[Insight & Opinion] Recommendations on the Clash Between U.S. Strategic Investment and Immigration Crackdown

Institutional Gaps Overlook the Need for Short-Term Technical Experts
Supplementary Measures Needed, Including Guaranteed Re-Entry and Dedicated Consultative Bodies

The recent crackdown on illegal immigration at the battery plant under construction by Hyundai Motor Company and LG Energy Solution in Ellabell, Georgia, came as a shock to many. In this operation, led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), more than 300 Korean technical specialists were detained. This was the largest crackdown ever at a single plant, causing significant repercussions for the trust underpinning economic cooperation between South Korea and the United States.

This project, with a total investment of $7.6 billion (approximately 10 trillion won), was expected to create thousands of local jobs. However, this incident clearly demonstrates the risks that can arise when strategic investment collides with immigration enforcement. Especially as the second Trump administration is expected to oversee the largest-ever investment cooperation between South Korea and the United States, both countries need to work closely together to address institutional uncertainties.

The battery industry ecosystem in the United States is not yet mature, making it difficult to secure skilled workers. To protect core technologies and ensure production yields, companies are dispatching technical specialists from their headquarters and partner firms. The plant in question was not simply under construction, but was at the stage of installing and commissioning manufacturing equipment, which inevitably required a large number of skilled technical personnel. The crackdown failed to sufficiently reflect this reality, resulting in a significant disconnect from the actual situation on the ground.

Most of the detained personnel were not without visas, but had entered the country on B-1 visas or under ESTA, and were scheduled to return to Korea upon completion of their assignments. However, the current U.S. visa system does not adequately accommodate the needs of such short-term technical specialists. What had previously been tolerated as a matter of practice has now become an issue due to a shift in policy direction under the second Trump administration.

Labeling essential specialists for large-scale investment projects as illegal immigrants and releasing footage of the crackdown can heighten anxiety among investing companies. If the United States aims for a manufacturing renaissance and global supply chain leadership, it must establish and enforce balanced laws and systems to prevent strategic investment and immigration policy from coming into conflict. This is also crucial for maintaining U.S. credibility and leadership.

With this in mind, I would like to offer several suggestions.

First, the detained personnel are essential specialists for establishing battery manufacturing lines, and their reentry must be guaranteed in the future. This is vital to prevent disruptions to the multiple ongoing battery investment projects.

Second, in the short term, the operation of B-1 visas and ESTA should be applied more flexibly to reduce uncertainty for companies and technical personnel. It is especially important to clarify the scope of the B-1 visa and ensure that relevant authorities, such as the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, implement these guidelines consistently.

Third, South Korea and the United States should establish a dedicated visa consultative body for investment projects to pursue practical improvements, such as shortening review periods and reducing cases of entry denial. In addition, both countries should work on improving visa systems for technical specialists.

Fourth, legislative support from the U.S. Congress is also needed. The bill for a Korea-specific professional visa, sponsored by Congresswoman Young Kim, is expected to pass quickly through bipartisan agreement. Furthermore, a dedicated short-term dispatch visa system for specialists from partner companies in strategic industries such as shipbuilding, semiconductors, and batteries should also be discussed.

This incident is not simply a matter of law enforcement, but a structural issue arising from institutional incompatibility. If South Korea and the United States continue to coordinate in a spirit of mutual trust, the largest-ever investment cooperation agreed upon at the bilateral summit will become a new foundation for advancing relations between the two countries. I hope this experience serves as an opportunity for both countries to build a safer and more stable model of cooperation.

Taesung Park, Executive Vice President of the Korea Battery Industry Association