Caste Across Borders: Dalit Workers and Immigrant Exploitation

About this episode

This episode explores the ongoing caste discrimination faced by Dalit workers who migrate to the US, highlighting their exploitation and abuse.

In this episode of Entitled, we examine how caste discrimination doesn’t end at the borders of India. As Dalit workers migrate to the US in search of better wages, many encounter familiar patterns of exclusion and abuse right here in the United States. We speak with Qayam Masumi and Roja Singh, members of the Dalit Solidarity Forum, an advocacy organization dedicated to raising awareness about caste discrimination. They are advocating on behalf of Dalit workers who they say were trafficked from India to come to New Jersey to build a new temple connected to BAPS, a major Hindu religious organization with a global presence. Many workers reported extremely long hours and wages as low as about $1.20 per hour, and have suffered from severe health and safety violations.

People in this episode

Guests: Qayam Masumi, Roja Singh

Topics covered

• caste discrimination
• immigrant exploitation
• Dalit workers
• labor rights
• human trafficking

Keywords

• caste
• Dalit
• immigration
• exploitation
• labor rights
• trafficking
• BAPS
• New Jersey

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Dalit Solidarity Forum, BAPS

Places: India, United States, New Jersey

More episodes of Entitled

• The Crisis of Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan with Rina Amiri · June 10, 2026 · 37 min
• Are All Afghanistan's Women Potential Refugees? (Re-release) · May 29, 2026 · 38 min
• Inside The Fight for Freedom with Myanmar's ​UN Ambassador · April 10, 2026 · 40 min
• Human Rights Under Pressure: A Conversation with Kenneth Roth · March 13, 2026 · 41 min
• The Student Movement that Pushed for Change in Bangladesh · February 17, 2026 · 42 min
• From Prison to Exile: Leopoldo López and the Fight for Venezuela · January 8, 2026 · 52 min