Elon Musk, once an undocumented worker in the United States of America, illegally stayed in the country after leaving a graduate program in California, a report reveals, highlighting contrasts with his current anti-immigration stance.
Musk, now CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has in recent months voiced support for Donald Trump’s campaign and echoed his “closed borders” messaging on social media. While Musk previously described his early transition from student to entrepreneur as a “legal gray area,” The report states he was almost certainly unauthorised to work in the US for a time in 1995, following his departure from Stanford to focus on Zip2, his first startup, which later sold for nearly $300 million.
Legal experts pointed out that foreign students, like Musk, cannot legally start businesses or work without proper authorisation, even if unpaid. Before the 2001 attacks, student visa regulations were generally less strict. Leon Fresco, a former US immigration attorney, noted, “If you do anything that helps facilitate revenue, such as designing code or making sales, then you’re in trouble.”
The report emphasises that, while overstaying a student visa is relatively common, it remains illegal. Musk has previously stated, “I was legally there, but I was meant to be doing student work. I was allowed to do work sort of supporting whatever.”
The timing of this scrutiny is notable, as Trump has suggested Musk could play a prominent role in a second administration focused on government efficiency. Musk has frequently criticized Vice President Kamala Harris and Democrats for their immigration policies, even likening the US-Mexico border to a “zombie apocalypse.”
Musk’s political commentary has surged this election year, with a Bloomberg report noting that immigration has become his most-discussed topic on X, the platform he purchased in 2022. He remains its most influential voice, actively directing posts into users’ feeds.
