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United States President Joe Biden has publicly slammed Tesla CEO Elon Musk for his hypocrisy regarding the country's immigration laws, following reports that the Tesla CEO worked illegally in the United States during the 1990s.

Speaking at a campaign event in Pittsburgh, Biden while referring to a Washington Post report alleging that Musk arrived in the US on a student visa for a graduate programme at Stanford University in 1995 but never actually enrolled said "And he's talking about all these illegals coming our way?"

"That wealthiest man in the world turned out to be an illegal worker here. No, I'm serious.

He was supposed to be in school when he came on a student visa.

He wasn't in school. He was violating the law. And he's talking about all these illegals coming our way?" remarked Biden.

This comment comes as Musk has increasingly engaged in political discourse, often echoing anti-immigration sentiments similar to those of former President Donald Trump, whom he has endorsed.

In response to Biden's remarks, Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to assert "I was in fact allowed to work in the US," and dismissed Biden's claims as false.

"The Biden puppet is lying," he claimed.

Musk clarified that he transitioned from a J-1 visa, which permits foreign students to gain practical training, to an H-1B visa for temporary employment.

Is Musk an illegal worker?
The Washington Post, on Saturday (Oct 16) reported that during a brief period in the 1990s, South African-born billionaire Musk worked illegally in the US while building his startup company Zip2.

It further highlighted concerns from investors at Zip2 about Musk's immigration status, noting that he was under pressure to secure a work visa.

It also referenced a 2005 email in which Musk to Tesla co-founders acknowledged not having legal authorisation to remain in the US when he began working on his startup. 

Citing two immigration law experts, the report noted that, to maintain valid work authorisation as a student, Musk would have needed to be enrolled in a full course of study.

Instead, he allegedly focused on his startup, Zip2, which he sold in 1999 for around $300 million.

Musk himself previously acknowledged on a podcast, back in 2020 "I was legally there, but I was meant to be doing student work.

I was allowed to do work sort of supporting whatever."