The Department of Justice sued Elon Musk’s SpaceX, claiming the company discriminated against refugees and asylum seekers.
The lawsuit alleges SpaceX “wrongly claimed” that export control laws prevented it from hiring those who are not US citizens or lawful permanent residents.
“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,” Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.
Clarke also said that the DOJ’s investigation found “SpaceX recruiters and high-level officials took actions that actively discouraged asylees and refugees from seeking work opportunities at the company.”
The DOJ has been investigating SpaceX’s hiring practices that effected applicants between 2018 and 2022 since June 2022, when it received a discrimination complaint from a non-US citizen.
A non-citizen man named Fabian Hutter filed the compliant during a March 2020 interview during which he was asked about his citizenship status.
The lawsuit seeks “fair consideration and back pay for asylees and refugees who were deterred or denied employment at SpaceX due to the alleged discrimination” in addition to civil penalties and policy changes from the company.
Musk Responds on X
News of the lawsuit becoming public attracted opinions from other space industry leaders.
Tom Mueller, CEO of Impulse Space – which seeks to launch the first commercial mission to Mars by 2026, called out the DOJ’s hypocrisy.
“So, if I let a non-US citizen see our rocket hardware, I go to ITAR jail, but if i don’t hire a non US citizen I get sued by DoJ. Got it,” he posted on X.
Musk responded to the post, “Exactly. SpaceX was told repeatedly that hiring anyone who was not a permanent resident of the United States would violate international arms trafficking law, which would be a criminal offense. We couldn’t even hire Canadian citizens, despite Canada being part of NORAD!”
“This is yet another case of weaponization of the DOJ for political purposes.”
This is another example of the abomination that this administration is. They are suing one of the greatest entrepreneurs in America because he will not break the law by hiring someone who is not eligible to be hired. They are after him just like they are after one of the Greatest President in the last 100 years.
The chinks probably had some spies in the ranks!
Totally political, totally bullshit. Exactly what I would expect from a criminal like Biden trying to conceal his own crimes.
So, SpaceX has to hire people that don’t even know English and have no skills to design rockets, or the weaponized DOJ and Briden’s other agencies will sue you and destroy you. Incredible!
Totally Un-American! We are an occupied nation, folks!
A short time ago, checking citizenship was required by law! We must quickly realize the gravity of our situation, before we reach the point of no return…without bloodshed.
Forces we can’t comprehend have seized control of our Republic! I see no Republicans alarmed! Are they blind? How far will “We the People” allow this to go? The endgame is of the Enemy is too horrible to contemplate!
This is no movie. Put down the remote and fishing pole and GET MAD…GET INVOLVED!
E VERAFY, NOT
Why is it suddenly a crime to not hire non citizens,particularly if those are criminal invaders? Hiring the used to be the crime.
Are we now under the power of a foreign government? Which country? Russia, China, Mexico, etc etc etc etc. Does the DOJ not know that’s it’s against the laws of the United States for business’ to hire non citizens foreign invaders? Has any of these government entitlement idiots ever been to school? Let your elected officials know what you think. They won’t care, but another election is always coming up.
If this is what Biden’s bunch of thugs want, he should hire one of the gutter rats to clean the bathrooms and cut the grass, but they must speak english.