Crystal Charles
A major workplace immigration raid at a Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia has led to the arrest of 475 workers, many of them South Korean citizens accused of violating U.S. visa rules.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said those detained were working illegally on visitor or short-term visas, which do not permit employment. “This operation sends a clear message that those who exploit the system and undermine our workforce will be held accountable,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Steven Schrank.
Officials confirmed that more than 300 of those arrested were South Koreans. They are currently being held at an ICE facility in Folkston, Georgia. One detainee was identified as a Mexican green card holder with multiple criminal convictions.
Hyundai stressed that none of those arrested were direct employees, while its partner, LG Energy Solution, pledged full cooperation with authorities.
The South Korean government has dispatched diplomats to Georgia and urged that the rights of its citizens be respected. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun convened an emergency meeting, acknowledging a “great sense of responsibility for the arrest of our citizens.”
Immigration lawyer Charles Kuck told the New York Times that some individuals may have been wrongly detained, including two clients legally in the U.S. under the visa waiver program for business meetings.
The raid highlights tensions between two of President Donald Trump’s priorities: attracting foreign investment in U.S. manufacturing and cracking down on illegal immigration. Speaking at the White House, Trump defended the operation, saying: “They were illegal aliens and ICE was just doing its job.”
The $7.6 billion Hyundai-LG plant, touted as Georgia’s largest economic development project, employs around 1,200 people to produce electric vehicle batteries.