Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), owned by Elon Musk, is facing a lawsuit from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) over allegations of discriminatory hiring practices against asylum seekers and refugees. According to the DOJ, SpaceX has been incorrectly asserting that U.S. export control laws only permit them to hire U.S. citizens and permanent residents, which has discouraged individuals with asylum or refugee status from seeking employment at the company.
The DOJ’s statement clarifies that while SpaceX is obliged to comply with legal constraints on exporting specific goods and technologies, U.S. law does not mandate differential treatment of asylum seekers and refugees compared to citizens or green card holders in terms of employment.
The lawsuit aims to seek civil penalties against SpaceX and backpay for individuals who were either deterred from applying or denied employment due to their citizenship status. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division stated that the investigation found SpaceX’s practices violated federal law by not considering or hiring qualified asylees and refugees based on their citizenship status.
In response to the lawsuit, Elon Musk, also the owner of the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), criticized the DOJ’s action, describing it as a politically motivated misuse of the department. Musk claimed that SpaceX was repeatedly informed that hiring non-U.S. permanent residents would breach international arms trafficking regulations.
SpaceX, established in 2002 by Musk, aims to reduce space travel costs and enable interplanetary journeys. The company also operates Starlink, a network of low-orbit satellites providing commercial internet services, which has been significant in supporting communication efforts in Ukraine following the Russian invasion. As of the report, SpaceX has not issued a formal response to the lawsuit.
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