US Prez Joe Biden Accuses X Owner Elon Musk Of Being An 'Illegal Migrant' When He Kicked Off His Career In USA
Biden characterised Musk as a new “ally” of former President Donald Trump, stating, “That wealthiest man in the world turned out to be an illegal worker here.”
US President Joe Biden criticised Elon Musk, the owner of X, during a campaign event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, highlighting what he described as Musk's hypocrisy on immigration. Biden pointed out that Musk began his career in the United States as an “illegal worker” before amassing his fortune and becoming the world’s richest individual.
During his remarks, Biden characterised Musk as a new “ally” of former President Donald Trump, stating, “That wealthiest man in the world turned out to be an illegal worker here.” He explained that Musk was supposed to be attending school on a student visa but was actually not in compliance with the law. “He’s talking about all these ‘illegals’ coming our way,” Biden noted.
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The president also took the opportunity to criticise Trump and the Republican Party for their failure to enact legislation aimed at addressing immigration issues. He mentioned that “we have fewer people crossing the border illegally now—or crossing the border at all—than at any time since his third year as President of the United States.”
Elon Musk Being Vocal Against Illegal Immigrants
Recently, Musk held a series of town hall events in Pennsylvania, attempting to rally support for Trump and his policies. He garnered attention by offering $1 million in lottery-style prizes to registered voters in swing states who signed a petition from his pro-Trump organisation, America PAC.
An analysis from the Peterson Institute for International Economics highlighted Trump’s new immigration policy proposals, which could involve the largest deportation operation in US history, the end of birthright citizenship, and revocation of visas for foreign students who protest pro-Palestinian causes.
Elon Musk Was An Illegal Migrant?
Biden’s remarks about Musk and his ties to Trump were informed by a Washington Post report detailing communications and legal documents showing how Musk secured a work visa in 1996 after having already been in the US without one. Musk came to the U.S. in the mid-90s with plans to attend Stanford but never enrolled. Instead, he co-founded a startup called Zip2 with his brother.
The Post noted that investors in Zip2 were concerned about Musk’s immigration status and set a deadline for him to obtain a work visa. Zip2 was sold for around $300 million in 1999, enabling Musk to invest in Tesla and launch SpaceX, which has become a significant player in the aerospace sector and a major defense contractor.
Today, Musk’s net worth is estimated at approximately $274 billion, according to Forbes. In late 2022, he acquired Twitter, now known as X, for $44 billion.
On his platform, Musk has made various claims regarding immigration, suggesting that “open borders” and undocumented immigrants are detrimental to the US. He has also promoted unfounded allegations that noncitizens are voting in US elections, a conspiracy theory used by some conservative groups to challenge election outcomes, particularly if US Vice President Kamala Harris were to win the presidency.
It is important to note that in the US, it is illegal for noncitizens to register or vote in federal elections, a crime recognised by federal and state laws alike.
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