An Indian H-1B contract worker has filed a lawsuit in Texas alleging that he was forced to pay his employer to keep his job and remain in the United States. These allegations are drawing renewed scrutiny to potential abuses within the H-1B visa program.
The H-1B contract worker, identified as Rishikesh Raj Meesala, alleges he paid his employer nearly $100,000 to keep a Michigan job that offered him a pathway to permanent residency and eventual U.S. citizenship, according to a lawsuit filed by Banias Law. He came to the United States on a student visa, earned a master’s degree in 2023, and later obtained employment that led to H-1B sponsorship, court filings show.
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Meesala alleges that shortly after joining a Texas-based company led by Indian American executive Sai Jitender Kalagra, he was placed on the “bench,” an industry term used when employees are not assigned active client projects. The lawsuit claims he was required to fund his salary and ultimately paid substantial sums to maintain his employment status while awaiting project assignments.
The complaint further alleges that threats related to immigration enforcement were used to pressure him into compliance. According to the filing, Meesala feared losing his legal status in the United States if he challenged the arrangement. The lawsuit includes allegations of labor trafficking, forced labor and unlawful employment practices.
The employer has not publicly responded to the allegations in the reports reviewed. The claims have not been proven in court.
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The case arrives amid heightened scrutiny of the H-1B program, which allows U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals in specialty occupations, particularly in technology and engineering. Critics argue that some workers become vulnerable because their immigration status is tied to their employers, while business groups maintain that the program remains essential for filling skilled labor shortages.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of cases alleging exploitation of foreign workers sponsored through employment-based visas. Similar lawsuits filed over the past year have accused employers of withholding documents, underpaying workers, and using immigration-related threats to maintain control over employees.
The case is expected to proceed in federal court, where the allegations and any defenses will be evaluated through the legal process.