US Judge Blocks Department of Justice from Pursuing Case Against SpaceX, Alleging Discrimination Against Refugees and Asylum Recipients
A US judge has blocked the Department of Justice from pursuing a case against SpaceX for allegedly refusing to hire refugees and asylum recipients. The judge ruled that the administrative judges involved were not properly appointed, halting the case until a constitutional lawsuit is resolved.
In a recent development, a US judge has blocked the Department of Justice from pursuing an administrative case against Elon Musk's SpaceX for allegedly refusing to hire refugees and asylum recipients. US District Judge Rolando Olvera in Brownsville, Texas, ruled that the administrative judges involved in cases of anti-immigrant bias were not properly appointed. This decision effectively halts the Department of Justice's case against SpaceX until the outcome of the company's lawsuit claiming that the administrative case violates the US Constitution.
The allegations made by the Department of Justice state that between 2018 and 2022, SpaceX systematically discouraged asylum recipients and refugees from applying for employment and refused to consider or hire them. The department argues that SpaceX falsely claimed, in job postings and public statements, that it was restricted by federal export control laws and could only hire US citizens and green card holders. The Justice Department pointed to a tweet by Musk in June 2020, where he stated that SpaceX required at least a green card for employment due to the advanced technology involved in rockets.
SpaceX has strongly denied any wrongdoing and asserted that it has hired numerous non-US citizens. The company has filed a lawsuit, challenging the authority of administrative judges appointed by the US attorney general. SpaceX argues that these judges possess powers that should be reserved exclusively for officials appointed by the president.
Judge Olvera concurred with the company's argument, stating that since federal law does not grant the attorney general the authority to review the judges' decisions, the Constitution mandates that they be appointed by the president and confirmed by the US Senate. Both the Department of Justice and SpaceX have refrained from immediate comments regarding the judge's decision. The outcome of this case will not only impact SpaceX's hiring practices but also have broader implications concerning the appointment of administrative judges and their decision-making authority.
