President Donald Trump on Sunday used a large immigration enforcement action at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia to urge foreign companies investing in the United States to hire and train American workers and to follow U.S. immigration laws.
Federal immigration and Homeland Security agents detained 475 people at the plant in a raid Thursday that officials called the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security Investigations. The workforce at the facility was about 1,200, and authorities said the detained workers were suspected of working in the United States illegally; many were from South Korea and others had entered the country illegally or overstayed visas or work permits.
In a Truth Social post, Trump described the operation and called on "all Foreign Companies investing in the United States to please respect our Nation’s Immigration Laws." He said the United States welcomed investment and would "encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build World Class products," adding that the administration would "make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so" while asking that companies hire and train U.S. workers in return.
Steven Schrank, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia, said the raid followed a months-long probe and described it as "the largest enforcement operation at a single site in the history of Homeland Security Investigations." He said the operation aimed to protect jobs for Georgians and Americans, ensure a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, and safeguard workers from exploitation. Authorities said those detained would be moved to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Folkston, Georgia, and processed according to individual circumstances.
South Korean officials said up to 300 of the detained workers would be released and supported in returning home. Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, said negotiations between the two governments on the workers’ release had been finalized and that Seoul planned to send a charter plane once administrative steps were complete. South Korea’s foreign ministry urged the U.S. embassy in Seoul "to exercise extreme caution to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of Korean citizens are not infringed upon," and cautioned that economic activities of Korean companies and the rights of Korean citizens should not be unfairly harmed during U.S. law enforcement operations.
Union and labor leaders criticized the raid. Yvonne Brooks, president of the Georgia chapter of the American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations, said the action was "politically motivated," and warned it would create an atmosphere of fear that harms workers and families and increases burdens on coworkers.
The Hyundai site, a multibillion-dollar battery plant that began manufacturing electric vehicles about a year ago, has been described by Georgia officials as one of the state’s most significant economic development projects. Construction and production at the site were halted following the raid.
The enforcement action comes amid a broader push by the Trump administration to expand deportations and restrict temporary protections. Days earlier, the administration announced plans to end temporary protected status for Venezuelans, potentially clearing the way to detain as many as 256,000 people.
The raid also drew attention because of the close economic and security relationship between the United States and South Korea. In July, the two countries reached agreements that included significant U.S.-Korean economic commitments; Seoul has signaled large planned investments in the United States and purchases of U.S. energy, parts of broader trade and investment talks between the allies.
Officials said the investigation into the Hyundai facility had been ongoing for months. Authorities released limited details about the nature of the alleged violations beyond asserting that large numbers of workers lacked legal authorization to work in the United States. The operation’s scope and high-profile target mark a notable enforcement action in the administration’s wider immigration and economic policy agenda.