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I wanted to note a detail of the ICE raid on the Korean battery plant in Georgia. I think this is important for professionals assessing the risk of travelling to the US for short-term business. This includes conferences, trainings, trade shows, and meetings with colleagues:

Many of those reportedly entered the US using B1 visas — issued for business purposes, such as attending meetings or signing contracts — or through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization visa waiver program for short-term stays. US immigration officials said that was the central issue in the raid.

(https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10570143)

The South Korean nationals working in Georgia were largely given visas suitable for training purposes, such as the B-1 visa, and many there were working as instructors, according to a South Korean official.

(https://www.wsj.com/us-news/u-s-arrests-hundreds-in-raid-at-hyundai-plant-construction-site-in-georgia-4e150feb / https://archive.is/JfSCF)

For Canadian citizens, because I honestly think many of us don't even think about this or are aware of this: When we go to the US for short-term business travel, we are admitted under B-1 status.

For people from other countries under the Visa Waiver Program, such as most European countries, and many other Western countries: As I'm sure you're aware, you enter the US for short-term personal or business purposes under an ESTA.

We don't know yet whether the people in this case overstayed their visas (even though B-1 allows 6-month stays with an extension of up to 1 year, and ESTA/VWP allows repeated non-contiguous 90-day stays for up to 2 years). We also don't know yet whether they conducted activities outside of what was allowed by their visa (even though the business activities allowed by both are quite broad). However, even a small risk of mistaken arbitrary detention by ICE may be unacceptable.

#canada #hyundai #lg #southkorea #korea #georgia #ice

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