Immigration enforcement has become a central feature of Trump’s second administration.
Photo : AP
After the unprecedented Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) crackdown at the Hyundai Battery Plant in Georgia, US President Donald Trump issued a warning to foreign companies in the United States. In a post on his Truth Social media platform on Monday, Trump said that while foreign investments are welcome, he urges the companies to respect the nation’s immigration laws. Officials have confirmed that 475 people, mainly South Koreans, were detained as part of a month-long immigration and labour investigation at the Hyundai plant.
“Following the Immigration Enforcement Operation on the Hyundai Battery Plant in Georgia, I am hereby calling on all Foreign Companies investing in the United States to please respect our Nation’s Immigration Laws,” Trump said on his social media platform.
“Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build World Class products, and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so. What we ask in return is that you hire and train American Workers. Together, we will all work hard to make our Nation not only productive, but closer in unity than ever before. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he concluded.
Hyundai Plant Immigration Raid: 475 Workers Detained, South Korea Issues Objection
The raid, which took place on Thursday, targeted a $7.6 billion Hyundai-LG facility in Bryan County, hailed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp as the state’s largest-ever economic development project. Many detainees were taken to an ICE facility after the raid, Reuters reported, with Seoul dispatching diplomats from its Washington embassy and Atlanta consulate to support those affected.
South Korea objected strongly to the US Department of Homeland Security’s raid. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday demanded that the rights of South Korean investors and nationals be upheld, with spokesperson Lee Jaewoong stating on live television: “The business activities of our investors and the rights of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed in the process of US law enforcement.”
Business leaders have raised concerns that workplace raids could undermine industries reliant on foreign and seasonal workers.