Watch Elon Musk Talk About Being an ‘Illegal Immigrant’ in Video From 2013
gizmodo.com
Musk called his immigration status a 'gray area' while discussing the 1990s.

The reason this is relevant is because he has spent the better part of a year complaining about “illegal immigrants” who are “invading” the country. But an old video from 2013 resurfaced on Saturday that appears to show the billionaire admitting he was at one point building his small business in the country illegally, describing it as a “gray area.”

*Edit: typo

  • Sanctus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1883·
    2 months ago

    Its because its all bullshit. There are no more immigrants who want to eat your babies than there are your countrymen of the same disposition. Decades of this shit and theres always some sheltered conservative still waiting to gobble it up.

      • EldritchFeminity@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        31·
        2 months ago

        I’ve seen this reported in other countries as well, and it makes perfect sense. If you’re already at risk of being deported just for existing, why would you do anything to put yourself at higher risk.

        • teft@lemmy.worldEnglish
          271·
          2 months ago

          Like my grandfather always said: Only commit one crime at a time.

      • Ð Greıt Þu̇mpkin@lemm.eeEnglish
        429·
        2 months ago

        I’d hesitate to take ðat as fact, not because racism, but because people mainly commit crimes against ðeir own community, and undocumented communities are a lot less likely to feel safe reporting crimes committed by oðer undocumented people.

        Ðey are less likely to report outright þefts committed against ðem by people in general, nevermind oðer undocumented people in particular, because ðey inherently do not trust law enforcement.

        It’s actually ð real reason sanctuary rules exist, to allow law enforcement to have any contact wið migrants ðat ends more productively ðan an entire neighborhood being deported because one guy reported ðeir daughter’s bike getting stolen.

    • Serinus@lemmy.worldEnglish
      21·
      2 months ago

      I had the same conversation today with a family member about abortion.

      “Okay. You’ve known a lot of women in your life. Who is getting an abortion at nine months?”

      Followed later by "If someone is getting an ‘abortion’ at nine months, it’s because someone is dying. Either the mother is dying or the baby has encephalitis and is going to die painfully. Nobody is going through mine months of pregnancy only to then get an abortion.

      I also dropped the idea that these laws are allowing rapists to choose the mother of their children. Not all states have exceptions, and often the ones that do require a conviction of rape. Do you know how difficult a conviction of rape is? First, it’s a difficult crime to prove. Second, pleading down to sexual assault means it’s no longer rape. You know who I primarily want making that decision? The girl can ultimately decide what happened and what she wants to do about it no police involved.

      This discussion is all about whether you want cops showing up to arrest doctors and recently pregnant women who may or may not have wanted to be pregnant.

      • Mirshe@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        2 months ago

        Don’t forget that criminal convictions take time. Months of time. By the time your rapist is caught, tried, and sentenced, you might have very well had their child already. Criminal convictions are not the neat and tidy SVU “oh we caught him and he’ll be tried and sentenced within two weeks” shtick.

    • neidu2@feddit.nlEnglish
      81·
      2 months ago

      While not common, I unfortunately have some anecdotal evidence to the contrary: I was an illegal* in Texas for a month, and i ate quite a few babies* while there. Not only that, but I was the wrong* skin color too.

      *: I was there as part of my job, on a tourist visa, which does allow for meetings and such. However, there were some last minute changes to the plan that involved some “proper” work that was originally scheduled for a different trip. Big nono.

      *: Despite my dislike for chicken, I ate quite a few at company dinners.

      *: I contracted a pretty bad sunburn while there.

      These fascist-wannabe fucktards probably would make some impressive contortionist performances while bending over backwards to explain how I’m not the type of immigrant they’re scared of.

      Oh, and for the “they’re bringing diseases”. Yup. I’ve had COVID twice. Both times contracted during business trips to the US. I had to quarantine before going “BaCk To WhErE i CaMe FrOm”

      • JovialMicrobial@lemm.eeEnglish
        4·
        2 months ago

        The thing is, a lot of white people in the US are probably descendants of illegal immigration and they either dont know, or dont care. I know my family is. During the Irish potato famine we can trace when my ancestors immigrated to Canada and illegally hopped the boarder into the US(they should’ve stayed in Canada, I could’ve been Canadian and have access to healthcare damnnit)

        I know my ancestors aren’t the only ones who did that. People were desperate then, just like they are now.

        I hate that this country has way too many bigoted hypocrites and too many talking heads that encourage them to believe bullshit lies.

  • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.caEnglish
    167·
    2 months ago

    Kimball musk:

    “In fact, when they did fund us, they realized that we were illegal immigrants,” Kimball says in the video.

    “Well, I mean…” Elon says.

    “Yes, we were,” Kimbal replies.

    “I’d say it was a gray area,” Elon insists as the crowd laughs.

    “We were illegal immigrants…” Kimbal says, continuing his story about

    • Spiralvortexisalie@lemmy.worldEnglish
      198·
      2 months ago

      I feel that to a certain extent, but saying his race (as opposed to his fortune and connections) obscures the real issue. Side note as far as I have ever seen was confirmed is he lied about post graduate, UPenn has confirmed his 4 year degree although I have heard (and tend to believe) there are many discrepancies behind that degree as well (but no “smoking gun”).

      • paultimate14@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        2 months ago

        There was the whole big lie about Obama’s birth certificate because he was black.

        John McCain was born in Panama but no one seemed to care about him.

        Melania Trump was an illegal immigrant and that didn’t stop her career or prevent Trump from winning the presidency.

        Raphael “Ted” Cruz was born in Alberta yet no one seems to care.

        White and Right is alright. I’ll cede that maybe if some useful idiot with dark skin and murky citizenship rose to power conservatives might decide to look the other way, but you need to be at least one for them to do so.

  • whoisearth@lemmy.caEnglish
    60·
    2 months ago

    You need the context. He’s an illegal immigrant yes but he’s also rich and white from an area of the world where he was probably raised with a sense of entitlement being Afrikaans from South Africa. When he was growing up black people were essentially a slave class and like many rich white people his family profited in part off of that.

    So keep in mind he’s the “right” type of illegal immigrant.

    • Deway@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      2 months ago

      White people are never illegal immigrants, they simply made an administrative mistake. Unless they’re from Eastern Europe. Then they are all dirty illegals.

  • Randomgal@lemmy.caEnglish
    261·
    2 months ago

    I hear that he ate dogs while waiting for his gender reassignment surgery in prison.

    • TheObviousSolution@lemm.eeEnglish
      41·
      2 months ago

      It’s funny that the term they ingratiated themselves with is derived from expatriate, which generally is several times more concerning than the term immigrant because of how it much more closely implies relinquishing nationality. Or just from how the wording sounds - ex, or no longer being, a patriot - although it is on par with how much more “American” some people seem to consider sovereign citizens being than democrats.

      The ridiculousness of a nation of immigrants to recognize that they have their own immigrants with their own goals and obstacles has led to the absurd and abusive treatment of the people termed “Accidental Americans” outside of the US.