Overview
- Aboard Air Force One, the president said he was “very much opposed” to last month’s ICE operation at Hyundai’s Ellabell, Georgia battery facility.
- He argued foreign manufacturers need to bring expert teams for complex start-ups such as battery production and suggested affected workers could return.
- Nearly 500 workers were taken into custody on September 4, and images of detainees shackled on the factory floor triggered outrage in South Korea.
- After urgent negotiations, the workers were sent back to South Korea, and Seoul has warned that unclear visa rules may discourage investment in the United States.
- Hyundai’s U.S. chief and South Korea’s president have called for a tailored visa pathway for specialized roles, with no concrete U.S. policy change announced.