The startling recent event in Georgia involving a raid on immigrant workers raised eyebrows for a pair of reasons. First, the fact it came to pass at all is a conundrum given the potential it possesses to mar what could have been a triumph in the ongoing trade conflict for President Trump. Secondly, it nearly led to an unprecedented moment: the president acknowledging a slip-up. Last week was marked by federal agents swarming an EV battery factory currently being built by Hyundai close to Savannah, Georgia. They handcuffed and detained around 475 labourers, a majority of them South Koreans, under allegations of visa irregularities, treating them as if they were severe threats to national security.
Days passed, and the Korean workers remained in detention, leading to outrage on the streets of Seoul. As a result, the South Korean government found itself in negotiations with the US authorities to secure the workers’ release. President Trump had been instrumental in securing the deal with Hyundai to construct this facility, partly due to his threat of imposing a 25% tariff on South Korea. This was eventually reduced to 15% in exchange for commitments to invest and other agreements that benefited US interests.
Superficially, had the project finished without delay, it would have resulted in boosting local production and employment. This would have suited President Trump’s objective of raising manufacturing output and ‘Making America great again.’ At present, the construction remains stalled. When things pick up, expect more interruptions, and not just limited to Georgia. This could increase the reluctance among the foreign workers integral to this and similar projects, particularly once they associate it with the risk of humiliation and imprisonment.
President Trump seems to resonate with this point. Following the raid, he took to social media to share his thoughts. His message to foreign investors was clear: ‘Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people with great technical talent, to build World Class products.’ He added an assurance that they would expedite and legalize such processes.
His latter remark is striking. Essentially, the President acknowledges that it may not always be legal to bring the kind of people America wishes to host. This is an accurate observation. Still, the answer to this issue is not to detain the bright minds brought in to push his agenda ahead. The ideal fix would be to implement immigration protocols that can be enforced logically.
America holds the right to decide on admitting individuals and enforcing the rule of law. For an extended period, the country had passively agreed to a hefty amount of illegal immigration, primarily because the workers met employers’ needs. The resurgence of manufacturing, as envisioned by Trump, will require more of these essential skills and experiences – something these Korean workers possessed.
There is a glaring lack of visas being granted for skilled laborers. Present procedures are outdated and draining, not to mention the never-ending wait times. It’s an observed fact that the guidelines and stipulations are often so perplexing and vague, they almost act against the notion of the rule of law. It is as if they were written to create potential gaps and violations for ICE to track down.
Navigating this issue by introducing a simpler, quicker, and more adaptable system aligns more suitably with the President’s agenda. A fundamental issue is easily understood yet requires stating: It is beneficial for the United States, and an essential part of Trump’s industrial policy, to assure the globe that the most skilled and industrious individuals will consistently be invited to the US and provided opportunities to succeed.
Sending a message to these workers, including potential American patriots, advising them to seek alternatives may potentially result in national degradation. Discouraging such skilled workers from coming to the United States is not conducive to the country’s growth and it contradicts the industrial policy of the president.
The post Georgia Raid Causes Tension in US–South Korea Relations appeared first on Real News Now.
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