In a striking revelation, Kimbal Musk, brother of billionaire Elon Musk, reportedly disclosed that both he and Elon were, at one point, “illegal immigrants” in the United States. This admission exposes the tech magnate’s hypocrisy on the issue and casts a shadow over his fervent criticisms of immigration policies, prompting scrutiny of his recent rhetoric.
In a video from September 2023, filmed near the U.S.-Mexico border, Musk, the world’s richest man, stated: “We should also not be allowing people in the country if they’re breaking the law.” His statements resonate with a broader narrative increasingly leveraged in political discourse as the 2024 presidential election looms.
However, this is a blatant contradiction, especially when juxtaposed with Kimbal Musk’s admissions about their own immigration status during the founding of their startup, Zip2.
Musk was born in South Africa and moved to Canada before relocating to the U.S. in 1992. During remarks at the Milken Institute Global Conference in 2013, Kimbal recounted how, when their venture received a $3 million investment, the investors were shocked to discover that both brothers were not in the country legally at that time, CNN reports.
“When they did fund us, they realized that we were illegal immigrants,” he stated.
“Well…” Elon Musk interjected.
“Yes, we were,” Kimbal Musk pushed back.
Elon, ever the deflector, brushed it off as a “gray area.” This dismissive attitude towards their own questionable status raises serious questions about Musk’s current rhetoric.
While Elon Musk attempted to downplay this status by describing it as a “gray area,” immigration experts assert that there is no ambiguity in immigration law—either one is legal or not.
“Our immigration laws are so strict that, regardless of how perfect you try to be, you probably did something that would make you deportable at some point during your immigration journey,” immigration attorney Charles Kuck told CNN.
“I will tell you, as somebody who’s done immigration law for 35 years, that a lot of immigrants leave their immigration history behind, right? They want to move on to their new life,” Kuck said. “But when you speak out against other people’s immigration journey, then yours becomes subject to scrutiny. … If you live in a glass house, you shouldn’t throw stones.”
This hypocrisy is further underscored by Elon Musk’s intense focus on immigration issues since acquiring Twitter (now X) in 2022. He frequently amplifies conspiracy theories about undocumented immigrants, suggesting that their presence is a strategic move by Democrats to secure political advantage. Such claims, often echoing fringe theories like the “great replacement theory,” have drawn scrutiny and criticism from both experts and advocates.
Critics argue that Musk’s immigration-related posts have a dehumanizing quality, contributing to a narrative that vilifies migrants.
In recent months, Musk has escalated his attacks on immigrants, amplifying dangerous conspiracy theories on his social media platform about undocumented immigrants. He has claimed that the Biden administration is intentionally allowing migrants to enter the country to manipulate voting patterns, labeling unchecked immigration as “civilizational suicide.”
In a strikingly inflammatory comparison, he likened migrants at the border to a “World War Z zombie apocalypse,” a comment that not only dehumanizes individuals seeking a better life but also reflects a chilling normalization of anti-immigrant sentiment.
His comments and posts paint a portrait of a man who champions strict immigration enforcement while conveniently ignoring the fact that he once benefited from the very system he now condemns.
Critics argue this double standard is not only hypocritical but also indicative of a larger trend among wealthy elites who advocate for restrictive immigration policies while having navigated their own immigration hurdles with relative ease.
Immigration experts emphasize that Musk’s story illustrates the broken nature of U.S. immigration laws, which often force entrepreneurs into precarious situations. Jennifer Minear, an immigration attorney, argues that Musk’s success story highlights the urgent need for reform, noting, “America forces you to be illegal if you want to start a company as an immigrant. I know. That’s how I did it.”
With immigration at the forefront of the 2024 presidential election, Musk’s hypocritical stance is not just a personal failure; it’s a dangerous narrative that undermines the very values he claims to uphold. As Charles Kuck, an immigration attorney, pointedly remarked, “If you live in a glass house, you shouldn’t throw stones.”
Musk’s past as an undocumented immigrant complicates his current stance, revealing a deeply uncomfortable truth: the very systems that allowed him to succeed are the same ones he now seeks to restrict for others. His amplified anti-immigrant rhetoric is not just hypocritical; it is a betrayal of the immigrant experience that fueled his rise to power and serves to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and division in a nation built on the promise of opportunity for all.
