Do I have a right to take legal action against my previous employer?

My wife is a L1 visa holder making me the holder of the L2 spousal visa. I started working shortly after we arrived in the stated as I was told all I needed was the L2 visa to work in USA. A year later I then requested my employer to sponsor me in order to change my status to a H1 visa which meant I would be independent from my wife's visa status. In their request for documentation to start the sponsorship they asked for my work authorization (I765). I told them I didn't know what they were referring to. They then realized that they hired me without the correct authorization and terminated my employment immediately. I felt this was totally unfair. They should have asked me for this when they initally employed me as I had no idea I needed this document. I am now still unemployed 4 months later.