Teen Who Faced Deportation Responds to Elon Musk Comment on Her Appearance

 

Teen Who Faced Deportation Responds to Elon Musk Comment on Her Appearance

 

Published

Dec 30, 2025 at 06:35 AM EST

https://www.newsweek.com/teen-faced-deportation-responds-elon-musk-comment-on-appearance-11283225

Billal Rahman

By Billal Rahman

Immigration Reporter

 

Newsweek is a Trust Project member

 

A 19-year-old woman who avoided deportation from Denmark spoke out after Elon Musk sparked backlash by commenting on her appearance in connection with her immigration case.

 

Why It Matters

The remark drew significant attention on social media for focusing on physical appearance rather than the legal aspects of her case. Musk faced a wave of criticism on his platform X, with users calling him "creepy."

 

Who is Audrey Morris

Audrey Morris, originally from Los Angeles, moved to Denmark at age nine and grew up there. Earlier this year, Danish authorities questioned her residency status after a violation of her visa conditions. While she was ultimately granted a 10-year residency permit, she was denied Danish citizenship, The Daily Beast reported.

 

"The support and kindness I have received throughout my case is deeply touching and appreciated," Morris told Newsweek in a statement. "My wish is for moral integrity and academic achievements never to be overshadowed by appearances because my faith teaches me that our true worth comes from God, not from how we look, but from our character, humility, and the values we live by.

 

 

"It is important now more than ever for society to recognize deeper measures of worth. I wish the focus on immigration could remain a matter of substance and integrity, which I believe the Lord calls us to honor above all else.

 

"I feel a strong responsibility to use the voice I have been given to encourage a faith-based community for my generation."

 

What did Elon Musk Say About Audrey Morris?

Musk posted a message in response to a deleted post on X suggesting that individuals with "8 or above level hotness" should receive an exemption from deportation.

 

"I wasn’t surprised [by Musk’s input], I guess you could say, because from the beginning, the second that my case was kind of made public, it has been about appearances and because, ‘oh, she’s blonde and she’s white!’ And so the thing he said in of itself wasn’t shocking to me, but coming from him, yes, it was definitely...I was floored," Morris told The Daily Beast.

 

What To Know

In response, Morris described the comment as "crazy" and said she was surprised that attention from Musk centered on her looks instead of her achievements, such as her academic work and volunteer efforts.

 

"It would’ve been really cool if he commented something like, 'Oh wow, look how many academic things she’s reached,' or whatever. That would’ve been great. It could have been so helpful," she told The Daily Beast.

 

She also told the outlet that while she expected some attention on her case, Musk’s specific remark was shocking given the context.

 

Morris was denied citizenship, unlike her American mother and 15-year-old brother, who both received it, as per The Daily Beast.

 

 

Before her residence permit was finalized earlier this year, the possibility of deportation was so real that she made contingency plans to return to the U.S., which would have meant leaving behind her family and long-term boyfriend, the outlet reported.

 

Both of her parents are U.S. citizens, and the family moved to Aarhus, Denmark’s second-largest city, in 2015 so her mother could pursue a Ph.D. Morris has lived there since she was nine years old.

 

Her visa issues stemmed from a residency permit tied to her family’s move to Denmark. Authorities questioned her status after she moved to a school dormitory in a different city, which breached the conditions of her dependent family member visa.

 

"Even in a tightly regulated system, there just has to be room for real people and real lives and not just paperwork, because a technicality literally changed my entire life," she told The Daily Beast.

 

Musk, who was born in South Africa and later became a U.S. citizen, briefly took on a role in the administration during the early months of President Donald Trump’s second term.

 

He served as a special government employee advising on Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, an initiative aimed at cutting federal spending, before stepping back from that position after a few months and engaging in a social media spat with the president.

 

Musk has criticized illegal immigration and supported tougher enforcement measures. He has also defended the H1-B visa program, which allows U.S. companies to hire skilled foreign workers. His support for H1-B visas created tension with some hard-liners within MAGA's political coalition.

 

Musk has recently been involved in further controversy as he was named in files from the Jeffrey Epstein estate, which were turned over to the House Oversight Committee and include phone messages, flight logs, financial records and Epstein’s schedule.

 

The documents show that Musk had been invited to Epstein’s island in December 2014, though he had previously said he declined the invitation.

 

Records show Epstein’s schedule included a note about a possible trip by Musk to his private island, reading, "Reminder: Elon Musk to island on Dec. 6 (is this still happening?)," with a date of December 6, 2014

 

What People Are Saying

Audrey Morris told The Daily Beast: “[But] if this just at least brings it to the attention of anyone who cares, then I’m fine with being embarrassed a little bit. That’s okay."

 

Musk wrote in a post on X in response to a deleted post: "8 or above level hotness should get an exemption."

 

Update, 12/30/26, 10:55 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Audrey Morris.