A lawsuit filed last week in federal court in Wisconsin alleges that Infosys, an Indian IT software company with 15,000 employees in the US (90% of South Asian descent) discriminated against American job applicants in favor of those of South Asian descent. Plaintiff claims that she applied for a job but was turned down for a person of Bangladeshi descent.

Plaintiff claims that the company has a pattern and practice of discriminating against Americans, citing a previous suit where allegations were made that another Infosys employee wrote on a whiteboard “Americans cost $,” and “No Americans/Christians.”

After the previous plaintiff complained he received two telephone calls in which the caller said “Why are you doing this, you stupid American, we have been good to you,” and a typed note which read “Just leave your [sic] not wanted here hope your journey brings you death stupid american,” and an e-mail that said, “if you make cause for us to sent [sic] back to india [sic] we will destroy you and your family.”

It’s not often that we have written about national origin discrimination — against Americans.  But what exactly is a person of American descent, besides a Native American?