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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conduct an operation on September 4 at a South Korean battery plant construction site in Georgia, targeting undocumented workers and illegal employment. / Source: ICE website

The White House said on September 9 that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Commerce are working together to ensure that skilled workers from foreign firms investing in the U.S., including South Korean companies, can enter the country legally.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the remarks when asked about whether the administration is pursuing changes to visa regulations following the September 4 raid in Georgia, where U.S. immigration authorities detained more than 330 South Korean workers at a battery plant construction site.

Leavitt noted that President Donald Trump “personally said in his September 7 statement that he is very grateful for global companies and their investments in the U.S. He understands that these firms want to bring highly skilled and trained workers with them, especially when producing specialized products like semiconductors or batteries.”

She added, “The president understands the need for companies to bring in their own workers who already have the technical expertise. He is very flexible on what changes may be needed. His approach is nuanced, responsible, and reasonable. DHS and Commerce are working together on this issue.”

At the same time, Leavitt stressed that Trump “expects foreign companies to hire American workers, and for foreign and U.S. employees to work together, train one another, and share expertise. We want Americans to get those jobs.”

Her comments suggest that the administration is exploring alternatives, under Trump’s guidance, to resolve the visa and residency status of foreign employees at U.S.-based investment projects.

In a Truth Social post on September 7, Trump welcomed foreign investments, writing, “We encourage you to bring in brilliant talent with great technical skills legally and quickly so you can produce world-class products.”

Speaking to reporters the same day, Trump added, “If this country doesn’t yet have people who know batteries, then we need to bring some in to help train our workers so Americans can eventually do it themselves—whether in battery manufacturing, computer production, or shipbuilding. We need experts to train our people so they can take on these complex jobs directly.”

The remarks signal that the administration may be open to South Korea’s request to grant up to 15,000 professional employment visas annually for Korean nationals with specialized training and technical expertise.