I think their analysis is incorrect. The department of labor laws apply to anyone working in the United States including illegal immigrants. The only exceptions are tipped, commissioned and others specifically listed.
It isn't just with India, cost of living adjustments for foreign labor is an issue being debated across the world. This was a high profile case between India and USA, otherwise every year there are hundreds of cases in USA, UK, Australia etc. where diplomats or foreign businesses have been charged with minimum wage violations. The laws have to exist. Without such minimum wage protections, it becomes easy to exploit laborers from low income nations.
That being said the minimum wage dispute is a distinct and separate case. Devyani's specific crime was fraud. She lied and misrepresented on the visa paperwork. Even if she was not bound by minimum wage, it doesn't absolve her of falsifying wage information her maids visa application.
USA may have not handled the situation correctly. I understand the accusations of poor diplomacy, unfairly stringent laws. However, none of the accusations against USA change the fact that Devyani committed a crime. I don't think Devyani should be defended as innocent. Of all people a diplomat should know better than to falsify facts on a visa application.
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