As I was writing this blog about seismic shifts, an incident occurred that further accelerated the shift. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that it had raided an automotive battery plant jointly funded by Hyundai Motor Company and detained 475 people, including Koreans. Among them were three Japanese nationals working for a manufacturer of equipment used in the process of making electrodes for electric vehicle batteries. While President Trump has sought to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. through high tariffs, he has also tightened visa screening. He warned other foreign companies on social media, urging them to “respect our country’s immigration laws.” He also stated, “We welcome investment and will legally invite talented people with superior technical skills.” However, he has also taken the outrageous step of detaining workers from global companies who responded to his calls.
Japan has pledged $550 billion to the U.S. and has pledged investment in South Korea and other countries. However, even as Japanese companies seek to increase their investment in the United States, they are finding it difficult to establish bases as planned. When setting up a factory, engineers with expertise in installing and operating specialized equipment are essential. Equipment manufacturers need to quickly dispatch engineers to the United States as needed to support factory setup and operation. The U.S. administration’s border security chief has vowed to “further crackdown on workplaces” to prevent harm to Americans. As a result, the screening process for legal visas for foreigners has become stricter, further exacerbating the labor shortage. The administration’s top priority is the return of manufacturing, but it is facing a shortage of the necessary personnel. However, engineers who have rushed to the U.S. from South Korea and Japan to help are now being detained.
Recent surveys have shown that the public’s view of immigration is shifting from that of the Trump administration. In a Gallup poll, 80% of Americans believe immigrants are beneficial to the country. This is significantly higher than the 20% who view immigrants as a bad thing in the United States. The number of people who have a favorable view of immigrants has reached its highest level since 2001. Since the deportations began, many Americans seem to have come to realize once again that immigrants are essential to the U.S. economy. President Trump also seems to recognize the risks of tightening the screws on farmers. He has argued that “we should protect farmers while deporting criminals.” He has also started to write that “the system will change.” However, so far, there has been no change in the harsh forced searches and unprovoked detentions. I hope that one day immigrants will be able to live in peace.
