Federal immigration and law enforcement agents detained 475 people at a sprawling Hyundai-related manufacturing site near Savannah, Georgia, in what officials said was one of the largest workplace enforcement operations in recent memory. U.S. authorities said the majority of those arrested were South Korean nationals and that the operation targeted alleged unlawful employment at a battery facility under construction.
Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta said the action followed a multi-month criminal probe that produced evidence used to obtain a judicial search warrant. "This was not an immigration operation where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks and put them on buses," Steven Schrank, the special agent in charge of HSI in Atlanta, said at a news conference. Schrank said investigators conducted interviews and reviewed documents before executing the warrant and that some of the detained individuals worked for HL-GA Battery Co., a joint venture between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, while others were employed by contractors and subcontractors at the construction site.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released footage showing dozens of workers in high-visibility vests being taken into custody. ICE said in a statement that people on short-term or recreational visas are not authorized to work in the United States and that the operation was necessary to protect American jobs. The White House defended the enforcement action. President Donald Trump said the detained individuals were "illegal aliens and ICE was just doing its job," according to remarks released by the administration.
Hyundai Motor Group said it did not believe any of its direct employees were detained and that it would comply with all laws and cooperate with authorities. LG Energy Solution said it would work with investigators and announced a temporary suspension of most business travel to the United States while officials review the situation.
The raid focused on a 3,000-acre site that Hyundai and its partners have described as among the largest economic development projects in Georgia. Hyundai began manufacturing electric vehicles at the facility about a year ago, and a separate battery plant run by HL-GA Battery Co. is under construction and slated to open next year. State and federal officials, including then-President Joe Biden on a 2022 trip to South Korea, previously highlighted the project as a major investment in U.S. manufacturing expected to create thousands of jobs.
The arrests set off a diplomatic dispute with Seoul. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it was "concerned and regretful" about the large number of its citizens detained and held an emergency meeting. President Lee Jae-myung convened advisers and ordered stepped-up consular assistance; officials in Seoul said they would dispatch diplomats to Georgia and could send senior officials to Washington if necessary. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Seoul expected U.S. law enforcement to respect the rights of South Korean citizens and the legitimate economic activities of South Korean investors.
South Korean officials and companies moved quickly after the raid. The government described the number of detained nationals as "large" but did not immediately provide a precise count of South Koreans among those arrested. LG Energy Solution said it had suspended most business trips to the U.S.; the company and Hyundai said they would cooperate with authorities and provide assistance as appropriate.
U.S. officials said the operation was not a single-day, spontaneous sweep but the result of a long-standing investigation into alleged unlawful employment practices and other federal crimes at the site. Schrank said agents developed evidence over several months and presented that evidence to a judge in order to obtain the search warrant used in the operation.
The raid comes amid heightened workplace enforcement by the Department of Homeland Security and is notable for the nationalities involved. Immigration enforcement actions at large construction projects have in the past targeted a range of nationalities; the detention of a large number of South Korean nationals is unusual and has drawn particular attention from Seoul.
The incident renewed debate about the balance between enforcing immigration and labor laws and fostering a climate that draws foreign investment. White House officials dismissed concerns that the raid would deter investment, saying law enforcement actions follow legal processes and are distinct from economic policy outreach. South Korean officials said they would press for consular access, seek clarity on legal processes affecting their citizens and monitor developments closely.
Federal authorities said legal proceedings are ongoing. Those detained face immigration and possibly criminal charges depending on the evidence collected during the investigation. U.S. officials said they would provide updates as cases progress and that the rights of detained individuals would be handled through the established legal and consular channels.