‘Clannish, sexist, exploitative’: Viral post slams habits of first gen Indian immigrants in the US

A candid discussion on Reddit has pulled back the curtain on what some say is the “side nobody likes to admit” about first-generation Indian immigrants in the United States.

The original post, titled ‘First-Gen Indian Immigrants in the US – The Side Nobody Likes to Admit’, listed recurring patterns the author claims to have observed over years of living and working around Indian immigrants. These included forming insular social circles, exploiting fellow immigrants in workplaces, pushing multi-level marketing schemes, carrying over corrupt practices, holding on to sexist and casteist attitudes, disregarding personal boundaries, and maintaining double standards when it comes to American values versus Indian social hierarchies.

“This isn’t all first-gen Indians, but the patterns are too common to ignore,” the post read, inviting others to share their experiences.

The thread quickly drew responses from around the world. One user from the San Francisco Bay Area said they had stopped engaging with the local Indian community altogether. “I feel Mumbai is far more liberal and helpful than here. I only stay for my son, who has special needs, because the public school system supports him well,” they wrote, adding that process-driven systems and shared household responsibilities were among the few positives.

A commenter from Europe said their attempts to bond with fellow Indians were met with exclusion and rigid social norms. “They speak nice to your face but keep a strong fortress to keep others outside. So my wife and I decided not to engage and spend time with just our kids,” they shared.

Another pointed out that such clannishness isn’t unique to Indians in America. Citing Tamil enclaves in Mumbai and Delhi, they noted that language barriers and cultural habits often keep first-generation migrants from integrating, while second-generation Indians tend to blend in more with wider society.

The discussion has sparked a larger conversation on whether such social patterns are rooted in cultural preservation, immigrant survival strategies, or deeper systemic attitudes that persist across borders.