Federal agents detained 475 people at Hyundai Motor Co.'s $7.6 billion manufacturing complex in Georgia this week, the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Homeland Security Department's investigative arm.
The sweep, carried out Thursday at a construction site for an electric-vehicle battery plant near Savannah, was part of a months-long investigation into employment practices. The probe went far beyond the kind of raid “where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks, and put them on buses,” said Steve Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations. The majority of those detained were Korean nationals, he said.
“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,” Schrank told reporters Friday.
“There was a network of subcontractors and subcontractors for the subcontractors there, so the employees worked for a variety of different companies.”
Today, @ATFAtlanta joined HSI, FBI, DEA, ICE, GSP and other agencies in a major immigration enforcement operation at the Hyundai mega site battery plant in Bryan County, GA, leading to the apprehension of ~450 unlawful aliens, emphasizing our commitment to community safety. #ATF pic.twitter.com/su6raLrLu6
People determined to be working unlawfully were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings, Schrank said.
The federal action brought construction to a halt at HL-GA Battery Co., a joint venture between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution Ltd. that's intended to supply Hyundai's new electric-vehicle production hub — a cornerstone of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp's economic development strategy. South Korea's foreign ministry expressed regret that some of the country's citizens were swept up in the raid and said it had sent consular staff to Georgia in response.
“In Georgia, we will always enforce the law, including all state and federal immigration laws,” a spokesperson for Kemp said. “The Department of Public Safety coordinated with ICE to provide all necessary support for this operation, the latest in a long line of cooperation and partnership between state law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement.”
LG Energy said it was assessing the situation with Korean officials and working “to ensure the safety and swift release of its employees and partners.”
Hyundai said it was closely monitoring the situation, adding that production at its electric-vehicle assembly plant nearby wasn't interrupted.
“As of today, it is our understanding that none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company,” said Michael Stewart, a spokesman for the automaker. “We prioritize the safety and well-being of everyone working at the site and comply with all laws and regulations wherever we operate.”
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According to a search warrant unsealed Friday, agents were authorized to seize employment records, immigration documents and correspondence with government agencies, as well as records from contractors and subcontractors tied to the project. Four individuals were named as targets of the search.
The enforcement action is part of a broader push by the Trump administration, which has promised the largest deportation campaign in US history. In a separate action this week, more than 40 people were taken into custody at a food processing plant in New York.
Unauthorized immigrants account for an estimated 5% of the American workforce, and the widening crackdown threatens to erase hundreds of billions of dollars in economic output.
“Any foreign workers brought in for specific projects must enter the United States legally and with proper work authorizations,” said White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson. “President Trump will continue delivering on his promise to make the United States the best place in the world to do business, while also enforcing federal immigration laws.”
It's not the first time Hyundai — which has become one of the most prominent foreign investors in US manufacturing — has been entangled in US legal problems related to employment issues. In 2022, the US Labor Department found child labor violations at companies supplying the Korean automaker in Alabama.
The company's Georgia industrial site, known as “Metaplant America,” is designed to produce as many as 500,000 hybrid and electric vehicles a year and employ up to 12,500 workers by early next decade.
The vehicle assembly facility opened earlier this year, part of expansion plans and a larger US investment pledge by Hyundai dating to 2021. In March, Hyundai vowed to spend another $21 billion in the US, including an expansion of the Georgia factory.
The battery plant, which was announced in 2023, is designed to have an annual capacity of 30 GWh, enough to power 300,000 electric vehicles once completed later this year. It's one of two battery factories being built to supply the car manufacturing operations. The other is a joint venture with Korea's SK On Co.
South Korea is emerging as a major investor in the US as part of the nations' recent trade deal. The agreement includes a $350 billion fund to help Korean companies enter the US market, with $150 billion dedicated to the shipbuilding industry. Private companies are also set to directly invest another $150 billion in the US.
The raid comes as Hyundai Chairman Euisun Chung is scheduled to speak next week at an auto industry conference in Detroit.
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