NJ ‘Jeopardy!’ Champ Speaks Out On ICE, Immigration After Historic 31-Game Run

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - Jamie Ding, the Lawrence Township resident whose 31-game winning streak on "Jeopardy!" made him one of the most beloved contestants in the show's history, used the spotlight of his exit to speak out on immigration.

He told People magazine he hopes his run showed immigrants "in a positive light" at a fraught moment for the country.

In an exclusive interview with People published Tuesday, Ding said he was moved by how his run had united viewers. "I kept hearing how it was bringing people together, and I love that very much," he said. "I've heard people say, 'It's nice to have something positive on TV!' As an immigrant and a person of color, I was able to become part of the history of an American institution."

He then addressed the current political climate directly. "'Jeopardy!' really is an institution and America's turning 250 years old and the federal government is going after immigrants in a way unlike anything that we've seen in the recent past," Ding told People. "So I hope that immigrants can be seen in a positive light too."

Ding is the son of Chinese immigrants. He was born in Australia and is a naturalized U.S. citizen. He works as a program administrator at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency while pursuing a law degree at Seton Hall University.

His comments come as Ding has also been active on immigration issues outside of television. According to TV Insider, he recently joined a legal effort to prevent the state's voter registration data from being shared with the federal government, saying he believes the current administration views immigrants "with disdain and distrust."

Ding's streak ended Monday when Philadelphia chess master Greg Shahade defeated him by nearly 14,000 points in a dominant Final Jeopardy performance.

The 33-year-old works as Multifamily and Tax Credit Program Administrator at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency while pursuing a law degree at Seton Hall University. He is a Princeton University graduate.

His 31 consecutive victories place him fifth on "Jeopardy!"'s all-time list, behind Ken Jennings (74), Amy Schneider (40), Matt Amodio (38) and James Holzhauer (32), and he accumulated $882,605 in prize money during his run.

He signed off by writing "TTFN" — ta ta for now — on his final answer board, a farewell that drew an outpouring of affection from fans across social media. Ding is eligible to return for the Tournament of Champions.

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