Why Did Abdul El-Sayed Call Himself an 'Immigrant From North Africa' at the 2017 MI Dem Convention?

Oct 14, 2026 11:45 AM
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Why Did Abdul El-Sayed Call Himself an 'Immigrant From North Africa' at the 2017 MI Dem Convention?
AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File

For a guy who loves to accuse his opponents of "dual loyalty," Abdul El-Sayed should really take a look in a mirror. He attacked Haley Stevens, his primary opponent, of having "dual loyalty" for supporting Israel. He attacked Republican Mike Rogers for owning a home in Florida, implying Rogers doesn't care about Michigan (El-Sayed owns properties in the Middle East). El-Sayed even claimed and then denied having dual citizenship in Egypt.

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Now, unearthed video from the 2017 Michigan Democrat Convention shows Abdul saying he's an "immigrant from North Africa" during a speech he gave. Once again showing he's anything other than a U.S.-born citizen.

"The fact that I may be an immigrant from North Africa, and that I may be a different faith, and I pray a different way. We all pray for the same things," El-Sayed said. "And I pray for us."

Here's more:

El-Sayed, who was born in Michigan in 1984 to Egyptian immigrants, made the remark in a speech to the party's Progressive Caucus on Feb. 11, 2017, two days after he launched a campaign for governor.

"I'm done with this notion that certain kinds of people cannot rise up to be a part of leadership in this society," he said at the convention, according to video footage obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

"We have an opportunity to rethink the way we do government," said El-Sayed, "despite the fact that I may be an immigrant from North Africa."

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Mike Rogers called El-Sayed a con man, and El-Sayed has done little to disprove this.

He's lying. There's no other explanation for it.

He lies as easily as he breathes.

It's unreal that he's this close to the U.S. Senate.

Right? If he's an immigrant, send him home.

Of course, Free Beacon noted the El-Sayed campaign did not respond to request for comment. El-Sayed will call anyone who asks him questions about this "racist" and "Islamophobic," no doubt. That's his default when someone asks him things he doesn't like.

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El-Sayed has lied about his connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. He's flip-flopped on his dual citizenship. He's lied about being a doctor (he's never been licensed and never treated a patient). He's saying he's an immigrant but was born in the U.S. He's spent years calling for an abolition of private insurance only to say in the last couple of weeks you can keep your plan.

Which is it? Michigan voters deserve clear answers: which version of El-Sayed are they sending to the Senate?

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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