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https://lavocedinewyork.com/en/news/2025/09/21/bannon-demands-musk-be-deported-accuses-him-of-h-1b-scam/
Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon renewed his attacks on Elon Musk over the weekend, urging that the billionaire be deported to South Africa for allegedly abusing the H-1B visa system.
Speaking on his War Room podcast, Bannon described Musk as “totally illegal” and accused him of scamming his way into the United States. “He came in on an H-1B scam and built his whole record on it,” Bannon said. “If you’re talking about sending Ilhan Omar back to the Horn of Africa, I want to send Elon ‘Elmo’ back to South Africa. He’s a foreigner exploiting foreign labor to the detriment of American citizens.”
Bannon’s remarks came shortly after President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring companies to pay a $100,000 annual fee for each worker hired under an H-1B visa. The policy, expected to drastically curb the program, rattled corporate America, which has long relied on it to fill skilled positions at lower cost.
The feud between the two men stretches back months. Bannon has called H-1Bs a form of “indentured servitude,” while Musk has championed the program and vowed to fight restrictions. Tesla alone hired 724 workers on H-1B visas in 2023. Musk himself originally entered the U.S. on a similar visa.
Earlier this year, Bannon publicly urged the Trump administration to investigate Musk’s immigration history and alleged drug use. With Trump now moving against the visa program, Bannon claimed the advantage. “This was supposed to be the hill Musk would die on,” he said. “But right now, he’s the one bleeding.”
Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon renewed his attacks on Elon Musk over the weekend, urging that the billionaire be deported to South Africa for allegedly abusing the H-1B visa system.
Speaking on his War Room podcast, Bannon described Musk as “totally illegal” and accused him of scamming his way into the United States. “He came in on an H-1B scam and built his whole record on it,” Bannon said. “If you’re talking about sending Ilhan Omar back to the Horn of Africa, I want to send Elon ‘Elmo’ back to South Africa. He’s a foreigner exploiting foreign labor to the detriment of American citizens.”
Bannon’s remarks came shortly after President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring companies to pay a $100,000 annual fee for each worker hired under an H-1B visa. The policy, expected to drastically curb the program, rattled corporate America, which has long relied on it to fill skilled positions at lower cost.
The feud between the two men stretches back months. Bannon has called H-1Bs a form of “indentured servitude,” while Musk has championed the program and vowed to fight restrictions. Tesla alone hired 724 workers on H-1B visas in 2023. Musk himself originally entered the U.S. on a similar visa.
Earlier this year, Bannon publicly urged the Trump administration to investigate Musk’s immigration history and alleged drug use. With Trump now moving against the visa program, Bannon claimed the advantage. “This was supposed to be the hill Musk would die on,” he said. “But right now, he’s the one bleeding.”
