U.S. immigration agents have carried out a massive raid at a Hyundai factory site in Georgia, arresting 475 people in what officials are calling the largest single-site operation in Homeland Security’s history.
The 3,000-acre facility, built by Hyundai to produce electric vehicles, has been running for about a year. Homeland Security officials said the raid was triggered by allegations of “unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes.”
Most of those detained were South Korean nationals, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They are currently being held at a detention facility in Folkston, Georgia, while officials decide where to transfer them next.
“This was, in fact, the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security Investigations,” Special Agent Steve Schrank said at a press conference on Friday.
Hyundai Responds, South Korea Pushes Back
Hyundai Motor Company said it was aware of the raid, which took place at the HL-GA Battery Company construction site, and stressed that none of those arrested were directly employed by the company.
“We prioritize the safety and well-being of everyone working at the site,” Hyundai said in a statement.
The South Korean foreign ministry reacted strongly, warning that the raid could be an “unjust infringement” of its citizens’ rights. The ministry said diplomats were being dispatched to Georgia and confirmed it had raised concerns with the U.S. embassy in Seoul.
“The economic activities of Korean investment companies and the rights and interests of Korean citizens must not be unfairly infringed upon during U.S. law enforcement operations,” the ministry said.
Fallout for U.S.-Korea Business Ties
The raid comes at a delicate moment. South Korean companies have pledged billions of dollars to U.S. industries in recent years, partly to strengthen economic ties and avoid trade tariffs.
Georgia’s governor, Republican Brian Kemp, has promoted Hyundai’s EV facility as the biggest economic development project in state history, expected to employ 1,200 people. Construction at a nearby battery plant was also halted as federal agents carried out the search, according to CBS News.
Videos circulating online show agents lining workers up inside the facility, informing them they had a search warrant, and speaking with some of the employees.
The operation is part of a months-long investigation, ICE said.
Former President Donald Trump, now campaigning for a second term, has promised to ramp up mass deportations if reelected, with a focus on undocumented immigrants accused of crimes.
