- About 450 workers were detained at Hyundai's $7.6bn Georgia facility over unlawful employment claims
- The raid targeted the battery plant construction site linked to Hyundai's electric vehicle expansion
- Hyundai confirmed none detained were directly employed by the company at the Georgia site
About 450 people at Hyundai Motor Co.'s $7.6 billion Georgia facility were detained following an investigation into employment practices, causing a halt in construction of a nearby factory that will make batteries for electric vehicles.
The apprehension of the workers, which the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in a Thursday post on X were unlawfully employed, was part of a major operation that also included Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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
September 4, 2025The raid focused on the battery plant construction site and agencies are investigating allegations of unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes, the Associated Press reported, citing ICE spokesman Lindsay Williams and the Department of Homeland Security. The agencies didn't immediately respond to emailed requests for comments sent by Bloomberg News outside working hours.
AdvertisementLG Energy Solution Ltd., a partner in the battery plant, said in a statement that it was assessing the situation and working with the Korean government and other authorities to ensure the safety and swift release of its employees and partners.
Hyundai said in a statement that it's aware of the incident at the HL-GA Battery Co. joint venture and is looking into it.
Advertisement“We are closely monitoring the situation and working to understand the specific circumstances. As of today, it is our understanding that none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company,” it said.
Hyundai'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 plant.
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.
AdvertisementThe immigration action adds to a string of high-profile workplace raids across the US by agents carrying out President Donald Trump's pledge to undertake the largest deportation operation in history. More than 40 people were detained at a food manufacturing plant in New York state on Thursday, according to Governor Kathy Hochul.
Unauthorized immigrants make up an estimated 5% of the American workforce and the widening crackdown threatens to wipe out hundreds of billions of dollars in economic output.
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.
South Korea expressed regret that US authorities raided a construction site for a Korean battery plant in Georgia and detained multiple South Korean nationals, without mentioning company names.
The foreign ministry said in a statement the economic activities of Korean investors, along with the rights and interests of its citizens, should not be “unjustly infringed” during US law enforcement actions. Officials dispatched consular staff to the site to respond to the situation.
Hyundai began manufacturing EVs at the Georgia plant a year ago and the facility employs about 1,200 people. Operations at the EV manufacturing plant weren't interrupted, plant spokesperson Bianca Johnson told the AP. The South Korean automaker has another major plant in Alabama, where it makes Tucson crossovers and Santa Fe SUVs.
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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