US sues SpaceX for alleged hiring discrimination against refugees and others

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued SpaceX, the rocket company founded and run by Elon Musk, for alleged hiring discrimination against refugees and people seeking or already granted asylum. The complaint, filed in an administrative court within the department, asserts that SpaceX wrongly claimed that federal export control laws barred it from hiring anyone but U.S. citizens and permanent residents. It said that as a result, the company discouraged refugees and asylum seekers and grantees from applying. The company also allegedly refused to “fairly” consider applications from this group of people or to hire them for both positions requiring advanced degrees and others such as welders, cooks and crane operators. SpaceX did not return a request for comment.