“I don’t want to discourage or frighten those investing in America. We welcome investors and their employees, proudly saying that we will learn and, in many cases, even surpass them in their own fields in the near future,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on September 14.
He expressed hopes that foreign tech companies would bring skilled workers to the U.S. to manufacture “highly complex products” while training and guiding local workers.
“If we don’t, these massive investments will never materialize. We must relearn how to produce chips, semiconductors, computers, ships, trains, and so many other products from abroad. In many cases, we once excelled but no longer do,” Trump stressed.
About 475 people, including more than 300 South Koreans, were arrested in a September 4 immigration raid at Hyundai and LG’s battery plant in Georgia. It was the largest operation by the Department of Homeland Security targeting a single site since Trump launched his nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said the South Korean workers had overstayed their visas or entered the country on visas not permitting manual labor. They were allowed to leave voluntarily and may return, avoiding deportation. However, images of workers in shackles during the raid sparked widespread concern in South Korea.
On September 11, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung called the raid “disturbing,” warning it could heavily influence future investment decisions, especially regarding U.S. operations. South Korean labor unions demanded that Trump issue an apology.
South Korean companies have invested billions of dollars in U.S. factories to access the American market and mitigate tariff risks. Meanwhile, Washington has sought to deepen cooperation with Seoul in shipbuilding, semiconductors, and other key industries.