By John Q. Hosedrinker 
A browser extension is preventing the video player from functioning, and disabling it on the current site may resolve the issue. Content from YouTube requires advertisement tracking and audience measurement to be enabled. In other news, over 300 South Koreans detained in the US after an immigration raid have returned home. In Nepal, violent protests, sparked by a social media ban, led to the prime minister’s resignation. Finally, a seasonal lake in Kerala, India is attracting visitors with its water lilies.
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“No thanks”: Raided South Korean workers leave US despite Trump’s offer to let them stay. This whole situation just paints a disastrous picture for international investment in the US, both now and in the years to come. Think about the Hyundai battery company alone, planned to create around 8,500 jobs in Georgia. It’s a colossal self-inflicted wound, really. It’s honestly impressive how such a massive failure in foreign and domestic policy could be pulled off just to distract from something else.
The core issue, as the South Koreans see it, boils down to the use of B1 business visas and the 90-day visa waiver program, or ESTA, for what the US authorities deemed as actual employment instead of meetings or training. South Korean companies have long relied on this “grey zone” because getting the official H-1B work visas takes months, and they don’t have the dedicated quota allocations that some other US trade partners enjoy. Previous administrations had largely turned a blind eye to this practice, making it a standard way of doing business.
With this “grey zone” essentially closed off and without the quotas, South Korean companies are now facing huge obstacles if they want to expand and invest in the US. South Korea has, in fact, been pushing for quota allocations since the 2010s. Who, really, would want to live in the US right now? Besides Americans who might not know any better, and people from crime-ridden countries, it’s hard to see a sane person choosing to go there.
Even though there are some high-profile individuals moving to the US, it’s still hard to justify why anyone would want to stay. They risk getting arrested again whenever ICE needs to meet their quotas, which would be a big deterrent. And that Trump “offering” to let them stay just to train US workers to take their place? That’s a recipe for disaster, sure to anger anyone who gets that kind of treatment.
This incident will cost the US dearly in lost investment. But hey, this is in line with previous bankruptcies. More than 300 South Koreans detained after the raid have gone home, even though they were offered a chance to stay. There’s a deep concern that these events could make companies hesitate to invest in the US. Being handcuffed, zip-tied, and shackled is not exactly a good way to attract or retain foreign investment.
Many would feel incredibly upset at their employer, as well. Wouldn’t want to go back without serious guarantees and financial settlements. And it’s not just South Koreans; all multinational corporations with significant investments have relied on B1/Esta for short-term projects.
It’s really no surprise that people are leaving. They are wise to get out while they can, because things in the US are highly unstable. This whole situation could kill foreign investment dead.
The US government is a disappointment, especially for those who believed in the American dream. There is such a thing as dignity and self-respect. Many people are going to be paying attention to the American scene for the next few years. It’s an open question where the US will be when power changes hands again. The former administration really messed up. And this isn’t just about bad policies; it’s also about treating allies with disrespect, a classic unforced error.
One would hope they remember this in all their future dealings. A lot of plans are being scrapped. No one wants to be dragged around in chains. And it’s not just South Koreans. The message is clear: don’t invest in the US. The people who voted a particular way should suffer. They should be reduced to absolute poverty.
The climate has become hostile to virtually all races and creeds. The people don’t want to be hostages. The most ironic part is that the South Koreans were there to get the place running and train staff. This turned into a political hostage situation.
The focus for some is on identity: religious identity, race identity. The former administration cared more about this than the economy. The Hyundai plant is/was a $12 billion+ project. Then, they used state resources to detain contractors on the “wrong” visas. It’s all performative bullshit.
This is attached to tariffs, the only policy the former administration truly believed in. It is likely a bad idea mixed with utter incompetence. All multinational corporations with significant investments have relied on B1/Esta to have workforce mobility for very short term projects. There should just be a solution to regularize this practice, without interfering with investments.