President Trump has reversed course on last week’s ICE raid in Georgia, offering the 300 detained South Koreans a chance to remain in the U.S. and help train American workers, despite previously urging foreign companies to follow immigration laws and prioritize U.S. hires.
“Each person was allowed to choose, and the U.S. government said essentially, ‘If you want to go, you may go; if you want to stay, you may stay,’” South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said at a news conference Thursday, noting that one person had chosen to remain.
Around 450 workers, including 300 South Koreans, were arrested last week at a Georgia site building a $4.3 billion Hyundai–LG car battery factory. The raid, praised by U.S. immigration officials, came as Washington and Seoul navigate sensitive trade talks, with Trump urging South Korea to expand manufacturing in America.
Lee said South Korean firms in the U.S. are in “serious confusion,” long hindered by visa hurdles and reliant on looser enforcement under past administrations. Following the raid, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun announced talks with Washington on creating a new visa category for Korean workers.
“Our businesses that are investing in the United States will no doubt be very hesitant,” Lee warned.
WATCH: Some 300 South Korean workers returned home to emotional reunions with families, one week after being detained in a major US immigration raid that left some questioning whether they would ever work in the United States again https://t.co/H23x4xMfRm pic.twitter.com/M4lVrjI4Au
— Reuters Asia (@ReutersAsia) September 12, 2025
