The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Wednesday that former President Donald Trump claimed ignorance of a major immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor Company battery plant in Georgia last September, despite Republican Governor Brian Kemp’s involvement.
In an article titled “How Stephen Miller Fueled Trump’s Extreme Crackdown,” the WSJ delved into the hardline immigration policies spearheaded by Miller, the Deputy White House Chief of Staff, and the recent Minnesota immigration enforcement operation that tragically claimed two civilian lives last month.
The piece also covered the extensive raid conducted by immigration authorities at the Hyundai-LG Energy Solution joint battery facility in Georgia last September.
According to multiple administration officials cited by the WSJ, Kemp reached out to Trump at the time, requesting the release of 300 Korean workers.
During their conversation, Trump reportedly told Kemp he was unaware of the enforcement actions against the Korean workers. This statement stands in stark contrast to Trump’s subsequent public denouncement of the Hyundai plant raid after the situation escalated.
The actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who arrested and detained Korean employees while treating them like dangerous criminals—even using leg shackles—sent shockwaves through the Korean-American community.
Furthermore, several administration officials noted that Trump repeatedly instructed his staff to halt any further enforcement actions at factories or farms.