Korean Workers Detained as Trump Pushes Legal Immigration

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept. 7 (local time) said he encourages bringing highly skilled, talented workers to the United States legally to produce world-class products, in response to the mass detention of Korean workers by U.S. immigration authorities. Amid criticism that the enforcement actions targeted Korean companies investing in the United States and involved excessive measures, including shackling and arresting more than 300 allied citizens, Trump urged, “Please respect our immigration laws.”

On the same day on Truth Social, President Trump said, “Following the immigration enforcement action at the Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, I call on all foreign companies investing in the United States to fully respect our immigration laws.” He added, “We welcome your investments,” emphasizing the encouragement of skilled worker inflows, and said, “We will ensure that you can do this quickly and legally.” The remarks were seen as an attempt both to defend the legitimacy of his anti-immigration policies, which he has highlighted as a core part of his agenda for a second term, and to secure large-scale investment and job creation from foreign companies.

However, since the start of the Trump administration, U.S. visa restrictions have steadily tightened, and there has been a significant increase in cases where visas are denied even for those who have secured local employment or are applying for business travel. Observers also note that with a growing phenomenon described as “U.S. visa phobia,” it remains unclear whether a short-term solution can be found.

Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun departed for the United States on Sept. 8 to negotiate the return of about 300 detained Koreans and to seek improvements to visa procedures.


Na-Ri Shin journari@donga.com