Reuters By Daniel Wiessner 3/25/2024
Summary
• SpaceX says Justice Department judges not properly appointed
• Judge temporarily blocked DOJ bias claims against SpaceX
• Agency says in motion that company's claims lack merit
SpaceX's lawsuit claiming administrative judges at the U.S. Department of Justice have been improperly appointed could dramatically curb enforcement of a federal law barring discrimination against job applicants based on citizenship, the department told a Texas federal judge.
The Justice Department in a motion for summary judgment filed in federal court in Brownsville, Texas, on Friday said that because rulings by administrative judges can be reviewed by the U.S. attorney general, they do not have to be appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as SpaceX claims.
The rocket and satellite maker in a lawsuit filed last year alleged that administrative judges appointed by the attorney general who hear citizenship bias cases filed by DOJ wield executive power that, under the U.S. Constitution, should be reserved only for presidential appointees.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera in November said SpaceX was likely to prevail on that claim and temporarily blocked DOJ from pursuing an administrative case accusing SpaceX of refusing to hire asylum recipients and refugees, pending the outcome of the lawsuit.
More:
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/spacex-lawsuit-could-gut-protections-non-us-citizen-job-seekers-doj-says-2024-03-25/
