The US government’s lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice on August 24 accuses billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX of routinely discouraging asylum seekers and refugees from applying for jobs, according to The Guardian . The company also refused to hire or consider them because of their citizenship status. According to the US Justice Department, SpaceX’s actions took place from at least September 2018 to May 2022.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket at the company's facility in Florida on August 24.
SpaceX allegedly incorrectly cited export control laws to tell non-U.S. job applicants that the company could only hire Americans or green card holders, i.e. permanent residents. However, the Justice Department stressed that the laws did not make such a provision and that SpaceX could hire asylum seekers and refugees just like U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
On the other hand, SpaceX was accused of making public announcements, job applications, and recruitment notices that did not include refugees, and did not fairly review applications from this group. According to the accusation, during the four years mentioned above, SpaceX only hired US citizens and green card holders.
Asylum seekers and refugees are not only excluded from highly skilled positions such as rocket engineers and software engineers, but also from jobs such as cleaning houses, cooking and washing dishes.
The Justice Department is asking billionaire Elon Musk’s company to give refugees a fair chance, impose penalties, and change policies to ensure companies comply. It is also asking those denied the opportunity to join the lawsuit. SpaceX has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
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