In Pascagoula, Mississippi, Signal International hired hundreds of guest laborers in India, promising them greencards and permanent residency, along with well-paying jobs.  Many of the workers spent their life savings or even sold their houses to pay the fee for H2-B visas, but upon arriving here, were only given the temporary visas, paid half of what they were promised, and found their living conditions squalid.

About a week ago, company representatives and armed security guards raided the workers’ camp, took 6 workers, and locked them in a room, saying they would be deported to India.  One of the workers, Sabu Lal, even slit his wrists hoping that his self-mutilation would keep him from deportation.  He was recently interviewed on Democracy Now: 

“How I can go back to India? There is nothing. My family is waiting for me to fulfill their wishes by earning something from America. They are dreaming to come to America. These guys cheated me. From India, for ’til I come here, they cheated me, and family is cheated…They are treating us like slaves. And whenever we making some comments, they are saying that ‘Just shut your mouth.’”

Additionally, the company refused to pay to send the body of a worker who succumbed to a heart attack following a deportation threat back to India—the other workers had to start a collection to pay the costs.

Risking their jobs and deportation to speak out about their situation, the workers have held a vigil outside of the room where the captive laborers are held, and have held press conferences under the newly-named Signal H2B Employees Organization.

Currently, the workers are receiving support and assistance from the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the Alliance of Guestworkers for Dignity.  For the press release issued on the situation, e-mail sharda@nesri.org.