FBI, DHS, and Department of Labor investigation reveals alleged labor and human rights abuses at BAPS temple construction site in Robbinsville, New Jersey since 2017.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), alongside the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor, conducted an extensive investigation into labor conditions surrounding the construction of North America’s largest Hindu temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey. This investigation culminated in a raid on May 11, 2021, uncovering alleged labor and human rights abuses involving workers on R-1 visas. The organization implicated, Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), is alleged to have confiscated passports and visas, mandated grueling 12-hour workdays seven days a week with little to no vacation time, docked payments for workers leaving the premises, and enforced rules preventing communication with outsiders. Furthermore, allegations suggest insufficient food provisions were provided.
The investigation revealed that BAPS, which operates across various sectors including building Hindu cultural centers and engaging in charity work, placed 200 foreign nationals in the United States on R-1 visas specifically for these temple construction projects, beginning in 2017. These visas, intended for participation in religious activities, are alleged to have been exploited, with BAPS exhausting, abusing, and underpaying the workers. The conditions faced by these temporary religious workers were reportedly severe, amounting to modern-day indentured servitude.
This situation is not unique to BAPS. Historical accounts indicate a pattern of abuse involving R-1 visas. Between 1994 and 2003, the Church of Scientology petitioned for numerous foreign nationals seeking R-1 visas. Reports from victims working in Scientology facilities across the country detailed similar human rights violations, including the confiscation of immigration documents and forced manual labor for extended periods with inadequate compensation. An investigation by The Intelligencer, affiliated with New York Magazine, corroborated these findings, revealing grueling 16-hour workdays for almost no pay and severe restrictions on freedom.
The process of obtaining an R-1 visa requires a petition from a recognized religious organization to the U.S. government. This petition involves submitting Form I-129, which mandates the employer to specify the wages and work hours for the visa holder. The BAPS organization submitted these forms, but the stated conditions starkly contrasted with the alleged realities on the ground. The legal framework designed to protect visa holders appears to have been circumvented in these cases.
The alleged exploitation of R-1 visa workers raises serious questions about accountability and the protection of vulnerable individuals. The severe conditions experienced by these workers, including lack of proper sustenance, freedom, and fair compensation, demand scrutiny. While the specific allegations pertain to BAPS, the use of R-1 visas for labor-intensive tasks without adequate safeguards echoes past abuses, suggesting systemic issues require attention.
Such exploitation represents a failure to uphold justice and care for the vulnerable, principles that resonate deeply with Micah 6:8, which calls for acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly before God. The biblical emphasis on fairness and protecting the stranger serves as a sober reminder of the ethical responsibilities associated with governance and the use of religious structures for labor purposes. The situation demands accountability and adherence to the standards of human dignity and fair treatment expected by law and public trust.

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