Amid Hyundai's Georgia ICE Raids, Trump Asks Companies To 'Respect' Immigration Laws: 'We Encourage You To Legally...'

President Donald Trump has called upon companies investing in the U.S. to "respect" immigration laws following ICE raids at Hyundai Motor Co.'s HYMLF battery plant in Georgia.

Trump Asks Companies To ‘Legally' Bring Talent To U.S.

The official White House handle on X shared a screenshot of Trump's post on his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday. "Your investments are welcome and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build World Class products," the post said.

Trump added that his administration would "quickly and legally" assist companies bringing in foreign talent. "What we ask in return is that you hire and train American workers," the post said.

ICE Raids In Georgia Battery Plant

Trump's comments come after the administration's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said that it detained over 475 people from the battery assembly plant in Georgia on Thursday.

"People on short-term or recreational visas are not authorized to work in the U.S.," the agency shared in an official statement released on Friday. According to immigration officials cited by news agency Reuters on Thursday, most of the detainees were South Korean nationals.

Crackdown On Trucking Industry

The government is also cracking down on the trucking industry in the U.S. following a fatal crash in Florida, which resulted in the deaths of three people after an undocumented truck driver made an illegal U-turn on a highway.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Trump administration has threatened federal funding cuts amounting to $46 million annually for states like California, New Mexico and Washington as part of “aggressive action” to hold the states accountable for flouting language proficiency rules.

Hyundai-GM Partnership Agreement

The news comes as General Motors Co. GM recently announced a partnership with Hyundai, which would see both companies release five brand-new models and target over 800k units annually.

The companies said that the partnership would also focus on introducing a new all-electric commercial van specifically designed for the North American market. The first models of the partnership are expected to roll off the lots in 2028.

LG Energy's Battery Operations

Meanwhile, GM also announced it would use EV batteries manufactured by South Korean manufacturer LG Energy Solutions starting in 2027 for the company's upcoming Chevrolet Bolt EV, which would retail for $30,000.

LG also announced a $4.3 billion battery deal with Tesla Inc. TSLA, which would see the company supply LFP batteries for Elon Musk's EV giant's energy storage solutions from 2027.

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