A major immigration raid at a Hyundai battery production facility in Georgia has sparked wide debate in both the United States and South Korea. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that 475 workers were detained during this operation. Most of those arrested were South Korean citizens who had entered the U.S. using short-term visitor visas. These visas are meant for tourism or business visits, not for employment.
Officials described this raid as one of the largest workplace actions in Homeland Security’s history. More than 300 South Korean nationals were among those taken into custody. They were moved to a facility owned by ICE in Georgia while the agency decides on their subsequent steps. ICE explained that the raid was part of an ongoing criminal investigation and stressed that people working illegally were violating visa rules.
Hyundai responded by saying that none of those arrested directly worked for the company. Its partner, LG Energy Solution, the firm that jointly runs the plant, stated that it would fully cooperate with U.S. authorities and ensure the wellbeing and safety of its partners and employees.
The South Korean government reacted quickly. Officials held an emergency meeting in Seoul and sent diplomats to Georgia to monitor the situation. The country’s foreign minister expressed concern and said he felt a responsibility for the treatment of South Korean citizens. The ministry also demanded that their rights be respected during the enforcement process.
Despite ICE’s firm position, some critics assert that it isn’t right to claim that all those detained were working illegally. An immigration lawyer in Atlanta claimed that two clients of his firm were wrongly detained. He explained that they were in the U.S. under a waiver program that allows up to 90 days of travel for tourism/business without a visa. According to him, they were only attending meetings and not working at the factory.
ICE also reported that among those detained was a Mexican green card holder with several criminal convictions, including drug possession and theft. Homeland Security officials used this case to emphasize the importance of their crackdown, saying the operation sends a message that companies and workers must follow legal processes.
The raid has raised questions about the balance between protecting American jobs and maintaining strong economic ties with key allies. South Korean companies have invested billions of dollars in U.S. industries, partly to avoid tariffs, and the Georgia plant was promoted as the state’s largest economic project, employing around 1,200 people.
President Donald Trump defended the raid, saying ICE was simply doing its job and stressing his commitment to both U.S. manufacturing and strict immigration enforcement. However, the operation could place pressure on relations between Washington and Seoul as both nations try to protect their interests.
The race to commercialize better batteries for EVs and other use-cases has intensified. It remains to be seen how this raid will impact Hyundai’s plans and timelines. Other battery makers like QuantumScape Corp. (NYSE: QS) are working on different battery chemistries and they hope to commercialize their innovations sooner rather than later.
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