Biden says Elon Musk was an ‘illegal worker’ when he began U.S. career
Joe Biden, left, and Elon Musk
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters; Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images
President Joe Biden called out Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, now a Republican megadonor and Trump campaign surrogate, for hypocrisy on immigration on Saturday, saying Musk launched his long career in the U.S. as an “illegal worker” before becoming the world’s wealthiest man.
The president made these remarks at a campaign event to support Democrats that took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Labeling Musk as former President Donald Trump’s wealthy new “ally,” Biden said, “That wealthiest man in the world turned out to be an illegal worker here when he was here,” referring to Musk.
“He was supposed to be in school when he came on a student visa. He wasn’t in school. He was violating the law. He’s talking about all these ‘illegals’ coming our way,” Biden added.
He then criticized Trump and Republicans for failing to sign legislation that would fix “the problem with the border.” He added, “We have fewer people crossing the border illegally now — or crossing the border period — than at any time since his third year as President of the United States.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on Biden’s remarks.
Musk recently completed a series of “town hall” events in the same swing state of Pennsylvania, where he sought to convince voters to back Trump and Trump’s policies. Musk also stirred up his fan base there by doling out $1 million lottery-style prizes to registered voters in swing states who signed a petition distributed by his pro-Trump group, America PAC.
According to an analysis by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Trump’s new immigration policy proposals include plans for the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, ending birthright citizenship, and revoking the visas of and deporting foreign students who are pro-Palestinian protestors, among others.
Biden’s comments about Musk, his Trump alliance and hypocrisy on immigration followed a Washington Post report that cites correspondence, legal records and multiple people who helped Musk attain a work visa in 1996 after he had already been working here without one.
Musk had arrived in the U.S. with the stated intention of attending grad school at Stanford in the mid-90s. He did not enroll in the program to which he said he was accepted and instead began to build a venture-backed startup called Zip2 with his brother.
The Washington Post wrote that investors in Musk’s first company worried about their ”‘founder being deported’ and gave him a deadline for obtaining a work visa.”
Zip2 sold for about $300 million in 1999, a windfall that enabled Elon Musk to later become an early investor in and chairman of Tesla, and to start his capital-intensive aerospace venture SpaceX, which is now a major U.S. defense contractor.
Those businesses have propelled Musk to become the world’s wealthiest person on paper. According to Forbes, the Tesla CEO’s net worth stands at around $274 billion today.
In late 2022, Musk used that considerable wealth to acquire the social network Twitter in a $44 billion buyout.
On the platform, since rebranded X, Musk has repeatedly claimed in posts seen by his massive online fan base that “open borders” and undocumented immigrants are somehow harming the United States.
He also has shared the false claim that noncitizens are systematically voting in U.S. elections, a conspiracy theory floated by conservative groups to lay the legal groundwork to contest the election results if the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, wins the presidency.
In the U.S., it’s already a federal crime and a crime under every state’s laws for noncitizens to register or vote in federal elections.
According to studies compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice, “extensive research reveals that fraud is very rare, voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent, and many instances of alleged fraud are, in fact, mistakes by voters or administrators. The same is true for mail ballots, which are secure and essential to holding a safe election amid the coronavirus pandemic.”
News
Tim McGraw’s Daughter Maggie Announces Exciting Family Addition With Sweet Video
The 26-year-old has a new furry friend. C Flanigan/Getty Images Maggie McGraw introduced a brand new family member to the world this week, and fans called her “purrrrfect.” The 26-year-old daughter of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill took to Instagram on Wednesday, Oct. 30, to share a video of…
World’s Sexiest Hockey Star Mikayla Demaiter Is ‘Naughty’ Again
World’s sexiest hockey star Mikayla Demaiter leaves little to imagination with very revealing selfies in tiny bikini Scroll down to see Mikayla’s sexiest snaps MIKAYLA DEMAITER has left fans stunned in a revealing bikini. The Canadian beauty has been dubbed…
Why Do Golf Fans Hate ‘The Match: Superstars’ Ft Charles Barkley, Michael Phelps & More? Their Frustrations Explained
TNT Sports’s ‘The Match’ is returning for the 10th rendition. But pro golfers will be restricted to their jobs in the booths. Rather, Hollywood A-listers and legendary athletes will stomp the greens later this month. It will also be a…
Simone Biles Settles Fight With Jonathan Owens Over Fitness in a Heartwarming Moment
“My wife’s a warrior,” said Jonathan Owens when asked about his wife Simone Biles during a press conference after the end of the Paris Olympics. Everyone who tuned into the competition knows about Simone’s victorious four-medal run that completed her comeback in Tokyo….
Working Nonstop Amidst Controversy, Jordan Chiles Explains Tagging Alongside Simone Biles for GOAT
The dust has long settled on the 2024 Paris Olympics, but Jordan Chiles hasn’t been able to leave that experience behind. Even though she had an incredible stint in the French capital, the gymnast was soon caught up in a controversy surrounding…
‘My arms and legs are shaking’: Livvy Dunne causes ‘dizziness’ in her Wonder Woman Halloween costume
Livvy Dunne stuns in Wonder Woman Halloween costume: ‘Here to save the day’ Livvy Dunne went into superhero mode for Halloween this year. The LSU gymnast and social media sensation showed off her costume on Thursday night as she dressed…
End of content
No more pages to load