In a striking turn of events, President Joe Biden recently criticized Elon Musk during a campaign event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, labeling him an 'illegal worker' in the U.S. during the 1990s. This remark was fueled by revelations from AlterNet, which detailed Musk's immigration history, including his overstaying a student visa after dropping out of Stanford University in the fall of 1995. Instead of enrolling, Musk co-founded Zip2, a software company, without legal status, which was later sold for around $300 million in 1999 [aea18069].
Musk's journey in the U.S. began when he arrived in Palo Alto, California, in 1995. He and his brother Kimbal were illegal immigrants for nearly a year as they built their business. Notably, Mohr Davidow Ventures invested $3 million in Zip2 in 1996, contingent upon Musk obtaining a legal work visa, highlighting the precarious nature of his early entrepreneurial efforts [aea18069].
Despite his past, Musk has become a vocal critic of undocumented immigrants, often using social media to express his views. His political alignment has shifted towards Donald Trump, with Musk donating approximately $120 million to a pro-Trump super PAC, making him the second-largest donor to the cause [aea18069]. This financial support coincides with his recent comments downplaying the January 6 Capitol attack and suggesting that critics of Trump threaten democracy, further entrenching his position within Trump's political narrative [f907f13a].
In a recent statement, Musk claimed that Democrats are using his past immigration violations as a political weapon against him, stating, 'Dems will destroy me' over the allegations. If these claims are substantiated, they could potentially lead to deportation or revocation of his citizenship, which he obtained in 2002 after gaining work authorization in 1997 [9109cd73]. Legal experts suggest that deportation is unlikely unless fraud is proven, particularly given that immigration enforcement was less strict during Musk's early career [9109cd73].
Biden's comments also reflect a broader narrative as immigration remains a critical issue leading up to the 2024 elections. Polling indicates that immigration has been viewed as the most pressing problem facing the U.S. for three consecutive months [f907f13a]. Musk's controversial actions at the Pennsylvania event included giving away $1 million to a voter, which may violate federal election rules, and expressing skepticism about mail-in ballots, labeling them a 'recipe for fraud' [f907f13a].
The juxtaposition of Musk's past as an undocumented worker and his current stance against immigration raises questions about political hypocrisy and the evolving narrative surrounding immigration policy in the U.S. as the 2024 elections approach [aea18069].