[New York Diary] Even Permanent Residents Are Uneasy About the U.S. Border Wall

Tighter Border Controls and Rising Anti-Immigrant Sentiment
Loss of Tolerance Amid Fiscal and Household Hardships
Repeated Extreme Measures... A Crossroads for National Trust

AP Yonhap News

"These days, people are saying that even U.S. permanent residents should avoid crossing borders unless absolutely necessary."

This was a comment made recently by a foreign affairs official I met. Due to President Donald Trump's anti-immigration policies, border controls have become stricter, and there have been increasing cases where people encounter unexpected situations while casually crossing borders. In fact, there was a case where a permanent resident, who crossed from the United States to Canada on foot during a Niagara sightseeing trip, was denied re-entry into the United States because of a minor record, such as a fine.

Hearing this reminded me of an incident from a year ago. I was driving from New York to visit relatives in Toronto, Canada-a trip that takes about eight hours by car. At the Canadian border checkpoint, I realized I had forgotten my child's old passport. The new passport did not have a U.S. visa. While entry into Canada was possible, re-entry into the United States was, in principle, not allowed. As I was about to turn back, a Canadian immigration officer said, "I will inform the U.S. authorities," and encouraged us to proceed with our trip. After some deliberation, we entered Canada, stayed for a few days, and then re-entered the United States without any issues. Such an experience would be hard to imagine in the current climate.

Since the launch of Trump’s second term, crackdowns on illegal immigration have expanded across all fronts. In an effort to meet the annual goal of deporting one million undocumented immigrants, immigration authorities have resorted to aggressive enforcement. The impact has reached Korea as well. On September 4, U.S. immigration authorities raided the Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution joint plant in Georgia and arrested approximately 300 Koreans who were working under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or short-term business visas (B-1), both of which prohibit employment. The plant was built at the request of U.S. investment, but the lack of proper visas for necessary personnel led to the use of loopholes, which became grounds for the crackdown. Although President Trump later hinted at improvements to the visa process, there is still significant public support for the crackdown, with many saying, "Even if Korean companies come, only Americans should be hired." This sentiment is closely tied to the pervasive anti-immigration mood in American society.

The root of this exclusive shift in the "nation of immigrants" lies in economic concerns. Despite the many positive effects of immigration-such as providing cheap labor, expanding consumption, attracting talent and innovation, and stabilizing demographics-worsening national finances and household hardships have eroded the spirit of tolerance that has long supported the United States. For white workers below the middle class, foreigners are no longer partners in opportunity but competitors for jobs and welfare. Now, not only undocumented immigrants but also legal residents, and even permanent residents, are subject to suspicion and scrutiny.

This anti-immigration sentiment is not exclusive to Trump’s supporters. According to a recent Morning Consult poll, President Trump’s overall approval rating is 46%, but support for his immigration policies is even higher at 49%. This suggests that Trump is likely to further strengthen his anti-immigration stance to consolidate his base ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Even former President Joe Biden, who had previously pursued more lenient immigration policies, shifted to a more conservative approach by reinforcing border barriers toward the end of his term.

It is increasingly difficult to call the United States an empire of tolerance. Under the banner of "America First," borders are rising higher, and attitudes toward foreigners are becoming increasingly hostile. The values of diversity, openness, and inclusiveness have been the source of America's soft power, which has led the world for decades. However, exclusive policies are driving away businesses and talent, and extreme actions like the Georgia plant raid are making the United States a "country that is hard to trust." Eight months into Trump’s second term, the United States, now rapidly tilting toward exclusivism, feels like a completely different country compared to a year ago. The backlash from anti-immigration policies may be an even bigger boomerang than tariffs. What we are witnessing is not just a change in immigration policy. It could be a turning point that determines whether the United States will maintain its soft power as a global leader, or lose it forever.