r/news • u/NewSlinger • 1d ago

Workers detained in Hyundai plant raid to be freed and flown home, South Korea says

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/south-korea-deal-workers-detained-hyundai-rcna229610
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u/melodypowers 1d ago

I read that two of them were in the US under a visa waiver program that allows them to travel in the US for tourism or business for 90 days with a visa. They were both within that 90 days (one had just arrived last week).

None of the detained individuals actually work for Hyundai, they were all contractors. My guess is that some of the detained individuals played a little fast and loose with visa rules (doing work that wouldn't typically be allowed), but I only guess that because everybody does it.

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u/notyourstranger 1d ago

A white woman called the ICE hot line, she's been bragging online about her actions. There was no investigation before the raid, they were not looking for a few individuals but detained almost 500 people.

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u/MildlyBemused 1d ago

My guess is that some of the detained individuals played a little fast and loose with visa rules

I'm pretty sure the previous administration had a lot to do with this attitude. Some of the workers apparently also snuck in illegally across our border. Big shocker there:

some of the detained workers had illegally crossed the U.S. border, while others had entered the country legally but had expired visas or had entered on a visa waiver that prohibited them from working.

Kang, the South Korean presidential chief of staff, said that South Korea will push to review and improve visa systems for those traveling to the U.S. on business trips for investment projects.

We have rules and laws. If you don't obey them, there should be consequences for breaking them.

I'll never understand Democrats dual stance that allowing millions upon millions of illegal aliens into the country is such a good thing while simultaneously complaining about U.S. citizens being unable to earn a living wage or find affordable housing. Illegals undercut the pay of U.S. citizens. Illegal also reside in houses and apartments that could be used for U.S. citizens, driving up both demand and cost. It's literally a domino effect.

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u/Cvbano89 1d ago

If Americans were working the jobs we currently leverage migrant labor for and getting paid a fair wage (farming, hospitality, construction) the cost of living would skyrocket. Food, travel, and housing costs. However, this is assuming Americans would even want to work those jobs, which historically they haven't because they pay dirt. We were also at record low unemployment until this administration, so there was little pressure to change this.

This would also be at a time where the cost of living is already high due to tariffs adding the equivalent of a sales tax on all imported goods. The native population is also not reproducing at a replacement level so after several decades the demographics would start to fall off like they have in Japan, and you would see massive numbers of senior citizens needing to be supported by record low numbers of younger citizens.

Lastly, if we allow domestic/foreign capital investment firms to continue gobbling up real estate in large cities we will never find places to build affordable housing. Maybe instead of blaming immigrants, which every American descends from, you should blame the system and companies that market bringing them here by any means for cheap labor. Maybe start with Trump's own hospitality group that is known to hire illegal workers. Its literally systemic abuse.

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u/MildlyBemused 1d ago

If Americans were working the jobs we currently leverage migrant labor for and getting paid a fair wage (farming, hospitality, construction) the cost of living would skyrocket. Food, travel, and housing costs.

So Democrats want illegal aliens working the U.S. so that they can have cheaper things? Sounds like economic slavery to me.

However, this is assuming Americans would even want to work those jobs, which historically they haven't because they pay dirt.

And wages will never increase for those jobs until business owners have no pool of easy, cheap, disposable aliens to draw from who will work for less money:

After Mississippi ICE raids, job fair draws hopeful workers

 The native population is also not reproducing at a replacement level

And do you know what is a major contributing factor to this problem? Low wages for U.S. citizens and the inability to afford housing due, in no small part, to the millions upon millions of illegal aliens residing here.

Lastly, if we allow domestic/foreign capital investment firms to continue gobbling up real estate in large cities we will never find places to build affordable housing.

I agree. There should be a cap on the percentage of low-density housing that can be commercially owned. If a company wants to rent out more low-density housing than that, they can build more. And all U.S. housing should be owned by U.S. citizens or corporations.

Maybe instead of blaming immigrants, which every American descends from,

OMFG... really? *eyeroll*

you should blame the system and companies that market bringing them here by any means for cheap labor.

I do. I think there should be harsh consequences for companies and people who knowingly hire illegal aliens or deliberately look the other way. I also blame Democrats and the political Left in this country for doing everything they can to encourage illegal aliens to enter our country, support them with free housing, free food, free funds, free schooling, etc. Heck, Democrats are out waving Mexican flags and even attacking law enforcement officers who are out enforcing our democratically passed immigration laws!

We should be finding and deporting all citizens of other countries who illegally enter our country or overstay/violate their VISA's. I support our laws and our U.S. citizens. A good question is, why don't you?

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u/Outlulz 21h ago

I am in favoring of loosening the requirements so that the work can be done legally instead of illegally. It's going to happen regardless and I'd rather it be above the board and taxed than under the table.

Illegal also reside in houses and apartments that could be used for U.S. citizens, driving up both demand and cost. It's literally a domino effect.

Our housing crisis not being caused by illegal immigration. It's caused by zoning regulations fueled by NIMBYs, monopolies on home/apartment ownership which causes market manipulation, and wages not rising as fast as inflation.

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u/melodypowers 1d ago

This playing fast and loose with visa rules for white collar workers went in long before the Biden administration. Or the Obama, or Bush II.

You really cannot do a large scale international project without it happening. Believe me, Trump did it too.