Jane Han is the North America editor for The Korea Times. Based in Seattle, she has covered business, culture and social issues across the United States for over 15 years. She previously worked at The Boston Globe.
Trump ‘very much opposed’ to Georgia ICE raid, working on new visa plan
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Tokyo, Monday. AP-Yonhap
By Jane Han
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “very much opposed” to the recent immigration raid at a Hyundai factory in Georgia that led to the detention of more than 300 Korean workers, adding that his administration is developing a plan to ease the entry of foreign specialists working for companies building factories in the United States.
“You know how I feel, I was very much opposed,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Japan Monday. “When they come in, they’re making very complex machinery, equipment, things. They’re going to have to bring some people in, at least at that initial phase. In that case, it was batteries.”
Last month, U.S. immigration authorities raided a battery plant construction site in Georgia jointly operated by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution, detaining about 300 Korean workers — most of whom had entered the U.S. on B-1 business visas or under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization
visa waiver program — as alleged illegal immigrants.
The workers were released a week later following government negotiations, but the incident prompted both Washington and Seoul to recognize the urgent need to improve visa procedures for skilled foreign labor supporting foreign investment in the U.S. The two countries have since discussed potential reforms through a bilateral working group.
Trump emphasized that foreign firms investing in the U.S. must be able to bring in their own experts, at least during initial operations.
“We’re going to let people know. I’m letting them know right now that when they come into our country, we can expect to see them bring in with them some very talented people that have been doing it for many years,” he said.
“They’ll teach our people how to do it. Our people will be just as good as they are within a period of time. We want them to bring experts and that’s the way it is,” he said.
Asked what type of visa the foreign workers would use, Trump replied, “We’re doing a whole new plan for that.”
He said the system would eventually be phased out gradually but did not disclose details on whether the plan involves creating a new visa category or using executive or legislative means.
Korea's government and business community have long pushed for a Korea-specific professional visa, but progress has been limited given the political sensitivity of immigration issues in the United States.