Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and the world’s wealthiest individual, has publicly opposed undocumented immigration in recent years, becoming a major supporter of former President Donald Trump. However, a recent Washington Post investigation reveals Musk himself began his career in the United States without legal status.
The report details that Musk, originally from South Africa, arrived in the U.S. on a student visa to attend Stanford University. Shortly after the fall 1995 semester began, he notified the university that he would not be attending classes, effectively voiding his student visa. Despite being legally required to leave the country at that point, Musk remained and began building his first company, Zip2, initially called the Global Link Information Network.
In 1996, venture capital firm Mohr Davidow Ventures invested $3 million in Zip2. The deal included a clause requiring Musk and his brother, Kimbal, to secure legal work visas within 45 days, given that neither had legal status to work or run a business in the U.S. at the time. Zip2 board member Derek Proudian expressed concern, telling the Post, “We don’t want our founder being deported.”
Since U.S. immigration records are not publicly accessible, the timeline of Musk’s legal status remains uncertain. However, two biographers cited by the Post reported that Mohr Davidow Ventures ultimately hired an attorney to arrange legal visas for Elon and Kimbal in 1996. This suggests that both Musk brothers were undocumented for a significant part of that year. The revelation holds particular weight, as Musk frequently uses his social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter), to criticize undocumented immigrants and their access to services.
In a February post, Musk wrote, “[I]llegals in America can get bank loans, mortgages, insurance, driver’s licenses, free healthcare (California & New York) and in-state college tuition… What’s the point of being a citizen if an illegal gets all the benefits but doesn’t pay taxes or do jury duty?”
The Post also reported that Musk drove a car during his undocumented period, indicating he may have acquired both a driver’s license and auto insurance at that time. This aligns with a 2013 interview in which Kimbal Musk acknowledged they “were illegal immigrants” when their company secured the investment. Elon Musk, however, described their status as a “grey area.”
Despite promising in March to remain neutral in the presidential race, Musk has recently supported Trump, appearing onstage with him and donating significant funds. According to Forbes, Musk has contributed approximately $118 million to a pro-Trump super PAC, second only to Timothy Mellon, who has donated $150 million.
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