Seoul: The Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce are collaborating to revise visa regulations concerning skilled foreign workers, a White House spokesperson announced. This development comes in the wake of a recent U.S. immigration crackdown that resulted in the detention of hundreds of Korean workers.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Karoline Leavitt made these remarks during a press briefing. She was responding to inquiries about U.S. President Donald Trump's recent comments, which suggested his openness to finding legal mechanisms to assist foreign companies in bringing their technically skilled professionals into the U.S. to facilitate the hiring and training of American workers.
The immigration raid that took place last week at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site in Bryan County, near Savannah, led to the arrest of 475 individuals, including approximately 300 Korean nationals. The site is operated by a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution.
Leavitt highlighted that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Commerce are actively addressing the issue. She referenced Trump's recent comments about the raid at the Korean plant site, noting that the president recognizes foreign companies' desire to bring highly skilled employees to the U.S., particularly in sectors producing specialized products such as semiconductors and batteries.
However, Leavitt emphasized that the president expects these foreign entities to also employ American workers, fostering an environment where both foreign and American workers can collaborate and learn from each other.
In a social media post on Sunday, Trump urged foreign companies investing in the U.S. to adhere to immigration laws and encouraged them to legally bring skilled workers to produce high-quality products domestically. He assured that the U.S. would facilitate this process efficiently and legally, while also requesting that these companies commit to hiring and training American workers.
Critics have pointed out that the raid at the Korean business site highlights a contradiction in Trump's policy, which aims to attract foreign investments through tariffs while simultaneously enforcing strict immigration measures that pose challenges for the foreign workforce essential to these investment projects.