President Donald Trump on Sunday defended a large Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation that led to the arrest of hundreds of foreign workers at a Hyundai battery plant construction site in Georgia, while urging a policy to allow foreign experts to enter temporarily to train American workers in advanced manufacturing.
Homeland Security Investigations said 475 people — mostly South Korean nationals — were detained at the under-construction plant, in what officials described as one of the largest workplace enforcement actions of Trump’s presidency. Hyundai Motor Group said it owns the site but that the arrested workers were employed by subcontractors, not directly by the company.
When asked about the ICE operation, Trump told reporters the enforcement action was justified but said the United States should consider temporarily admitting foreign specialists "so that our people can be trained so that they can do it themselves." "If you don’t have people in this country right now that know about batteries, maybe we should help them along," he said, adding that industries such as shipbuilding and computer manufacturing also require skilled trainers.
Trump later wrote on Truth Social that foreign companies investing in the United States are welcome but must respect immigration laws, and he pledged to make it "quickly and legally possible" for them to bring in technical talent. "What we ask in return is that you hire and train American Workers," he wrote.
The South Korean government reached an agreement with U.S. authorities to secure the release of hundreds of its nationals who were detained in the action. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced plans to send a charter plane to return the workers to South Korea in the coming days. Seoul also expressed "concern and regret" over the raid.
Homeland Security Investigations Director Steven Schrank said some of those arrested crossed the border illegally, while others had overstayed visas or entered under waivers that barred employment. Many were working for subcontractors on site, Schrank said.
Hyundai reiterated that it did not directly employ the detained workers and has cooperated with authorities. The company has previously defended its investments in the United States and framed the Georgia project as part of a multibillion-dollar electric vehicle and battery initiative intended to create new jobs.
The enforcement action marks a continuation of the administration’s broader crackdown on illegal immigration and workplace violations. Authorities have emphasized the distinction between enforcing immigration laws and preserving the ability of U.S. industries to access skilled labor. Trump’s remarks reflect an approach that pairs strict border and immigration enforcement with selective, temporary admissions for high-skilled workers to fill training and knowledge gaps.
Legal and policy experts say allowing temporary entry for trainers would require clear rules about duration, oversight and employer responsibilities to ensure such programs do not undercut U.S. workers. Advocates for stricter immigration enforcement applauded the detentions as necessary to uphold the law, while business groups and some lawmakers have urged streamlined legal pathways for foreign specialists to support domestic workforce development.
The Georgia raid and ensuing diplomatic discussions with Seoul will likely shape conversations in Washington about how to reconcile enforcement priorities with industrial policy goals, including the Biden and Trump administrations' emphasis on boosting domestic manufacturing capacity in critical technologies such as electric-vehicle batteries. Lawmakers and industry officials are expected to press federal agencies for guidance on visa processes and training initiatives as companies continue large-scale investments in American manufacturing.
The U.S. investigation and the South Korean response are ongoing. Homeland Security and the State Department did not immediately provide additional details Sunday about the timing of releases, repatriations or potential changes to visa policy that could implement the kind of temporary training program Trump described.