Federal immigration agents detained 475 workers at a Hyundai auto plant in Georgia on Thursday in what officials described as the largest enforcement operation at a single site in Department of Homeland Security history.
The arrests amounted to almost half of the factory’s roughly 1,200 employees, and footage from the scene showed rows of workers seated on grass outside the facility as masked federal agents oversaw the operation. Officials said many of those detained were Korean, but the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia cautioned Friday that investigators were still determining exact nationalities and had not yet filed criminal charges.
Steven Schrank, the special agent in charge of HSI in Georgia, told reporters that the raid followed a months‑long investigation into the facility. He said detainees were suspected of working in the United States illegally; officials said some entered the country unlawfully while others had once held visas but had overstayed their legal work permits. Schrank said authorities were still processing individuals and determining next steps in immigration proceedings.
Homeland Security officials did not immediately provide additional details on how the investigation began, how many people would face deportation or whether any of those detained would face criminal prosecution. The agency described the sweep as the largest enforcement operation at a single site in the history of Homeland Security Investigations.
The size of the operation and the large number of Korean nationals among those detained drew attention because of the concentration of workers affected and the potential implications for the plant’s operations and supply chains. Company representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the arrests, the status of detained employees or any plans to adjust staffing.
The raid came amid heightened federal focus on immigration enforcement under the administration of President Donald Trump, which has prioritized workplace enforcement as part of broader efforts to curb illegal migration. Officials said the factory action was the culmination of investigative work rather than a spontaneous sweep, and that agents executed the operation with planning designed to secure the site and process detainees.
Advocates for immigrant workers and civil‑rights groups frequently raise concerns about the impact of large workplace raids on families and communities, including disruptions to households, legal access and due‑process protections. Legal advocates said those detained in workplace actions often face rapid immigration processing and the prospect of removal proceedings, although outcomes vary depending on individual circumstances and legal representation.
Authorities said they would continue to process individuals at the site and coordinate with other agencies as required. Additional information, including the nationalities of those detained and the legal status of any subsequent enforcement actions, was expected as investigations and administrative reviews proceeded.