The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken legal action against SpaceX, accusing the company of engaging in discriminatory hiring practices targeting refugees and asylum seekers. The lawsuit alleges that these practices occurred over a period of four years, from 2018 to 2022. The DOJ contends that SpaceX wrongly claimed that export control laws restricted it to hiring only US citizens and lawful permanent residents.
The investigation into these allegations began in 2020, prompted by complaints of employee discrimination received by the DOJ’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section. Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, stated that the investigation uncovered evidence that SpaceX had failed to give due consideration to asylees and refugees due to their citizenship status. This behavior, regardless of their qualifications, constitutes a violation of federal law, according to Clarke.
