Foreign investment surges into U.S., but Hyundai Georgia ICE raid strains ties

🔍 Key Facts

McKinsey analysis: announced foreign direct investment (FDI) projects to the U.S. and Canada have been 89% higher since 2022 compared with 2015–2019.
Federal Reserve data: the stock of foreign investment in the U.S. is cited at $16.9 trillion this year.
On Sept. 4, 2025, U.S. immigration enforcement conducted a raid at the Hyundai/LG battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia; reports differ on arrests — The Christian Science Monitor reports about 475 arrests (roughly 300 South Korean workers), while Axios cited 317 South Koreans arrested.
The Georgia raid, together with other U.S. policy moves such as the Trump administration’s $100,000 H‑1B fee, are cited as policy headwinds that have jeopardized a reported $350 billion South Korean investment pledge/fund.
The raid has provoked public and political shock in South Korea; Korean experts warn the incident damaged trust and could negatively affect promised investments, including the cited $350 billion pledge.
Observers link the enforcement action to concrete corporate plans and staffing implications — for example, Hyundai Steel’s planned Louisiana steel facility could face challenges in technician relocation and hiring because of the incident and its fallout.

Many on X express that the ICE raid has led to a profound sense of betrayal among South Korean investors and workers, highlighting how Korean companies feel criminalized despite filling U.S. labor gaps with skilled personnel.
Users on X discuss the raid's direct impact on project delays at the Hyundai plant, noting a potential 2-3 month setback in EV battery production that mainstream coverage overlooks.
Perspectives on X include calls from South Korean lawmakers for reciprocal scrutiny of U.S. nationals working in Korea on tourist visas, such as English teachers, as a response to the raid.
X posts emphasize workers' personal accounts of fear, poor detention conditions, and perceptions that the U.S. is not a safe place for foreign workers, adding emotional context missing in mainstream reports.
Discussions on X point to broader concerns that the raid could deter foreign investments from other countries, potentially harming U.S. competitiveness in global manufacturing and job creation.

Based on 2 sources

The Christian Science Monitor by Lindsey McGinnis September 29, 2025

New information:

Reports the Sept. 4, 2025 ICE raid at a Hyundai/LG battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia resulted in about 475 arrests, roughly 300 of whom were South Korean workers.
Emphasizes South Korean public and political shock and quotes Korean experts linking the raid to damaged trust that could affect promised investments (including a cited $350 billion pledge).
Connects the enforcement action to concrete corporate plans — noting Hyundai Steel’s planned Louisiana steel facility and implications for technician relocation and hiring.

Axios by Neil Irwin September 24, 2025

New information:

McKinsey analysis: announced FDI projects to the U.S. and Canada were 89% higher since 2022 compared with 2015–2019.
Federal Reserve data: foreign investment in the U.S. is cited at $16.9 trillion this year.
Policy headwinds: the Trump administration’s $100,000 H‑1B fee and a Hyundai‑plant immigration raid (317 South Koreans arrested) are cited as contributors that have jeopardized a reported $350 billion investment fund.