Wild Wild East : Exiled Americans, Enslaved Indians And The Systemic Abuse Of The H-1B Visa Programme | Hardcover

Wild Wild East: Exiled Americans, Enslaved Indians and the Systemic Abuse of the H-1B Visa Programme by Tanul Thakur is an investigative account of the people, institutions, and practices surrounding the H-1B visa programme in the United States. Drawing on eight years of investigation, Thakur examines allegations of corporate and immigration fraud, wage violations, human trafficking, and the complex relationships connecting American and Indian workers, technology companies, outsourcing firms, visa consultancies, and government agencies.

Through the experiences of Kumar Pandruvada, Virgil Bierschwale, and Manu Mitra, the book places individual lives at the centre of a much larger examination of the H-1B system. It combines personal stories with data, historical research, court records, and analysis of the laws and institutions that have shaped high-skilled immigration between India and the United States.

About This Book

Wild Wild East investigates how the H-1B visa programme developed into a system that, according to the book, has enabled widespread exploitation of workers. Tanul Thakur examines wage violations reported over the past two decades, corporate and immigration practices, and the networks of organisations involved in the programme.

The investigation spans Big Tech companies, outsourcing businesses, smaller technology staffing firms, educational consultancies, visa mills, federal agencies, politicians, think tanks, media organisations, accrediting bodies, and universities. Rather than presenting high-skilled immigration simply as a conflict between migrant and domestic workers, the book questions established assumptions and examines the broader structures surrounding the system.

What You'll Discover

• The experiences of three individuals affected by the H-1B visa programme.
• The complex connections between American and Indian workers and institutions.
• Allegations involving immigration fraud, corporate fraud, and wage violations.
• The role of technology companies and outsourcing businesses in the system.
• Historical and legal perspectives on high-skilled immigration.
• Data and court records used to examine the H-1B programme.
• Questions surrounding the Indian IT boom and American exceptionalism.

Perfect For

• Readers interested in immigration policy.
• Readers studying the H-1B visa programme.
• Those interested in labour and wage issues.
• Readers exploring US-India technology and employment links.
• Readers of investigative journalism and social affairs.

Why You'll Love This Book

Wild Wild East: Exiled Americans, Enslaved Indians and the Systemic Abuse of the H-1B Visa Programme combines investigative research with personal stories to examine the human and institutional dimensions of high-skilled immigration. Its use of data, history, court records, and individual experiences provides readers with a detailed perspective on the H-1B system and the questions surrounding its impact on workers.