Trump warns firms on immigration law as detained South Koreans to go free
www.aljazeera.com
South Korean government says it has reached an agreement for release of about 300 citizens detained in immigration raid.

US immigration authorities said on Friday that they had detained 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals, when hundreds of federal agents raided Hyundai’s sprawling manufacturing site in Georgia, where the Korean automaker makes electric vehicles.

The Pew Research Center, citing preliminary Census Bureau data, said the US labour force lost more than 1.2 million immigrants from January through July.

  • Warl0k3@lemmy.worldEnglish
    95·
    9 days ago

    I’ve seen this article a whole bunch now, and I have yet to see anyone day if these SK workers were even here under false visas or something? They say they haven’t been charged, but are they just rounding up “legitimate” immigrant labor now, not even holding to their own flimsy pretense?

    • Lee Duna@lemmy.nzOPEnglish
      58·
      9 days ago

      from another source

      Some of the detainees had entered the country unlawfully, while others arrived on temporary visas or through a waiver program that does not allow employment, according to Steven Schrank, the lead Georgia agent of Homeland Security Investigations.

      Attorney Charles Kuck, who represents two detained workers, told AP his clients arrived under the visa waiver program and were in the country legally for tourism or business. He said one had been in the U.S. for only two weeks and the other for 45 days, both planning to return home soon.

      Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson Lindsay Williams told AP that some individuals were detained due to prior criminal records and added, “Once citizens have identified themselves, we have no authority” to detain them. Hyundai stated Friday that it believed none of its direct employees were among those detained and said it was reviewing its practices to ensure legal compliance by contractors and subcontractors.

      • Warl0k3@lemmy.worldEnglish
        37·
        9 days ago

        Thank you! That’s… not much better, but at least it hasn’t gotten quite as bad as it’s going to…?

        sigh. This shit is so fucking exhausting. just. fuck.

      • taiyang@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        9 days ago

        Appreciate the context. Still feels excessive, but at least more warranted than a lot of their other activities. I really hope they just go after corporations, but I doubt they will.

    • NOT_RICK@lemmy.worldEnglish
      27·
      9 days ago

      Seems like it. Pretty sure all they care about is being able to report “we arrested 450 illegals” regardless of the actual truth of the situation.

      • adarza@lemmy.caEnglish
        14·
        9 days ago

        and by ‘illegals’ they mean ‘brown people’ (regardless of origin or nationality or legal status to work here).

        • The Quuuuuill@slrpnk.netEnglish
          21·
          9 days ago

          or even actual brownness. i have a friend from Ukraine that got called “wetback”. worth noting, she’s a US citizen. so… you know… look. racists aren’t exactly known for their critical thinking skills

    • mlg@lemmy.worldEnglish
      25·
      9 days ago

      I know this isn’t a real source but I know someone who works at this plant and he said most were here on 3 month visit visas.

      Essentially they’d be paid back in SK for their 3 months of work and would cycle in and out in rotations.

      Out of all the insane raids ICE has conducted, this one is actually quite a big find since it’s Hyandai essentially bypassing visa requirements for cheap labor.

      Most likely ICE isn’t sure whether to charge the immigrant workers or fine Hyandai since Hyandai is the one that offered them jobs and told them the process of working under a visit visa.

      I think they will likely get deported without any criminal charges or individual fines, but will obviously get blacklisted from any future entrance into the US.

    • TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      8 days ago

      I have yet to see anyone day if these SK workers were even here under false visas or something?

      Umm… Trump regime already removed their hoods off about supposedly removing illegal immigrants. It is pogrom towards any foreigners.