![A Korean worker, handcuffed and shackled around the ankles and waist, is boarding a transport bus bound for a detention facility. [Screen capture from ICE video]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/0915-newsletter-shackle.jpg)
On September 4, the construction site of the Hyundai Motor–LG Energy Solution joint battery plant in Georgia suddenly turned into a scene resembling a military operation. Helicopters roared overhead while armored vehicles and more than 500 heavily armed federal agents stormed the site. Branded as “Operation Low Voltage,” the raid mobilized the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and even the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), making it the largest single-site immigration raid in U.S. history. A total of 475 people were arrested, including 317 South Korean workers.
The shock went far beyond the scale of the operation. Video footage showed South Korean workers being led away in handcuffs, with chains around their waists and ankles—treated as if they were members of a criminal syndicate. Yet these were neither border crossers nor long-term undocumented immigrants. They were highly skilled technicians who had entered legally on short-term business visas (146 people) or under the ESTA waiver program (170 people), dispatched to install equipment and conduct test runs ahead of the plant’s completion. In an instant, irreplaceable specialists became criminals.
The essence of this incident is not simply an “immigration crackdown.” It was an episode in which the United States, under the banner of America First, sacrificed foreign experts and the investments of its allies in the name of deporting undocumented immigrants and “protecting American jobs.” Immigration officials claimed the raid was intended to “eradicate illegal employment, ensure fair competition, and safeguard American jobs.” But in reality, it sowed uncertainty for foreign investors and betrayed the trust of allies. Shackling the very technicians who came to complete a multibillion-dollar investment project amounted to both a diplomatic insult and an act of economic self-harm.
The sense of betrayal in South Korea has been profound. Outrage quickly spread: “We poured massive investments into the U.S. and created jobs, only to be treated like criminals.”
Even more troubling is the fact that the incident is entangled with ongoing U.S.–Korea tariff negotiations. Washington has been pressuring Seoul to commit to a $350 billion investment package in cash. On top of that, it has demanded that after the initial capital is recouped, 90% of all profits be claimed by the United States. This is closer to expropriation than investment. The $350 billion sum amounts to 84% of South Korea’s entire foreign currency reserves—a staggering burden. Compared with Japan, which recently signed a similar deal, the terms are dangerously unbalanced for a non-reserve-currency country like Korea.
President Donald Trump initially defended the raid, saying on September 5, “They were illegal immigrants, and ICE was just doing its job.” But he later ordered their release at the request of the South Korean government. On September 14, he posted on Truth Social that he did not want to discourage foreign investment in the U.S. and emphasized the need for specialized labor. Yet by then, trust in America as a reliable investment destination had already been severely damaged. His remark that “foreign firms should be allowed to bring in experts temporarily to train Americans in making complex products” rang hollow. The incident itself had already proven that the U.S. could turn its back on allies at any moment.
This episode has laid bare the true face of America First. A great power’s willingness to sacrifice even its closest allies in the pursuit of narrow self-interest is nothing less than a continuation of old-style imperialism. For Korea, being buffeted by U.S. domestic politics and anti-immigrant sentiment amounts to the humiliating position of “paying money only to be slapped in the face.”
Going forward, Korea must establish structural safeguards to prevent such humiliations from recurring. That includes reforming visa frameworks to ensure legitimate access for skilled labor. At the same time, reducing excessive reliance on any single country and building a stable, diversified trade structure is an urgent priority. Above all, Korea must uphold a firm principle of national interest in negotiations with the United States. Alliances only have meaning when built on mutual respect. If America First continues to erode trust under the guise of brute force, the consequences will ultimately harm both nations.
By Mooyoung Lee [lee.mooyoung@koreadaily.com]
