The administration of US President Joe Biden has filed a discrimination lawsuit against SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by CEO Elon Musk. However, Musk claims that the lawsuit is politically motivated, and that SpaceX has been targeted by the US Department of Justice for “political purposes.” He argues that SpaceX has always tried to abide by the law and has not discriminated against any group of people.
The lawsuit, announced by the Justice Department on Thursday, alleges that SpaceX refused to hire refugees and asylum seekers and discouraged them from applying. The company’s job advertisements explicitly stated that it could only hire US citizens and permanent residents due to the national security implications of rocket technology. However, the lawsuit argues that refugees and asylum seekers have the same employment rights as US citizens under a 1965 immigration law.
Musk responded to the lawsuit by stating that SpaceX had been informed by government officials on multiple occasions not to hire foreigners. He claimed that hiring anyone who was not a US permanent resident would violate international arms trafficking law and be a criminal offense. Musk also highlighted that SpaceX was directed not to hire even Canadian citizens, despite Canada’s participation in NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Musk further criticized the “weaponization” of government agencies, including the Department of Justice, for political purposes. He argued that such actions undermine public faith in the justice system. In a separate post, he called for an end to the weaponization of government agencies. Musk believes that the fundamental principle of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) law is to ensure that US companies with advanced weapons technology do not hire individuals who may pose a threat to national security.
The arms trafficking law, ITAR, requires US companies with advanced weapons technology to hire individuals who are permanent residents of the United States. Therefore, all SpaceX job listings indicate that non-US citizens or permanent residents must obtain an ITAR waiver from the State Department to work at the company.
Although Musk is not a political rival of President Biden, tensions between him and the Biden administration have been simmering since Musk acquired Twitter last October. Musk has made claims of a conspiracy by the White House, FBI, and other government agencies to control the flow of information on Twitter. This prompted reports of a national security investigation into Musk.
In conclusion, the discrimination lawsuit filed against SpaceX by the Biden administration has sparked a heated response from Elon Musk. He denies any wrongdoing and argues that SpaceX has always followed the law in regards to its hiring practices. Musk also criticizes the alleged weaponization of government agencies, stating that it undermines public trust in the justice system. The lawsuit raises complex questions involving national security, immigration laws, and the regulations surrounding the hiring practices of companies with advanced weapons technology.
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