Earlier this month, 316 Korean workers of Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution were arrested and detained by U.S. immigration authorities at the joint battery plant construction site in Georgia. After nearly seven days of detainment, these employees chose voluntary deportation to return to Korea.
Upon returning to South Korea, the workers gave their account of the detention and described the harsh environment. Many testified that they were handcuffed without explanation and endured unsanitary conditions at the Foxton immigration detention center.
Recently, The New York Times published an article with an interview of the employees, giving a further look into the event that has deeply unsettled the U.S. ally.
The raid, which involved helicopters and armored vehicles, left the workers in a state of disbelief and fear. They were held in shackles and detained for a week in what they described as poor conditions, accusing U.S. authorities of rights abuses. According to the article, they were held in crowded pods, with moldy mattresses, smelly drinking water, and were forced to use toilets with only a low wall for privacy.
Among the accusations of abuse, a key claim emerged from the interview about racial discrimination. One worker explained that "guards of pulling their eyes sideways in a racist gesture against Asians." The worker added that "the racial discrimination and sneering—and how the United States viewed us—will linger long in my heart." South Korea's foreign ministry has said it will investigate these allegations.
Moreover, The New York Times revealed that five out of the six engineers were given a six-month B-1 Visas, which allow consulting with business associates. The New York Times explained, "U.S. and South Korean authorities have not disclosed the visa details for the 317 Koreans who were arrested on Sept. 4. But five of the six engineers The Times interviewed were on six-month B-1 visas, which allow consulting with business associates. One traveled on the 90-day visa-waiver program called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, which allows travel for business or pleasure. They all said they were on business trips since they were being paid by their employers back in South Korea."
This incident highlights a disconnect between U.S. trade policy, which encourages South Korean companies to build factories in the U.S., and immigration policy, which has not provided enough work visas for the necessary skilled labor. The engineers acknowledged that they were operating in a "gray zone," often using short-term business or tourist visas and returning to Korea after a few months to make another trip to the U.S. Many of these workers expressed that their intention was never to stay in the U.S. permanently but to return home after the project was complete.
The factory's completion, which was expected by the end of the year, is now delayed by at least a few months.
SEE ALSO: Police arrest a man in his 50s for making nearly 60,000 false emergency calls in one year
SHARE
