Elon Musk explains why he's ringing the 'alarm bell' on illegal immigration: 'Crushing the country'

Tech mogul Elon Musk shared why he has become an increasingly vocal critic of illegal immigration in a post on X that warned U.S. "essential services" are at risk. 

On Tuesday, Musk reacted to a report from Fox News' Bill Melugin that Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., is requesting federal funds to provide more beds for a migrant shelter in San Diego. Butler said 800 to 1,000 migrants will be mass released daily if the bankrupt shelter does not gain access to additional funds.

"Dams are bursting all over the country," Musk wrote in a post that quoted Melugin. "America is only 4% of Earth’s population. If only 1% of the rest of Earth moves here, that would crush all essential services." 

"I am ringing the alarm bell, because the flood of illegals is crushing the country!" the billionaire explained.

MUSK SAYS DEMS WON'T DEPORT CRIMINAL MIGRANTS ‘BECAUSE EVERY ILLEGAL IS A HIGHLY LIKELY VOTE’

Nearly 7.3 million migrants have illegally crossed the southwest border under President Biden's watch, a number greater than the individual population of 36 states, a Fox News analysis found.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report for fiscal 2023 shows that the number of illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket has soared from 3.7 million in FY 2021 to nearly 4.8 million in FY 2022 to nearly 6.2 million in FY 2023.

Musk, who legally immigrated to the U.S. from South Africa, has ramped up his scorching criticism of Biden's border policies in recent months. He visited the U.S.-Mexico border at Eagle Pass, Texas, in September, when he declared the "situation is beyond insane and growing fast." 

On Monday, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO reiterated his belief that Democrats have allowed illegal migrants to pour into the country so that they will vote blue at some point in the future — and that they are reluctant to deport any who commit crimes since it would be akin to losing potential voters. 

ELON MUSK WEIGHS IN ON ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

"Dems won’t deport, because every illegal is a highly likely vote at some point," Musk wrote. "That simple incentive explains what seems to be insane behavior."

His comments came amid a raging online debate on immigration after Diego Ibarra, the brother of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley murder suspect Jose Antonio Ibarra, was not deported despite entering the country illegally and then going on to be arrested multiple times. He was also caught with a fake green card.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, who is charged with crimes including malice murder, murder, and kidnapping, also entered the U.S. illegally and had previously been arrested in New York City for acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation. The brothers are from Venezuela.

"It has become so brazen that a gang of illegals can beat up police officers on camera in Times Square, get out of jail for free and *still* not get deported!" Musk said on X.

7.2M ILLEGALS ENTERED THE US UNDER BIDEN ADMIN, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN POPULATION OF 36 STATES

That reference was to the mob of illegal migrants who viciously beat up two NYPD officers last month and were then initially released with no bail. One of the released migrants flipped the bird at waiting reporters as he left a Manhattan police precinct, sparking a public uproar. 

Several of those arrested in relation to the attack had already been arrested and let go for a spate of different crimes in the Big Apple. ICE says two of the suspects are members of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization, a violent Venezuela-based gang that has expanded into multiple Latin American countries in the past few years and, more recently, has been attempting to gain footholds in the U.S., according to authorities. 

Musk has also criticized the economic impacts of illegal immigration in a series of social media posts attributing rising costs for services and benefits to increased demand from more people living in America.

"A few other things you probably don’t know: illegals in America can get bank loans, mortgages, insurance, driver’s licenses, free healthcare (California & New York) and in-state college tuition," Musk wrote on Feb. 3. "What’s the point of being a citizen if an illegal gets all the benefits, but doesn’t pay taxes or do jury duty?"

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"If you’re wondering why housing is so expensive, this is a major contributor," he added.

While Musk has harshly condemned illegal immigration, he has emphasized his support for legal immigration pathways, which he himself benefited from.

"As a reminder, I am very much PRO increasing legal immigration significantly," Musk wrote on X. "I’m not anti-immigration, I’m just against a massive number of unvetted people flooding into America, which any rational person should be."

FOX Business' Michael Dorgan and Eric Revell contributed to this report.