Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) didn’t hold back in her response to Tesla CEO Elon Musk‘s comments about her intelligence regarding the ongoing immigration issue. She showcased her achievements and delivered a defiant “stay mad.”
What Happened: In a post on X, AOC emphasized her modest beginnings and listed her significant contributions, such as investigating Donald Trump‘s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, creating the largest FEMA funeral assistance program, and leading the establishment of a U.S. Climate Corps for job creation.
“I wasn't born rich and became the youngest woman in American history to be elected to Congress. Then I investigated Cohen, authored the largest FEMA funeral assistance program in history, and led the creation of a U.S. Climate Corps to create tens of thousands of new jobs. Stay mad,” she wrote on X.
Her response was directed at Musk, who had commented, “She's just not that smart,” below a video clip of her comparing the current immigration issue to historical immigration waves in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Musk replied: “I take it back – you're obviously a genius.”
See Also: Tesla User Shares Full Self-Driving Passes The ‘Wife Test,’ Elon Musk Responds: ‘Great Story’
In the video, AOC can be heard saying, “When it comes to people coming to New York City today … are nothing, nothing compared to the daily amounts of people that we saw coming in through Ellis Island in the first half of this century. More than 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954.”
Why It Matters: It’s worth noting that prior to 1890, individual states, rather than the Federal Government, regulated immigration into the United States. Castle Garden (now Castle Clinton), located in the Battery of Manhattan, served as the New York State immigration station from 1855 to 1890. According to the Ellis Island Foundation, approximately eight million immigrants passed through its doors during that period, mostly from Northern European countries.
Regarding the immigration issue, President Joe Biden has criticized Republicans for handling the crisis, claiming that they left the system disarrayed during the Trump administration and failed to provide necessary funding. Biden has allocated over $1 billion in Congress-approved funds to states and cities dealing with an influx of migrants. However, his approach has faced criticism from both Republicans and some Democratic leaders.
Meanwhile, Musk and AOC share a frosty relationship. Recently, she announced plans to replace her Tesla Model 3 with a union-made electric vehicle amidst rising tensions with Musk due to the UAW strike.
After Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, which was rebranded as X, AOC criticized his plan to remove the app’s legacy blue checkmarks, expressing concerns about the potential erosion of the platform’s user verification system. She also questioned Musk’s $8 subscription plan for free speech on Twitter, suggesting that he was trying to sell people on the idea.
Meanwhile, Musk has also been critical of the Congresswoman’s stance against certain policies. In 2022, he challenged AOC to conduct a poll among her supporters to check whether they trusted billionaires or politicians less.
Photos via Shutterstock
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