Elon Musk, renowned tech billionaire and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, reportedly worked without proper authorization in the United States during the 1990s as he embarked on building a startup. According to The Washington Post, Musk arrived in Palo Alto in 1995 to pursue studies at Stanford University but left before completing his program. Instead, he focused on developing Zip2, a software company. Although Musk reportedly obtained work authorization around 1997, his business activities might have faced scrutiny if he had attempted to go public earlier. In 1999, Musk sold Zip2 for approximately $300 million, a pivotal point that propelled him into becoming the world’s richest person.
Despite his success, the South African-born billionaire’s early unauthorized work status now stirs interest, especially in light of his recent political endorsements. Musk has endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and supported claims that “open borders” are detrimental to America. These views resonate widely on Musk’s social media platform, X, which reaches over 200 million followers. This endorsement seems to contrast sharply with Musk’s own history as an immigrant entrepreneur.
In a 2020 podcast, Musk claimed his activities were within legal boundaries, stating he was permitted to do work as a student. However, Leon Fresco, a former Justice Department immigration litigator, noted that engaging in activities aimed at facilitating revenue creation, such as coding or sales, could violate student work restrictions. This juxtaposition between Musk’s own immigrant background and his political stance adds layers to the conversation on immigration and entrepreneurship in America.
Original Story https://www.livemint.com/news/elon-musk-worked-illegally-in-us-to-build-a-startup-company-in-1990s-report-11729999889536.html
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