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ALBANY, N.Y. — An Iraqi national residing in upstate New York faces charges for allegedly casting an illegal vote in the 2020 election, with U.S. prosecutors noting that the Department of Government Efficiency played a role in the inquiry.
Akeel Abdul Jamiel, aged 45, was living in South Glens Falls, approximately 50 miles north of Albany, when he reportedly voted in Saratoga County, despite being aware that he was not a United States citizen, as stated in a charging document dated April 25.
Jamiel is charged with voting while being an alien, a misdemeanor that could result in a sentence of up to one year in prison.
“Election security remains one of the FBI’s top national security priorities,” remarked Craig Tremaroli, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Albany office, in a release from the Justice Department.
Efforts to contact Jamiel were unsuccessful. Emails sent to addresses previously associated with him were returned, and a message left at a phone number connected to him in a separate lawsuit did not receive a response. Court documents do not indicate whether he has legal representation.
Former President Donald Trump has consistently attributed his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election to supposed widespread voter fraud, despite analyses debunking this assertion. Public records show that Jamiel registered with New York’s Conservative Party just a month prior to the election.
“Only American citizens can vote in American elections,” the Justice Department stated. “Thanks to our collaboration with @DOGE, this DOJ has charged an Iraqi man for illegal voting in the 2020 election.”
Details regarding the candidate Jamiel supported remain unclear, though he identified as a Trump supporter in a 2019 lawsuit.
In his complaint against New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Jamiel claimed that his rights were being violated due to New York’s perceived leniency towards illegal immigration. He attached several letters he had sent to the White House expressing concerns that the country was “under invasion” by unauthorized immigrants. Jamiel also included a letter from the White House, signed by Trump, thanking him for his concerns.
Founded by Trump, the Department of Government Efficiency aims to address inefficiencies and fraud in government operations. Further details about its involvement in the investigation concerning Jamiel have not been disclosed by the prosecutor’s office.
Source
abcnews.go.com