Here are the words of Shulchan Aruch YD 267 84: ??? ???? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????? ??????:
“When a slave asks his master to move to Eretz Yisrael, we compel his master to move there with him or to sell him to someone who is moving there. When a master living in Eretz Yisrael desires to move to the diaspora, he cannot compel the slave to move with him against his will. This law applies in all times, even in the present era, when the land is ruled by gentiles.” That does sound very straightforward. “In all times, even in the present era…” doesn’t seem to leave a lot of wiggle room.
The Avnei Nezer quotes this psak in his long teshuva about ????? ??? ????? nowadays.
As to why the medinah came into being through secular Jews, I have heard two additional suggestions: 1) to avoid kitrugim, just like ????? ??? ??? came into being through Yehudah and Tamar, Rus, and all the rest of them 2) ???? ??? ????? ???? (?”? ??:)
