Tesla sued for allegedly favoring foreign visa workers over Americans
Tesla is being sued in San Francisco federal court for allegedly giving preference to H-1B visa holders over US citizens when hiring.
The lawsuit claims that in 2024, Tesla laid off more than 6,000 US-based employees, the vast majority believed to be American citizens, while bringing on about 1,355 H-1B visa holders.
Two plaintiffs say they were passed over for jobs simply because they didn't need visa sponsorship.
Suit highlights potential civil rights violations
The suit accuses Tesla of violating civil rights laws and underpaying visa workers compared to Americans doing the same jobs.
It also points out job postings open only to H-1B candidates, which could leave US applicants at a disadvantage.
With CEO Elon Musk's own history as an H-1B holder, the case is drawing attention to how tech companies use visa programs—and what that means for fair pay and equal opportunity.
Tesla hasn't commented yet, but the outcome could shape future hiring practices across the industry.