Fri Feb 21 01:43:38 UTC 2025: ## Justice Department Drops Case Against SpaceX Over Immigrant Hiring Practices
**Washington, D.C. – February 21, 2025** – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday that it will drop its case against SpaceX, accusing the Elon Musk-owned company of discriminatory hiring practices against asylum seekers and refugees. The DOJ had alleged that between 2018 and 2022, SpaceX routinely discouraged these individuals from applying for jobs, citing export control laws as a justification. The DOJ now claims these laws did not impose such restrictions.
The case, filed in August 2023 under the Biden administration, was met with resistance from SpaceX, which denied any wrongdoing and argued that strict export control laws limited its hiring pool. SpaceX also challenged the DOJ’s authority to adjudicate the case through an in-house administrative judge. A judge temporarily halted proceedings while considering both sides’ arguments.
The DOJ’s decision to dismiss the case with prejudice means it cannot be refiled. The move comes after the department signaled last month it might drop the case. While neither SpaceX nor the DOJ immediately commented on the dismissal, the decision coincides with the current administration’s broader focus on streamlining federal agencies and reducing the perceived overreach of regulatory powers. The case’s dismissal highlights the shifting political landscape and the ongoing debate surrounding immigration policies and the enforcement powers of federal agencies.
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