(Washington) The United States Department of Justice announced Thursday that it has filed a lawsuit against the company SpaceX led by Elon Musk for discrimination in hiring against refugees.

In its job postings and recruitments from September 2018 to September 2022, SpaceX incorrectly claimed that it could only hire Americans or permanent resident “green card” holders, due to “export control laws” to which the company had to comply, the department said in a statement.

“Our investigation has determined that SpaceX unjustly screened out refugees based on their status and imposed what amounted to a hiring ban, regardless of their qualifications, in violation of federal law,” said the Deputy Secretary of Justice Kristen Clarke, quoted in the text.

“Export control laws do not impose such restrictions on hiring,” the department points out.

These lawsuits seek redress, including financial, “for refugees deterred or denied employment opportunities at SpaceX because of this alleged discrimination,” he explains.

In December 2021, six women also filed a complaint against this same Californian site, accusing the electric car construction group of having tolerated sexual harassment (rubbish and unsolicited physical contact).