President Joe Biden recently criticized Tesla CEO Elon Musk, alleging hypocrisy on immigration issues after reports suggested Musk may have worked in the US without proper authorization early in his career, New York Post reports.
Musk, born in South Africa, denies the allegations, which stem from a Washington Post report claiming that Musk worked illegally while on a student visa in the 1990s.
“That wealthiest man in the world turned out to be an illegal worker here. No, I’m serious. He was supposed to be in school when he came on a student visa. He wasn’t in school. He was violating the law. And he’s talking about all these illegals coming our way?” Biden remarked during a campaign event in Pittsburgh.
Biden’s comments come amid Musk’s recent alignment with Republicans on immigration policy and support for candidates like former President Donald Trump, who has proposed Musk for a future cabinet role.
The Washington Post report states that Musk arrived in Palo Alto in 1995 to attend a graduate program at Stanford University but quickly pivoted to launching his startup, Zip2, without enrolling. The newspaper cited company documents, former colleagues, and a 2005 email from Musk, reportedly submitted in a past defamation case, in which he acknowledged not having proper work authorization when he co-founded Zip2. The report also noted that Zip2 investors, concerned about Musk’s visa status, pressed him to secure work authorization.
Musk responded directly to Biden’s comments on X (formerly Twitter).
“I was in fact allowed to work in the US. The Biden puppet is lying,” he wrote.
Musk, now the world’s richest person, has donated over $70 million to GOP candidates and regularly supports Republican immigration policy at recent events. Musk has yet to provide further comment in response to Biden’s criticism, but his outspoken support for a reformed immigration policy has resonated with conservative leaders.
