Highlights:
- Siri Software Solutions and CEO accused of forced labor and wage theft
- Lawsuit claims misuse of H-1B visa and green card sponsorship as coercion tools
- Vallabhaneni reportedly paid his own salary for six months
- Caste discrimination and emotional distress alleged in the complaint
- Case underscores growing concerns over exploitation of H-1B workers in the US
An Indian tech worker has filed a lawsuit in the United States against Siri Software Solutions (SiriSoft) and its Indian-origin CEO, Pavan Tata, accusing them of forced labor, wage theft, and caste-based discrimination.
The case, filed by Amrutesh Vallabhaneni, highlights the growing concerns about the exploitation of H-1B visa holders in the American tech industry, where employment and immigration status often become tools of coercion.
According to court filings, Vallabhaneni alleges that SiriSoft ‘weaponized’ the H-1B visa program by using it as leverage to compel him to accept unlawful employment conditions. The company allegedly promised to sponsor his green card, a highly sought-after pathway to permanent residency, but repeatedly used the sponsorship as a means of control.
Whenever Vallabhaneni resisted the company’s demands, he was reportedly threatened with visa withdrawal and deportation.
The lawsuit claims that Vallabhaneni was forced to cover his own salary for nearly six months while working full-time for SiriSoft, during which he received irregular payments and often lacked enough income for essential expenses like rent and healthcare. The financial instability, combined with threats of deportation, caused immense psychological and emotional distress for him and his wife, the complaint states.
“Forced labor, labor trafficking, and withholding visa documents are crimes,” the lawsuit emphasizes, alleging that SiriSoft’s actions violated federal labor laws and human rights protections. The couple also reportedly suffered from a lapse in health insurance coverage, leaving them unable to access medical treatment during an injury.
Labour trafficking expert Jay Palmer, who helped prepare the case, compared the ordeal to a Squid Game for Indian workers, describing a system where survival depends on compliance with exploitative conditions.
“For many Indian H-1B workers, the ultimate goal is simply to stay in America,” Palmer told Breitbart News. “It’s a very exploitative culture, and in some cases, Indian CEOs import home-country caste-discrimination politics into US workplaces.”
The lawsuit further accuses SiriSoft of fostering a discriminatory work environment based on caste hierarchy, a deeply entrenched social system in South Asia. Vallabhaneni claims he was treated unfairly and humiliated by higher-caste colleagues and superiors, adding to his distress.
Vallabhaneni’s journey in the US began in 2015 with an F-1 student visa. After working for a New Jersey-based firm, he joined SiriSoft in 2018, drawn by its promise of H-1B visa sponsorship and a green card opportunity. The lawsuit asserts that instead of offering career advancement, the company entrapped him in an exploitative arrangement masked as employment.
Siri Software Solutions has yet to issue a public statement or respond to the allegations. Meanwhile, the case has reignited debate over how the H-1B program, intended to bring skilled talent to the US, can sometimes become a mechanism for exploitation, especially when power imbalances between employers and immigrant workers go unchecked.
