Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Nope, sorry but words have actual meanings and definitions. Slavery is when a person is owned as property. Slavery still exists in the U.S. for prisoners, for example, where the U.S. Constitution explicitly carves out an exception. Now, I don't disagree with your assessment that people on H1Bs have less agency, autonomy, and rights than natives.

But you dilute the meaning of the term 'slavery' when you apply it to someone who has a 100% legally protected right to leave their place of employment and country at any time, without having to pay anything but the cost of a ticket. If an H1B employer holds a worker's passport and makes them work in slavery-like conditions, then that's illegal. If an employer treats an H1B like an indentured servant and makes them pay off the cost of their hiring and immigration, then that's illegal. It does happen in the US, which is bad. It happens far more often to immigrants in places like Dubai, whose conditions often are slavery.

Slavery is really fucking terrible. There is a reason we react so strongly against it. By saying H1B === slavery, you're being intellectually dishonest or using black-and-white thinking.





"pay anything but the cost of a ticket"

Dead wrong. Pay many years of one's and one's family life.


You're not wrong about the conditions. But what you describe is a property of many forms of employment, not a property of slavery.

What is your point? Do you want to continue to debate the wisdom of diluting the meaning of the word 'slavery'?




Consider applying for YC's Winter 2026 batch! Applications are open till Nov 10

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: