National Security Leader Calls for Visa Reform Following Hyundai Plant Raid

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Roberto Estrada 
restrada@monumentadvocacy.com

WASHINGTON – Council on National Security and Immigration (CNSI) leader Christopher Padilla today expressed concern regarding the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia, emphasizing that America’s immigration challenges threaten the nation’s manufacturing strength, future investment, and overall national security.

“The United States is receiving historic commitments from foreign investors to expand advanced manufacturing, but without legal pathways for foreign workers to help build and scale up these facilities, we risk weakening our economy and national security. When foreign investors cannot secure enough visas for skilled workers to start up new production and train new hires, projects stall and allies question our reliability,” said Padilla.

“Our national security depends on more than military strength. It requires the industrial base, the workforce, and the credibility to deliver on America’s commitments. Aligning our immigration system with these priorities is essential to ensuring that the U.S. remains the trusted destination for global investment and innovation.

“I urge Congress and the administration to work together to find solutions that expand lawful pathways for employment visas and ensure America’s economic and security ambitions are matched by an immigration system that supports them. A long-term solution requires legislative action. In the meantime, we should utilize administrative tools such as adjustments to EB-2 national interest waivers, new treaty-based visas like those established with Australia, Singapore, and Chile, or deferred enforcement programs in critical infrastructure sectors. Each of these options would give the United States the flexibility it needs to align workforce capacity with the scale of new investment now underway.”

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Leaders of CNSI speak and act solely in their individual capacities, and their views should not be attributed to any organization with which they are affiliated.

About Christopher Padilla: With over 30 years of international executive experience, Chris has successfully navigated private sector and senior government roles in international economics, national security, and immigration. For over 15 years, he led global government and regulatory affairs for IBM Corporation, driving policy dialogues for the technology industry on high-skilled immigration, market access, cybersecurity, data privacy, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing.

Before joining IBM, Chris served in two Senate-confirmed roles at the Department of Commerce, was chief of staff and senior advisor to the Deputy Secretary of State, and was an Assistant U.S. Trade Representative. As Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, he led a 2,000-person agency responsible for exports and imports, reviewing foreign investment in the United States, and administering U.S. trade laws. He also led the Commerce Department's Export Administration unit, which regulates high-technology exports controlled for national security reasons. Read more here.

About CNSI: The Council on National Security and Immigration is a group of American national security leaders who believe immigration reforms are imperative to bolster and maintain the United States’ global leadership in the 21st century. Find out more here: www.cnsiusa.org