Elon Musk’s Misguided Views on Immigration and the Census
The Flawed Logic Behind Musk’s Statements
In a recent interview with Don Lemon, Elon Musk expressed his belief that undocumented immigrants are incentivized to come to the United States to vote for the Democratic party. However, as Lemon pointed out, undocumented immigrants, legal immigrants on visas, and green card holders are not eligible to vote. Musk then shifted his argument, claiming that immigrants impact congressional apportionment through the census.
“The House seat apportionment is proportionate to the number of people, not just the number of citizens,” Musk said, adding that immigrants “overwhelmingly go to places like California and New York.”
The Reality of the Immigration System
While it is true that congressional apportionment is based on census population data, Musk’s argument reveals a lack of understanding of the immigration system. The majority of individuals arriving at the border today will not be in the country by the time the next census is conducted in 2030. Upon crossing the border without authorization or requesting asylum, they are given a hearing date in immigration court, often months or years in the future due to the significant backlog of cases.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the average adjudication time for asylum cases is now slightly over four years. However, this is still not long enough for most people to be counted in the census. Furthermore, only 9% of cases decided in the 2023 fiscal year resulted in asylum or another form of relief, while the rest ended in deportation.
The Path to Citizenship for Asylees
Even for those granted asylum, the path to voting rights is not immediate. Asylees must wait a year after receiving asylum to apply for green cards, and then at least five more years before applying for citizenship. The facts, however, are often irrelevant to those convinced by the great replacement theory.
The Racist and Antisemitic Roots of the Great Replacement Theory
At its core, the great replacement theory is a fundamentally racist and antisemitic conspiracy theory. Its adherents are fixated on birth rates and believe in a global plot to eradicate the white race through ethnic replacement. Musk has previously hinted at this belief by favorably responding to an antisemitic post on X that accused “Jewish populations” of sending “hordes of minorities” to Western countries.
“If I quote something, it doesn’t mean I agree with everything in it,” Musk said. “It’s just something that — I think this is something people should consider.”
Musk appears to be attempting to have it both ways: sending obvious great replacement dogwhistles while avoiding accusations of wholeheartedly believing in what he’s saying. When it suits him, X is the most important social platform for information, with far-reaching implications for free speech and democracy. However, when faced with criticism or asked to explain his own posts, he dismisses them as mere tweets.
1 Comment
Elon Musk sure knows how to stir the pot, doesn’t he