Iraqi man charged with illegally voting in 2020 election in NY, DOGE helped investigation

An Iraqi man living in upstate New York has been charged with illegally voting in the 2020 election, with assistance from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Akeel Abdul Jamiel, 45, was residing in South Glens Falls when he voted in Saratoga County despite not being a U.S. citizen. He now faces a misdemeanor charge that carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison.

The FBI’s Albany field office emphasized the importance of election security in a statement regarding the case. Despite efforts to reach Jamiel for comment, he could not be reached through email or phone. Public records show that Jamiel registered as a member of New York’s Conservative Party just before the 2020 election.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed voter fraud as the reason for his defeat in the election, but investigations have shown this claim to be false. The Justice Department underscored that only American citizens are eligible to vote in U.S. elections and credited their partnership with DOGE for uncovering Jamiel’s illegal voting activity.

In an unrelated lawsuit filed in 2019, Jamiel identified himself as a Trump supporter and accused New York City of being too lenient on illegal immigration. He included letters he had written to the White House expressing concern about illegal immigration, to which he received a response from Trump himself.

DOGE, established by Trump to address inefficiencies and fraud in government, played a role in scrutinizing departments managing the government workforce and federal properties. The specific involvement of DOGE in the investigation of Jamiel was not detailed by the prosecutor’s office.

Overall, the case underscores the importance of upholding election integrity and ensuring that only eligible citizens participate in the democratic process. The collaboration between law enforcement agencies and government entities like DOGE highlights the ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of elections in the United States.