Two foreign nationals who unlawfully participated in the 2024 presidential election are currently in federal custody, largely due to one of the most recent and assertive initiatives of the Trump administration.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Tuesday that two Ukrainian citizens were apprehended for illegally voting in last year’s election, in conjunction with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These arrests are being celebrated as a success for DOGE, the agency created by President Trump to minimize government waste and now tasked with overseeing immigration and election laws.
“In collaboration with @DOGE, @ICEgov apprehended two Ukrainian citizens for illegally VOTING in the 2024 election,” Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated on X. “Under President Donald Trump, if you enter our country and violate our laws, you will face the repercussions.”
DOGE, which was formed by executive order on January 20, emerged from conversations between President Trump and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. Although the agency’s original purpose was to cut government spending and red tape, it has now broadened its mandate to encompass federal oversight.
Members of this agency, who occupy influential roles across various departments, possess the power to reject contracts related to scientific research, climate initiatives, and DEI programs—and, more recently, to assist with immigration enforcement.
“In collaboration with @DOGE, @ICEgov apprehended two Ukrainian citizens for illegally VOTING in the 2024 election. Under President Donald Trump, if you enter our country and violate our laws, you will face the repercussions,” Noem reiterated on X.
Tuesday’s arrests mark the first publicly recorded instance where DOGE’s internal information networks have directly led to law enforcement actions concerning voting fraud.
During his second term, President Trump has made election integrity a priority, warning that he will hold foreign nationals accountable for any interference in America’s democratic processes.
Trump and his Republican allies have consistently criticized the Biden administration’s approach to election security, alleging that Democrats have ignored significant flaws.
Since assuming office in January, President Trump has promptly acted on his commitments to secure the border, reform governmental inefficiencies, and uphold election integrity—actions that have sparked fervent reactions from various political factions.
One of Trump’s signature initiatives has been to restore law and order at the southern border. Since January, his administration has deported approximately 139,000 individuals, indicating a swift transition towards stricter immigration enforcement.
Military personnel frequently assist in deploying federal agents to sanctuary cities that refuse to collaborate with immigration authorities. A recent presidential directive publicly identifies local officials who obstruct federal immigration efforts, increasing transparency and pressure on these jurisdictions.
The administration has also invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to accelerate deportations in cases involving national security risks, such as those concerning Venezuelan migrants.
Earlier this month, Musk attracted attention when he raised questions about how members of Congress have become “strangely wealthy” despite their relatively modest government salaries.
Musk stated that his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would investigate how certain lawmakers have accumulated generational wealth, as reported by the New York Post.
Musk was addressing a query posed by an attendee who inquired if DOGE had discovered any proof of monetary transfers from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
“Indeed, so,” Musk commenced as he seemed to be gathering his thoughts. “There exists a significant level of corruption, albeit it is indirect. The process involves taxpayer money that is subsequently allocated to various governmental entities, which then forward it to NGOs. An NGO is defined as a non-governmental organization, yet it is important to note that it is funded by the government.”
“Essentially, it is merely an organization. It functions as a government, and in effect, there exists a substantial fraud loophole whereby the government can transfer funds to an NGO that is no longer subject to the legal framework of the United States,” he elaborated.
