South Korean workers were arrested in a major immigration raid at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, U.S. authorities confirmed. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said a total of 475 people, mostly South Korean nationals, were found working illegally in violation of visitor visa rules.
ICE emphasized that “people on short-term or recreational visas are not authorized to work in the U.S.” The agency said the raid was necessary to protect American jobs. The arrested workers are being held at an ICE facility in Folkston, Georgia, while authorities decide their next steps.
The plant, operated jointly by Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, produces batteries for electric vehicles. Hyundai said none of the arrested workers were directly employed by the company. LG Energy Solution said it is cooperating fully with authorities and prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of all employees and partners.
South Korea’s Foreign Minister, Cho Hyun, expressed a “great sense of responsibility” over the arrests. Seoul has dispatched diplomats to Georgia and called for the protection of its citizens’ rights, stressing the potential economic and diplomatic consequences.
Some legal experts suggested a few arrests may have been mistaken. Atlanta-based immigration lawyer Charles Kuck told the New York Times that two of his clients, visiting under a visa waiver program for business meetings, were wrongly detained.
ICE defended the operation, citing an ongoing criminal investigation and warning that companies must follow legal channels when bringing foreign workers to the U.S.
The raid highlights a potential tension in U.S. policy: promoting foreign investment and manufacturing while cracking down on illegal immigration. Georgia’s governor had described the Hyundai plant as the state’s largest economic development project, employing around 1,200 people.
The incident has sparked debate about balancing economic growth, international relations, and immigration enforcement, particularly with a key ally like South Korea.
