US President Donald Trump has urged foreign companies operating in the United States to comply with American immigration rules, following a large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a Hyundai facility in Georgia.
Trump’s remarks came after the recent US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raid at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, where authorities detained nearly 475 workers, including about 300 South Korean nationals.
“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 on Truth Social.
Trump stressed that the US welcomes foreign investment and skilled talent, but companies must comply with US immigration laws. He stressed the importance of bringing in experts legally and prioritizing the hiring and training of American workers.
“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,” he added in the post.
ICE Raids Hyundai Plant In Georgia
On Friday, US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials conducted the raids at Hyundai’s Georgia-based facility, leading to the detention of 475 workers. Among them, around 300 were confirmed to be South Korean nationals. The workers were taken into custody on charges of entering the US without proper documentation or overstaying their visas.
The large-scale detention has prompted urgent diplomatic discussions between Washington and Seoul. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is expected to travel to the United States on Monday to negotiate the release of the detained workers. According to Yonhap news agency, Seoul is also making arrangements to dispatch a chartered flight to bring home the South Korean nationals once they are released.
Addressing reporters after the incident, Trump said that the Hyundai incident would not affect the United States’ relationship with South Korea.