US raid on Korean workers triggers debates
Korean workers are shackled during an immigration raid at the construction site of HL-GA Battery Company in Ellabell, Ga., Thursday, in this still frame from a video made available by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. EPA-Yonhap
Korean Americans criticize workers' visa rule skirting, but angry at treating them like felons
ATLANTA — Shackled in chains and paraded out before cameras, the hundreds of Korean workers detained in Georgia have left the Korean American community rattled, torn between frustration at old hiring practices and suspicion of Washington’s sudden show of force.
Many Koreans living in the U.S. note that Korean companies have long skirted visa rules, and some see the crackdown as a necessary wake-up call to end entrenched practices. But others are voicing anger at how the detainees were treated, calling it a humiliating display that disregards a close U.S. ally.
"It’s really no secret and nothing new that countless number of workers from Korea come here to work in these facilities without a proper work visa," said Eun Kim, 43, who lives in Duluth, which is part of Atlanta’s large Koreatown corridor. "Many of us in the area directly or indirectly know or have known people who are here in this kind of situation."
These workers commonly enter the U.S. under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program, a visa waiver that allows a stay up to 90 days but strictly prohibits any kind of employment.
They typically come to the U.S., stay the entire 90 days, hand off work to the next incoming worker from Korea and then leave the country, people close to the industry explain.
"This kind of workflow is especially common during the initial setup phase of a new facility," said a manager at another large Korean manufacturing plant in the southern U.S., who requested anonymity. "It is not legal, but there is no other realistic way to meet deadlines and quality standards."
The main U.S. work visa, the H-1B, is capped at 85,000 a year and quickly runs out, with most going to applicants from India and China. That leaves Koreans with only a small share and companies struggling to bring in short-term technicians for new plants.
"What other options do Korean companies have?" said Sean Kim, 36, an Atlanta resident who has been following the news closely since the raid, which marked the largest single-site immigration enforcement action in U.S. history. "The U.S. government wants foreign companies to hire local people from the start, pass on key technology and leave? That’s ridiculous."
Regardless of how complicated the U.S. visa system may be, many Koreans argue that Korean companies still have a responsibility to follow the law.
Debate has been heated online for days over this matter.
"Why does a law exist? Why do Korean companies think that they can just bend rules in another country? They’re probably not even willing to take responsibility if individuals run into legal problems because of their greed," wrote one user on MissyUSA, the largest online Korean community in the U.S.
Another user echoed, "Korean companies have been breaking the law for who knows how long? People who are saying that the U.S. is suddenly cracking down are missing the point. They should’ve been caught much earlier. These greedy businesses were just lucky that authorities kept their eye shut."
Communities near the expanding Korean manufacturing sites say the crackdown isn’t entirely surprising, given the long history of questionable visa practices.
"We’ve been hearing rumors that groups of Korean male travelers were being denied entry at the airport in Georgia because immigration officers were starting to question why so many men are repeatedly traveling here as a group for tour purposes," wrote one online commenter who lives in the area.
Even those criticizing Korean businesses for cutting corners voice anger at the way the detainees were treated.
"I was furious when I saw the footage. They’re treating these Korean workers like criminals who got caught smuggling drugs or tried killing someone," said Regina Lee, 54, a California resident. "These [immigration] people went too far, way too far."
Kim, the Duluth resident, agreed that the heavy-handed enforcement tactics used in the raid seemed intended to deliver a statement by U.S. President Donald Trump.
"Who knows what kind of message he’s trying to send, but it’s definitely not a friendly one," she said.
Similar raids are possible in the coming days, many say.
"There could indeed be additional attacks on Korean facilities, though we also anticipate greater attacks on workplaces and workers in general," said Rachel Koelzer, communications director of National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, a nonprofit organization for immigrant justice.
"The Trump administration is unfortunately now empowered by billions of taxpayer dollars after the passage of the 'Big [Ugly] Bill,' and will have significantly greater resources to carry out his attacks on whomever he desires," she said.