Vance defends 'indentured servants' remark on H-1B workers, admits 'rhetoric' has been 'imperfect'

Vice President J D Vance defended his recent remarks about foreign professionals on H-1B visas, admitting his rhetoric has been imperfect. He clarified that his comments were directed at US companies and the visa system, not the H-1B visa holders themselves. India had strongly objected to the language used to describe foreign professionals, finding it deeply offensive and carrying painful historical and colonial connotations.

At a CBS News Townhall event, Vance insisted his criticism targeted the visa system that grants employers excessive power over foreign employees, who can be sent back to their home country and effectively treated as indentured servants. He emphasized that his comments were not aimed at the H-1B visa holders. Vance further explained that when H-1B holders come to the US, companies often certify that they possess a job no American worker can perform.

He highlighted that the visa serves as their only means of staying in the United States. Vance also shared personal anecdotes about his South Indian in-laws to underscore his love for immigrants. Earlier this month, the US suspended several firms, including some Indian IT companies, from a program allowing foreign workers to apply for green cards, citing concerns that it has hindered American job opportunities. Indian professionals make up over 70% of all approved H-1B petitions annually.