U.S. Responds to Prevent Recurrence of Korean Worker Detentions... Will Visa Reforms Follow? (Comprehensive)

"Joint Response by Department of Homeland Security and Department of Commerce"
Recognition of Contradiction Between Factory Relocation and Illegal Immigration Crackdown Policies
Potential for Conditions Such as American Hiring and Workforce Training

The incident in which 300 Korean workers at the Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution joint battery plant in Georgia were detained during an immigration crackdown by U.S. authorities has sparked calls for changes to visa policies. While there is speculation that the Donald Trump administration may lower the threshold for visa issuance for foreign companies investing in the United States, there are concerns that a clear solution may be difficult to achieve given the administration's "America First" stance.

On September 9 (local time), White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt was asked during a briefing whether the administration is pursuing amendments to visa-related regulations to prevent a recurrence of this situation. She responded that the White House is jointly responding to the visa issues of foreign company workers with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Commerce.

On the 7th (local time), employees of an affiliated company are waiting for an interview in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Folkston, Georgia, USA. Photo by Yonhap News

Leavitt stated that President Donald Trump "issued a statement last Sunday (the 7th) expressing deep appreciation for foreign companies around the world and their investments in the United States," adding, "He understands that these companies want to bring highly skilled and trained workers with them to the U.S." She continued, "This is especially true when they are producing highly specialized products such as semiconductors, or batteries as in Georgia."

She described President Trump's position on the matter as "very nuanced yet responsible," and reiterated that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Commerce are working together on this issue.

The Department of Homeland Security oversees immigration policy, while the Department of Commerce is responsible for attracting foreign investment. The involvement of these two key agencies is interpreted as an effort to find solutions to the residency status issues faced by employees of companies investing in the United States. The Department of Commerce is expected to explore solutions such as issuing visas (E-2 or E-3) that grant exceptions for specialized and technical personnel in certain fields, or increasing the country-specific quota for H-1B visas for foreign professionals.

President Trump has pressured foreign companies to relocate jobs and production facilities to the U.S. through tariff policies based on "America First" principles. At the same time, he has enforced strict crackdowns on illegal immigration to protect American jobs. Foreign media outlets, including Bloomberg, have pointed out that this incident has exposed contradictions in this strategy. Experts warn that this immigration enforcement action could jeopardize a series of projects that President Trump cites as evidence of a manufacturing revival. Building new factories requires skilled technical personnel for the installation and operation of specialized equipment. However, only 85,000 H-1B visas are issued annually, and they are allocated by lottery. Given the rapid pace of Korean companies' investments, it is nearly impossible to supply the necessary workforce in a timely manner, forcing companies to resort to "workarounds."

On September 7, President Trump wrote on his social networking service, Truth Social, "We encourage you to lawfully bring in very smart people with great technical talent to produce world-class products. And we will make it possible for you to do so quickly and legally." This statement can be interpreted as President Trump recognizing the strategic contradiction exposed by this incident.

The previous day, Arius Dare, Director of Communications at the Korea Economic Institute (KEI), stated that the U.S. Congress should establish a new professional visa for Korean nationals, and that the administration should also flexibly operate the existing visa system, such as expanding the scope of activities permitted under the B1 visa.

Some predict that this incident will make it easier for Korean companies to secure U.S. visas. However, it remains uncertain whether the Trump administration, which has maintained a sensitive stance on illegal immigration, will actively lower the threshold for visa issuance. Since the administration aims to expand jobs for Americans, even if visa issuance is increased, it may attach conditions such as requiring a certain number of American hires or mandating training programs to develop specialized local talent.

President Trump previously stated, "We must develop a plan to bring in experts to train our people so that Americans can do the work themselves." Spokesperson Leavitt also emphasized, "The President expects these foreign companies to hire American workers. He also expects foreign and American workers to work together, train each other, and share their expertise."