Washington:
Elon Musk, a strong critic of illegal immigration and an ardent supporter of Donald Trump, who has long portrayed immigrants as invaders and criminals, said early in his career that he worked “illegally” in the United States. The Washington Post reported that.
Musk, a South African, dropped out of Stanford University in 1995 and worked for four years at his debut company, Zip2, which was later sold for about $300 million, according to the report. During this time, he was working without proper permits.
Two former colleagues of Musk said he received authorization to work in the United States around 1997, according to the report.
Mr. Musk is an international student in the United States and could not have followed the rules by dropping out of school to start a company.
In most cases, overstaying on a student visa is common but still illegal, the newspaper said.
Despite this, Musk has always maintained that the transition from student to entrepreneur is a “legal gray area.”
The report also cited a 2020 podcast in which Musk said he was in the U.S. legally but intended to take a student job. “I was given a job where I supported everything,” he said.
Some of the Tesla and SpaceX president’s recent posts on his social media platforms have been about immigration and voter fraud, including that White House candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris is “importing voters” through illegal immigration. I’m blaming. Last week, he likened the U.S.-Mexico border to a “zombie apocalypse” as several Mexican immigrants entered the United States.
