The United States Justice Department has sued Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) for denying asylum-seekers and refugees employment.

The lawsuit was filed against SpaceX on Thursday. The suit stated that SpaceX had continuously refused to employ or consider any asylees and refugees from at least September 2018 to May 2022.

SpaceX had also claimed that under federal regulations known as “export control laws,” SpaceX could hire only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, sometimes referred to as “green card holders.”

Following the case, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said “Our investigation found that SpaceX failed to fairly consider or hire asylees and refugees because of their citizenship status and imposed what amounted to a ban on their hire regardless of their qualification, in violation of federal law.

“Our investigation also found that SpaceX recruiters and high-level officials took actions that actively discouraged asylees and refugees from seeking work opportunities at the company. Asylees and refugees have overcome many obstacles in their lives, and unlawful employment discrimination based on their citizenship status should not be one of them. Through this lawsuit, we will hold SpaceX accountable for its illegal employment practices and seek relief that allows asylees and refugees to fairly compete for job opportunities and contribute their talents to SpaceX’s workforce.”

Meanwhile, the United States disclosed that it seeks fair consideration and back pay for asylees and refugees who were denied employment at SpaceX, as both asylees and refugees are migrants to the United States who have been careful and critically examined to obtain their status and therefore under INA employers cannot discriminate against them in hiring except required by a law, government contract, executive order or regulation.

The U.S. also seeks civil penalties in an amount to be determined by the court and policy changes to ensure it complies with the INA’s nondiscrimination mandate going forward.