DOJ sues SpaceX for alleged discrimination against refugees and asylum-seekers.

The Justice Department Files Lawsuit ⁣Against SpaceX for Discriminatory Hiring Practices

The Justice Department has taken⁤ legal action against the Space Exploration Technologies ⁤Corporation, commonly known ⁣as SpaceX,⁢ founded ‌by Elon ⁤Musk. The lawsuit alleges that the company ⁣engaged in​ discriminatory hiring ‍practices specifically ⁣targeting asylum-seekers and refugees.

The DOJ’s Immigrant ⁣and Employee Rights Section filed the lawsuit on Thursday, accusing SpaceX ‌of discouraging​ these individuals‌ from applying and refusing to hire them based on their citizenship​ status. This alleged behavior occurred between September 2018 and May 2022. ⁢The company ⁣falsely claimed that‍ “export control laws” restricted them to hiring⁤ only U.S. ⁢citizens ⁢and lawful permanent residents, which⁢ the DOJ’s statement clarifies‌ as untrue.

Unfair Hiring Practices and Statistics

The lawsuit reveals ‌that⁤ from September 1, 2018,⁢ to September ​30,⁤ 2020, SpaceX ‌only hired U.S. ‍citizens and lawful​ permanent residents. ⁢During⁤ the period from September 2018 to ⁣May 2022,‌ the company hired over 10,000 employees, with only one being an asylum-seeker. Notably, this individual ⁤was hired four months⁢ after the investigation was ‍initiated by the IER. ‍These statistics were provided by SpaceX to the federal government.

DOJ’s Response and Call‌ for Accountability

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division stated, “Our investigation⁢ found that SpaceX failed​ to ⁣fairly consider or⁢ hire asylees and refugees because of ⁣their citizenship status, violating federal ⁢law.” Clarke further highlighted⁢ that SpaceX recruiters and high-level officials actively ⁣discouraged​ asylees and refugees from seeking employment opportunities at the company. The DOJ aims to hold SpaceX accountable for these ⁢illegal practices and ⁣seek​ relief that⁣ allows asylees and refugees to compete​ fairly for job opportunities ⁢and contribute their talents to the company’s workforce.

The lawsuit demands that⁣ SpaceX immediately ‌cease and ⁢desist ‌from these discriminatory practices.⁢ Additionally, the company may be required ‍to pay an unspecified amount determined by the administrative law judge assigned to the‍ case.

As of now, SpaceX ‌has not provided any comment regarding the lawsuit.

Source: The Washington ⁢Examiner