NEW YORK: An Indian software professional on an H-1B visa has filed a lawsuit in the United States against his employer, alleging forced labor, labor trafficking, and withholding of visa documents, according to a report by Breitbart News.
Amrutesh Vallabhaneni, who first came to the US on a student visa in 2015, claimed that his employer exploited his immigration dependency by coercing him into unfair work conditions and financial obligations. His consultant, Jay Palmer, described the ordeal as a “Squid Game for Indian workers,” where survival in the American job market depends on enduring exploitation. Palmer also alleged that some Indian-origin CEOs bring “home-country caste politics” into their corporate culture in the US.
Vallabhaneni’s lawsuit states that after graduating in the US and completing his Optional Practical Training (OPT), he joined a New Jersey-based company before moving to his current employer in 2018, lured by the promise of an H-1B visa sponsorship. However, he claims the company violated labor laws by forcing him to pay his own salary for six months and failing to provide the prevailing wage required under US regulations.
The lawsuit further alleges that the company promised him a green card but continued to pressure him to accept exploitative terms, threatening that he would otherwise have to leave the country.
“Despite being guaranteed a wage by the Department of Labor, AV often barely had enough money for rent and basic living expenses,” the suit notes. “His health insurance lapsed, he missed credit card payments, and he and his wife lacked access to necessary medical care. At one point, AV suffered a serious leg injury but couldn’t afford to see a doctor.”
The complaint also accuses the employer of extracting large sums of money for visa-related expenses and withholding key immigration documents, effectively trapping Vallabhaneni in the job.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, Vallabhaneni reportedly continues to work for the same company while awaiting a decision on his green card application.
