❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump told companies operating in the U.S. to only use foreign labor to train American workers following the largest single-site immigration enforcement operation in Homeland Security history, which saw hundreds of South Korean illegal workers arrested at a Hyundai plant in Georgia.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Hyundai, South Korean nationals, and President Trump.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The operation took place last Thursday at a Hyundai battery plant under construction near Savannah, Georgia. President Trump’s comments came late Sunday in a post on Truth Social.
💬KEY QUOTE: “What we ask in return is that you hire and train American Workers.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: President Trump floated a possible policy change where some high-skilled foreign labor would only be authorized in order to train American workers in the battery and computer manufacturing sectors.
President Donald J. Trump says foreign companies operating in the United States should only use foreign workers to train their American employees. The comments were made in a late Sunday night post on Truth Social, following last Thursday’s largest single-site enforcement operation in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) history, which detained hundreds of South Korean illegal immigrant workers at a Hyundai battery plant under construction near Savannah, Georgia.
“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 wrote, continuing: “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,” the America First leader added.
The operation resulted in the detention of 475 workers, most of whom were South Korean nationals. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials stated that some had entered the country illegally, while others had overstayed visas or violated visa waiver conditions that prohibited employment. None of the detained workers were charged with crimes, according to Steven Schrank, the lead Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent in Georgia.
South Korea’s government expressed concern over the detentions, with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun planning to travel to the U.S. to discuss the matter. On Sunday, South Korea announced that more than 300 detained workers would be released and repatriated via charter plane. Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff for President Lee Jae Myung, confirmed that negotiations with U.S. officials had been finalized.
The incident has raised tensions between Washington and Seoul, coming just months after South Korea committed $350 billion in U.S. investments as part of a broader economic agreement. Trump, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday, suggested that the U.S. and South Korea could collaborate to allow their nationals to train American workers for roles in battery and computer manufacturing.
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