WASHINGTON: The Washington Post reported on Saturday that South African-born billionaire businessman Elon Musk worked illegally in the United States during a brief period in the 1990s while building a startup company.
The news outlet reported that Musk arrived in Palo Alto, California, in 1995 to attend Stanford University but never enrolled in his graduate studies program there. Instead, he developed software company Zip2, which sold in 1999 for around $300 million, according to the outlet.
Two immigration law experts quoted by the Post said Musk would have needed to be enrolled in a full course of study in order to maintain a valid work authorization as a student.
Musk did not respond to requests for comment sent to four of his companies — SpaceX, Tesla, the social media company X and The Boring Company — nor did Musk’s lawyer Alex Spiro.
Musk in a 2020 podcast cited by the Post said: “I was legally there, but I was meant to be doing student work. I was allowed to do work sort of supporting whatever.”
The Washington Post cited two former Musk colleagues who recalled Musk receiving his US work authorization in or around 1997.
Musk has endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in the Nov. 5 US election.
Trump has for years portrayed migrants as invaders and criminals, and during his 2017-2021 presidency took stringent steps to curb legal and illegal migration. He is promising the biggest deportation effort in US history if he is reelected.
Elon Musk briefly worked illegally in US in 1990s, Washington Post reports
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Elon Musk briefly worked illegally in US in 1990s, Washington Post reports
- Musk reportedly arrived in California in 1995 to attend Stanford University, and instead of enrolling he went on to develop a software company
- Musk supports Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has for years portrayed migrants as invaders and criminals
UK secures migrant return deal with Angola, Namibia; DRC faces visa curbs
LONDON: Angola and Namibia have agreed to accept the return of illegal migrants and criminals after the British government threatened visa penalties for countries refusing to cooperate, the UK Home Office said late on Saturday.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been stripped of fast-track visa services and preferential treatment for VIPs and decision-makers after failing to meet Britain’s requirements to improve cooperation, the Home Office said.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Britain could escalate measures to a complete halting of visas for the DRC unless “co-operation rapidly improves.”
“We expect countries to play by the rules. If one of their citizens has no right to be here, they must take them back,” the Home Secretary added.
The agreements mark the first major change under reforms announced last month to make refugee status temporary and speed up the deportation of those who arrive illegally in Britain.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK has “removed more than 50,000 people with no right to remain” since July last year, a 23 percent increase on the previous period, and instructed diplomats to make returns a top priority.
