(The Center Square) – Chattanooga’s Covenant Transport and Transport Management Services have been fined $700,000 by the U.S. Department of Justice for discriminating against immigrants by asking for green cards.
Between January 2020 and August 2022, the companies were found to have routinely asked non-U.S. citizens to show their permanent resident cards and non-U.S. residents to show immigration documents.
Federal law allows workers to choose which valid identification to use, regardless of citizenship status, immigration status or national origin. The law also prevents employers from requiring specific or unnecessary documents because of a worker’s citizenship status, immigration status or national origin.
The employees can choose from state ID or driver’s license and an unrestricted Social Security card.
“Employers cannot discriminate against non-U.S. citizens by demanding specific or unnecessary documents from them to prove their permission to work,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring compliance with our federal civil rights laws so that non-U.S. citizens with permission to work can contribute their talents to our workforce.”
Former congressional candidate and political commentator Robby Starbuck, however, questioned the DOJ’s decision and pointed out that former U.S. Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson is a board member at Covenant.
“Woah I just found another interesting angle to this story,” Starbuck wrote. “You know who’s on the board of directors for Covenant trucking? Dr. Ben Carson. Yes, that Ben Carson. He’s been seriously considered by Trump as a possible VP contender. Did Biden’s DOJ do this to attack.”
The settlement agreement stated Covenant disagreed with the allegations.
