in the meetings themselves, but met with members in China and encouraged the DSA to set up exchanges, according to the minutes.

One New York-based political activist addressed an October 2025 meeting of the China Working Group of the DSA's International Committee.

"China wants to interface with the DSA," the activist told the meeting. "If we develop a killer two-week itinerary, hire locals and develop further connections with the CPC [Communist Party of China], then we're golden."

The DSA has called for replacing the U.S. Constitution with a new system and for abolishing prisons, the Supreme Court and the police.