Over 475 workers detained as ICE carries out largest single-site operation in Hyundai factory

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have raided a factory for Hyundai and Kia car batteries, leading to the detention of hundreds of workers. The factory, located in Georgia, was under construction, and the raid effectively stopped it from being built.

Approximately 475 workers were arrested, marking the largest single-site enforcement action in the history of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to immigration officials on Friday.

Steven Schrank, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent in Atlanta, said that the recent raids were part of a “criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices and serious federal crimes” at the Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution joint venture plant in the town of Ellabell.

“This was not an immigration operation where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks and put them on buses,” he said. “This has been a multi-month criminal investigation.”

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Most workers South Korean

According to a report by The Korea Economic Daily, around 560 workers were detained at facilities operated by Hyundai and LG Energy Solution (LGES), based on information from unidentified industry sources.

Local media reports suggest that roughly 300 of those detained are South Korean nationals. Hyundai Motor, though based in South Korea, maintains a broad international manufacturing presence.

South Korea expressed “concern and regret” over the raid, and urged Washington to respect the rights of its citizens.

“The economic activities of our investors and the legitimate rights and interests of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed in the course of US law enforcement,” South Korean foreign ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said.

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The factory was a joint venture between South Korean battery maker LGES and Hyundai Motor, and was due to start operations by the end of this year.

‘Illegal aliens’

Asked by reporters at the White House about the raid, US President Donald Trump said: “I would say that they were illegal aliens, and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) was just doing its job.”

Schrank said some of those detained had illegally crossed the US border, others arrived with visas that prohibited them from working and others overstayed their work visas.

“This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians and Americans, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding the integrity of our economy and protecting workers from exploitation,” he said.

With inputs from agencies