The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Thursday against SpaceX alleging the company discriminated against asylum seekers and refugees. The lawsuit against Space Exploration Technologies Corporation points out that, from at least September 2018 to May 2022, Elon Musk's company dissuaded these groups from applying for employment and refused to hire them, which would be a violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The lawsuit alleges that Musk and SpaceX management made false claims that the company could not hire anyone who was not a U.S. citizen or green card holder, due to "export control laws," but the Justice Department argued that those laws do not enforce such restrictions.
"Our investigation found that SpaceX failed to fairly consider or hire asylees and refugees because of their citizenship status and imposed what amounted to a ban on their hire regardless of their qualification, in violation of federal law," said in a statement press release the Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
Billionaire Elon Musk formed SpaceX in 2002 as a private company. The Justice Department's Immigrant and Employee Rights Section opened an investigation into SpaceX in May 2020.
The lawsuit alleges that SpaceX's recruiters and senior staff "took actions that actively discouraged" asylees and refugees from seeking job opportunities at the company. "Our investigation also found that SpaceX recruiters and high-level officials took actions that actively discouraged asylees and refugees from seeking work opportunities at the company." Clarke said.
As to those asylees and refugees who did apply for jobs at SpaceX, the company failed to fairly consider and refused to hire them because of their citizenship status.
Prosecutors are seeking fair consideration and payment of arrears for asylees and refugees who were sued and denied employment. The government is also seeking civil penalties against the company.
