LG Energy Solution Used ESTA Waivers as Workarounds, Documents Show

(SAVANNAH, GEORGIA) Federal agents detained more than 300 South Korean workers near this coastal city in September 2025 in what officials described as the largest US immigration raid in recent years, targeting teams tied to LG Energy Solution and several subcontractors. About 44% of those detained had entered the United States under the ESTA visa waiver, which allows short visits for business or tourism but does not permit hands-on work at job sites.

The operation, confirmed by people briefed on enforcement actions, follows months of concern about how companies supporting large battery and clean‑tech projects in the United States 🇺🇸 have been sending short-term specialists without work‑authorized visas. Internal company documents reviewed by investigators show that LG Energy Solution had, for years, advised some staff and vendors to rely on ESTA for short assignments—often less than one month—and to avoid using the word “work” at US entry points.

These internal guidelines were updated in March 2024, people familiar with the matter said, as rejections of B-1 business visa applications for Korean technical specialists climbed. The return of President Trump and his administration’s renewed focus on visa compliance in 2025 set the stage for the sweeping enforcement action around Savannah, where the company and contractors support fast-moving manufacturing buildouts.

Company position and operational realities

LG Energy Solution acknowledged in statements shared with lawmakers that it has long struggled to secure short-term visas for rotational specialists needed to:

• Install and calibrate equipment
• Troubleshoot production lines
• Train US-based teams

The company says the B-1 route frequently stalls, even when assignments are short and highly technical, prompting a push toward ESTA travel for urgent requests. Company officials argue that current rules do not match the reality of high-tech manufacturing, where global teams must move quickly to keep complex projects on schedule.

South Korean and US officials are in contact to address the fallout. Lawmakers in Seoul, including Han Jeong-ae, have called for urgent talks, saying the growth of Korean investment in American clean‑energy plants has outpaced visa rules and processing timelines. Senior US State Department officials have also urged diplomatic channels to find a targeted fix.

As of September 21, 2025, there is no new visa category to cover these short but hands-on assignments, and enforcement remains tight.

How the ESTA workaround took hold

The ESTA visa waiver program streamlines travel from partner countries for brief visits, and many global firms use it for meetings, contract discussions, or site inspections. But performing job duties on US soil—even briefly—may cross into work that ESTA does not allow.

According to investigative reporting and internal records:

• LG Energy Solution documented a strategy as early as 2023 to send certain specialists on ESTA when timelines were tight or prior B-1 denials suggested a low chance of quick approval.
• The company’s updated guidance in 2024 reportedly told travelers to request entry for “business meetings” and to keep assignments under one month.

Visa denials, delays, and inconsistent outcomes across consular posts pushed more teams to rely on ESTA. When the Trump administration returned and agencies sharpened oversight in 2025, immigration officers focused on patterns of ESTA entries linked to high‑tech buildouts, including battery plants and supplier sites.

The raid near Savannah followed weeks of checks and interviews, according to people briefed on the matter. Many workers were placed in detention pending further review, and some face expedited removal.

The human toll is real: families in Korea are bracing for legal bills and sudden gaps in income, while US‑based managers juggle paused installations and warranty timelines that depend on visiting specialists.

A subcontractor supervisor who requested anonymity said three of his best technicians were stopped while traveling on ESTA—a route he described as “a gray area but the only way to keep to the schedule.” Labor advocates warn that using ESTA for hands‑on work exposes technicians to detention and deportation, while giving companies an uneven playing field: some take the risk to meet deadlines; others refuse and fall behind.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the problem extends beyond one firm. Clean‑energy and chip projects across several states rely on rotating teams to launch new lines and transfer know‑how. Many assignments last days or weeks, not months or years, and do not fit neatly into categories aimed at long-term employment or broad business travel.

Policy proposals and debate

Policy voices in both countries are pitching fixes:

• South Korean officials support a fast‑track visa lane for short-term specialists tied to major investment projects.
• Some US policymakers are discussing a pilot for “hands‑on commissioning” assignments limited to, for example, 30–60 days, with employer guarantees and tight reporting rules.
• Immigration attorneys caution any new pathway must be explicit about:
  • Which tasks are allowed
  • How many visits are permitted per year
  • What documentation officers should expect at ports of entry

Business groups argue the visa gap hurts US competitiveness by slowing factory rollouts that underpin climate goals and supply‑chain resilience. Conversely, supporters of tougher checks say rules must be enforced evenly—allowing ESTA to become a shortcut for work undermines system integrity.

President Trump’s team has made compliance a priority, and officials say more actions may follow if misuse continues. Some Democratic lawmakers and Republicans from manufacturing states have privately urged pairing enforcement with a practical fix. The White House has not announced a policy change, and no one has signaled whether the administration might support a limited new category for commissioning and troubleshooting tasks.

What workers and companies face now

Right now, Korean specialists headed to US job sites still face a risky mix:

• The B-1 route can be denied if officers think planned tasks look like labor.
• ESTA can lead to detention if officers believe the traveler is coming to work.

That tension has disrupted LG Energy Solution’s US operations and sent a cautionary signal to other foreign investors weighing factory timelines and staffing plans.

Attorneys recommend careful planning until rules change:

1. Draft plain‑language assignment letters that match allowed activities.
2. Ensure staff carry proof of return travel and local employment ties in Korea.
3. Seek legal advice before booking travel if tasks include hands-on installation, calibration, or supervision of US workers.
4. Keep rosters, site schedules, and contact points ready for inspections.

The US State Department says it supports talks that align visa policy with economic needs while keeping the system fair. Its public page on the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) outlines the scope of travel allowed under ESTA and highlights that it is not a work permit: the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA)

Immigration officers emphasized the same point during the Savannah actions: short business travel is fine; physical work on a line is not.

Operational and political stakes

For LG Energy Solution and its network of contractors, the stakes are high. Battery plants run on precision. A few misaligned steps—shipping delays, a missing specialist, a line that won’t start—can push delivery dates and harm supplier relationships.

Project managers say they need predictable, fast visa options for short bursts of expert labor. Without that, they face a choice between:

• Slowing down production and risking project timelines, or
• Facing enforcement risk by attempting ESTA entries for hands‑on tasks.

Both options carry costs.

Politically, outcomes are shaped by competing priorities:

• Enforcement proponents say rules must be applied uniformly, regardless of company profile or investment size.
• Business advocates argue rules don’t reflect how modern factories launch complex lines and note that delays can ripple across US suppliers and local jobs.

Workers caught in the raid now face case‑by‑case outcomes:

• Some may be released with instructions to depart.
• Others could be placed in removal proceedings.
• A few with strong equities or clear business‑visit purposes may be allowed to withdraw their applications for admission and return later under the correct category.

Attorneys representing affected technicians say their first goal is to secure safe returns home and prevent long bars to reentry that could end careers built on international assignments.

Practical advice and concluding takeaway

For companies planning travel in the coming weeks, the advice is straightforward:

• Slow down and check every itinerary.
• Ensure job descriptions match the allowed activities for the chosen travel path.
• If tasks even partly resemble on‑site labor or supervision, reconsider travel until there is a clear legal route.
• Update training for travel coordinators, and stop any practice that suggests travelers should “avoid mentioning work” at the airport; that advice can backfire and harm credibility.

Stakeholders on both sides say time is short. With large clean‑energy and battery projects ramping up, more teams will need to fly for short, technical pushes. If nothing changes, more detentions are likely, more lines will stall, and more families will face sudden disruption. If rules are clarified—through a new category, a pilot, or revised guidance—companies could plan safer rotations while officers apply consistent checks at the border.

For now, uncertainty defines the moment. The immigration raid near Savannah made one point clear: ESTA is not a back door to work, and the cost of treating it that way can be steep.