The creators of the party game Cards Against Humanity have filed a lawsuit against SpaceX, accusing the aerospace company of trespassing and damaging a plot of land owned by the game makers in Texas. The lawsuit, filed in a Texas federal court, seeks $15 million in damages, claiming that SpaceX used the land without permission for construction activities over the past six months, leading to the destruction of natural vegetation and other property damage.

The land in question, located near SpaceX's Starbase facility in Brownsville, Texas, was purchased by Cards Against Humanity in 2017 as part of a political protest against former President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall. The company had launched a crowdfunding campaign, where 150,000 supporters contributed to the purchase of the property with the aim of obstructing the wall’s construction. Although no wall was ultimately built, CAH maintained the land, placing "No Trespassing" signs and keeping the area in “pristine” condition.

The conflict arose when SpaceX began using the land for staging construction activities without obtaining permission from Cards Against Humanity. The game company claims that the land was cleared of vegetation and the site was used to park vehicles and store “space garbage.” According to the lawsuit, these activities not only “destroyed its natural condition,” but also violated the company’s property rights. CAH further claims that SpaceX never reached out to seek authorization and, when confronted, offered to buy the land for “less than half” of its market value, with a brief 12-hour deadline for acceptance of the offer.

This case raises issues of property rights and trespass, which are key legal concepts in land ownership disputes. Trespassing involves the unlawful use of someone’s property without permission, and if the landowner can prove that the trespass caused damages, they are entitled to seek compensation. Here, Cards Against Humanity asserts that SpaceX not only trespassed but also caused tangible harm by damaging the natural state of the land. The company is demanding $15 million in damages to cover the cost of restoration and other related harm.

One element of the lawsuit also focuses on the fact that Cards Against Humanity acquired the land with the financial backing of its supporters. The game company has stated SpaceX’s conduct on the property has “caused even greater harm to CAH by virtue of the damage it has caused to CAH’s relationship with its paying supporters.” The company has stated that if successful in the lawsuit, it will distribute up to $100 per person to the original donors who helped fund the land purchase, using proceeds from the case.