“Americans need these jobs. But he also understands the need for these companies to bring over their workers who already have these skills,” Leavitt told reporters at a briefing, calling Trump’s approach “very nuanced and responsible and sensible.”
The raid – the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative operations – sent shockwaves through South Korea, a US ally that has been trying to finalise a trade deal agreed with Washington in July.
A Realmeter opinion poll published on Tuesday showed that nearly 60 per cent of South Koreans felt disappointed by what they viewed as excessive action by US authorities in the raid, while about 30 per cent regarded the action as unavoidable. Two Japanese nationals and up to nine Chinese citizens were among the detainees, the Nikkei business daily reported.
Details on how US immigration rules may have been breached have not been released by the authorities or companies involved, but South Korean lawmakers say some may have overstepped the boundaries of a 90-day visa-waiver programme or a B-1 temporary business visa.
Foreign Minister Cho said he would discuss with Washington creating a special work permit for Korean professionals.
Korean businesses have complained about what they consider strict US limits on visas for skilled foreign workers, making it difficult for them to oversee the construction of factories or to train the local workforce.
According to workers, officials and lawyers, many South Korean workers were sent to the US on questionable documents despite their misgivings and warnings about stricter US immigration enforcement.
James Rim, who heads the Korean-American Association of Southeast Georgia and runs guesthouses used by Korean workers near the Hyundai plant, said two of his residents were detained after being found to be on a visa-waiver programme that prohibits employment in the country while two others returned after screening during the raid.
Some of the 20 subcontractors working at the plant and staying at his guesthouse had returned to South Korea early, he said after the raid, adding that some of the workers were on a visa waiver, which had long been a standard practice.
“It should have been done earlier, but I think now is a good chance to give some kind of a special work permit to Koreans. Otherwise, it would be difficult to build factories only with a local workforce,” he said.
