Nivriti Agaram confronted Vice President JD Vance at a CBS News Town Hall, challenging his comments that H‑1B visa holders were "indentured servants."
Agaram, a U.S. citizen of Indian origin and a George Washington University alumna, said she voted for Trump and Vance because of border security but not because immigrants steal jobs. "After seeing ICE act like military police and then calling H‑1B workers foreign indentured servants, I think Americans are anything but safe," she told Vance.
Vance replied that his remarks targeted companies exploiting the system, not individual workers. "I didn't mean to criticize all H‑1B holders; I was addressing the firms misrepresenting labor needs," he said.
The exchange follows a long‑running debate over the H‑1B program, which allows U.S. employers to hire foreign specialists. Critics argue it depresses wages and creates a labor market for cheap labor, while supporters say it fills skill gaps.
A spokesperson for Vance confirmed that the Vice President will release a statement clarifying his comments later this week.