Elon Musk’s visit to the US-Mexico border was blighted by tech issues as he attempted to livestream the experience on his own social media website, X.
The X owner’s livestream lasted just four minutes before it crashed on Thursday. Mr Musk was later able to start a new feed and complete his thoughts, before the feed crashed again after 11 minutes.
Mr Musk reportedly sent a company-wide email to his staff at X following the disastrous livestream. “Please fix this,” he instructed staff, according to New York Times tech reporter Ryan Mac.
Thursday’s livestream was not the first time the billionaire’s attempts to use his own platform have been thwarted by tech issues. Mr Musk previously attempted to host Ron DeSantis‘s presidential campaign launch on X, but the two men were forced to abort the live stream after it was marred by repeated collapse of the connection.
Mr Musk said his visit to the Texan city of Eagle Pass on Thursday was prompted by his concerns about stories of violent criminals finding their way into the US after Eagle Pass law enforcement arrested more than 17,000 illegal immigrants in the last 10 days, according to the Washington Examiner.
Thousands of migrants are believed to have ventured to northern Mexico in recent days on freight trains and buses, before crossing the US border into Texas, Arizona and California.
The sharp increase, notably around San Diego, California, and the Texas border towns of El Paso and Eagle Pass, follows an earlier lull in unauthorized border crossings following a new asylum policy imposed by Democratic president Joe Biden’s administration to discourage such activity.
Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X, views the Rio Grande river during a visit to Eagle Pass, Texas— (REUTERS)
Mr Musk live streamed his visit to Eagle Pass to obtain what he called an “unfiltered” view of the situation after thousands of migrants reportedly waded across the Rio Grande near a railroad bridge in Eagle Pass, undeterred by coils of razor wire placed along the river banks by the Texas National Guard.
He called for an “expedited legal approval” as part of a “greatly expanded legal immigration system” that welcomes “hard-working and honest” migrants, while also barring entry for those who are “breaking the law.”
Mr Musk also claimed some “pretty extreme people” were arriving illegally in Eagle Pass. He said: “We are in this absurd situation where the vast majority of people are not in fact asylum seekers - you can actually read on Google in any language you want what are the magic words you need to say.
“And then you are automatically in the asylum, sort of, queue. Which takes several years before you actually see anyone. And then even if you do see one, even if you are denied, you are not deported.”
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk with Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) while visiting the Texas-Mexico border— (Getty Images)
He added that he is “very much in favor of expanded legal immigration.”
“I think anyone who is hard-working and honest and will be a net addition to the economy - I think we should let them in,” he said.
“But I mean what we are seeing are, in some cases, some pretty extreme individuals coming through. Obviously not suggesting everyone is like this.
“They have murdered someone and they are so proud of having murdered someone they tattoo one tear on their face for every person they have killed,” said Mr Musk.
“And this person claimed asylum. And we let them in. A serial murderer. Who is proud of their murders. This is insane.”
New York-based congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticised Mr Musk’s livestream, accusing the billionaire of taking a “joyride” to the border.
