Washington (AP) — President Donald Trump’s push to revitalize American manufacturing by luring foreign investment into the U.S. has collided with his other priority: cracking down on illegal immigration. Following a raid by immigration authorities at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, which resulted in the detention of over 300 South Korean workers, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned that the country’s companies may hesitate to invest further in the U.S. unless visas for skilled workers are expedited. ‘Establishing a local factory in the United States will either come with severe disadvantages or become very difficult,’ Lee stated. The raid underscores a clash between Trump’s immigration policies and his economic objectives, potentially alienating key allies willing to invest billions in the U.S. economy. Although South Korea has invested $350 billion in the U.S. following a recent trade agreement, the immigration crackdown raises concerns over future investments. Critics argue that officials could have audited workers' documents without resorting to the dramatic raid, seen by many as a performative act aimed at projecting toughness on immigration. As both nations seek to facilitate business, negotiations are ongoing to create a new visa category to simplify worker entry and bolster the manufacturing sector in the U.S.
Conflict Between Investment Push and Immigration Enforcement Erupts in U.S.
Conflict Between Investment Push and Immigration Enforcement Erupts in U.S.
The recent raids on a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia highlight the tension between President Trump's efforts to attract foreign investment and his stringent immigration policies, raising concerns among South Korean companies considering investment in the U.S.
President Trump's drive to boost American manufacturing by attracting foreign investment meets opposition from strict immigration enforcement actions, exemplified by the recent raid at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia that detained over 300 South Korean workers. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung voiced worries that such actions could deter further investments, as the U.S. struggles to issue timely visas for skilled labor. Experts criticize the raid as unnecessary and call for urgent reforms to the U.S. visa system to facilitate foreign investment and skilled labor entry.
