475 Workers Detained in Hyundai Georgia Plant Raid
EV Battery Plant Construction Halted Amid Immigration Sweep
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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 ϳԹland Security Department’s investigative arm.
The sweep, carried out Sept. 4 at a construction site for an electric vehicle battery plant near Savannah, followed a monthslong 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 ϳԹland Security Investigations.
“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 Sept. 5. “There was a network of subcontractors and subcontractors for the subcontractors there, so the employees worked for a variety of different companies.”
Today, 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 Atlanta (@ATFAtlanta)
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 that’s intended to supply Hyundai’s new electric-vehicle production hub — a cornerstone of Georgia Gov. 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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The enforcement action is part of a broader push by the Trump administration, which has promised the largest deportation campaign in U.S. 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.
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“Any foreign workers brought in for specific projects must enter the United States legally and with proper work authorizations,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said. “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 U.S. manufacturing — has been entangled in legal problems related to employment issues. In 2022, the Labor Departmentfoundchild 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 U.S. investmentpledgeby Hyundai dating to 2021. In March, Hyundai vowed to spend another $21 billion in the U.S., including an expansion of the Georgia factory.
The battery plant, which wasannouncedin 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. Theotheris a joint venture with Korea’s SK On Co.
South Korea is emerging as a major investor in the U.S. as part of the nations’ recent trade deal. The agreement includes a$350 billionfund to help Korean companies enter the U.S. market, with $150 billion dedicated to the shipbuilding industry. Private companies are also set to directlyinvestanother $150 billion in the US.
The raid comes as Hyundai Chairman Euisun Chung is scheduled to speakat an auto industry conference in Detroit.
Myles Miller, Hyonhee Shin and Gabrielle Coppola contributed to this report
