Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently commented on a viral video that shows Indian citizens taking the perilous ‘donkey route’ to enter the United States illegally. Musk, who has been vocal about the challenges posed by undocumented immigration in American cities, reposted the video on X and offered his thoughts on the issue.
Musk’s Support for Legal Immigration
They’re not wrong. The financial incentives are so strong to go to California and New York, that most of Earth should move there. https://t.co/u8AWCWY6iK
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 6, 2024
The video, originally posted by the account End of Wokeness, shows groups of illegal immigrants, including Indians, making their way into the US, heading towards cities like California, Texas, and New York. The caption read, “Your new neighbours are on the way.” Musk shared the post, commenting, “They’re not wrong,” and pointed out that financial incentives in cities like California and New York are so appealing that “most of Earth should move there.”
Musk also reiterated his support for faster and increased legal immigration for those meeting specific requirements. He highlighted that the current legal immigration system is “totally broken” and should be much smoother and easier for individuals trying to enter the US lawfully. His post, viewed over 37.7 million times, sparked a mix of reactions from his followers.
Mixed Reactions to Musk’s Comments
While some agreed with Musk’s stance, others criticized his view. Collin Rugg, co-owner of Trending Politics, sarcastically pointed out how cities like New York are offering financial incentives to immigrants while also asking them to stop coming. Another user remarked on the high taxes and challenging living conditions in these cities.
California as a country would have 5th largest nominal GDP on Earth. It has 39 million people!
Its home to *5* companies worth $1 trillion+ (Europe has zero).
It has best year round weather anywhere on Earth.
It has 3 of the top 12 universities on the planet.
Dumb tweet. https://t.co/6N3arLPOip
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) September 7, 2024
On the other hand, Aaron Bastani, co-founder of Novara Media, disagreed with Musk’s assessment, noting that California, if considered a country, would have the 5th largest GDP globally. He emphasized that the state is home to five companies worth over $1 trillion and has some of the best weather and universities in the world.
Panama Deports Indian Migrants
In a related event, Panama deported 130 irregular Indian migrants who had entered the country through the treacherous Darien jungle. This deportation was the first outside the Americas under an agreement with the US. Panama’s director of migration, Roger Mojica, confirmed that the migrants were flown to New Delhi as part of a repatriation initiative aimed at curbing unauthorized crossings into the US.
As irregular migration continues to strain resources and diplomatic relations, officials from both the US and Panama have acknowledged that managing the crisis requires collaboration.
