U.S. immigration authorities carried out a raid at a Hyundai factory in Georgia, detaining 475 workers in what officials called the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of homeland security investigations.
The 3,000-acre site, built to produce electric vehicles, has been operating for a year. Federal agents executed a search warrant after allegations of “unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes,” the Department of Homeland Security told the BBC.
Most of those detained were South Korean nationals, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They are being held in Folkston, Georgia, until authorities decide where to move them next.
Hyundai said it was aware of the raid at the HL-GA Battery Company construction site but emphasized that those detained were not directly employed by the automaker. “We prioritize the safety and well-being of everyone working at the site,” the company said in a statement.
At a Friday press conference, ICE Special Agent Steve Schrank confirmed the scale of the arrests. “This in fact was the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of homeland security investigations,” Schrank said.
The South Korean foreign ministry expressed concern that the raid may be an “unjust infringement” on the rights of its citizens. It said diplomats were being dispatched to Georgia and that the government had contacted the U.S. embassy in Seoul, urging caution in how Korean citizens are treated. “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.
Videos shared on social media showed agents lining workers up and announcing they had a warrant to search the site. Some agents were filmed speaking with workers during the operation.
The raid temporarily shut down construction at a nearby battery plant, according to CBS News. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp had previously described the Hyundai electric vehicle project as the largest economic development initiative in state history, employing 1,200 people.
The raid comes as South Korean companies continue to invest heavily in U.S. industries, partly to avoid tariffs. President Donald Trump, campaigning for reelection, has pledged mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, with a focus on those accused of committing crimes.
