Vice President JD Vance's 'indentured servants' remark draws India ire

World Oct 20, 2026

US Vice President JD Vance is facing backlash after calling H-1B visa holders "indentured servants" at a Michigan town hall.

He later clarified he was criticizing US companies for taking advantage of foreign workers, not blaming the workers themselves.

India called his comments "unwarranted" and "deeply offensive."

Vance says H-1B fosters employer dependence

Vance, who is married to an Indian American, said, "My rhetoric has been imperfect here, that's on me..."

He said his real issue is with how the H-1B system can make workers overly dependent on employers, a setup he thinks needs fixing.

This comes as several firms, including Indian IT companies, face green card program suspensions over concerns about their impact on US jobs.