US Vice President JD Vance has acknowledged that his remarks describing H-1B visa workers as “indentured servants” were imperfect, clarifying that his criticism was directed at American companies and the visa system rather than the workers themselves.
Speaking at a CBS Town Hall, Vance said certain H-1B visa holders were vulnerable because their legal status in the United States depended heavily on their employment, giving employers disproportionate control over their professional and personal circumstances.
“To the extent my rhetoric has been imperfect, that’s on me,” Vance said, explaining that his comments were not intended to target all H-1B visa holders.
He argued that workers whose visas are tied to their jobs risk losing their right to remain in the country if they are dismissed or challenge their employers. According to Vance, this arrangement can leave employees with limited options and allow companies to exercise excessive influence over them.
Vance maintained that his use of the term “indentured servitude” was aimed at highlighting the vulnerabilities created by the visa framework and the practices of certain employers.
His remarks had drawn criticism from India, which described the terminology as “deeply offensive” and said it carried painful historical and colonial connotations.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had also emphasised the contribution of Indian professionals to the US economy and innovation ecosystem, maintaining that the movement of skilled talent benefits both countries.
Earlier this month, Vance had used the expression while addressing a news conference on visa fraud, accusing foreign outsourcing firms of undercutting American workers’ wages.
The H-1B programme allows US employers to recruit foreign professionals for specialised occupations. Indian nationals account for a significant share of beneficiaries of the programme.
