Largest Immigration Raid in History at Hyundai Plant in Georgia Sees 475 Detained

Construction at Hyundai and LG’s massive battery plant in Georgia screeched to a halt after federal agents carried out a sweeping immigration raid on Thursday, Sept. 4. Hundreds of workers, many of them South Korean nationals, were detained, marking what officials described as the biggest single-site immigration enforcement in Homeland Security’s history, according to The Guardian and the Financial Times.

Homeland Security agent Steven Schrank told AP News, “This was in fact the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security Investigations.” Estimates of those detained ranged from 450 to nearly 475. CBS News reported that a large share of them were South Korean nationals, possibly around 300.

Planning for the raid had been in the works for months, based on tips from local community members and former workers, according to AP. Authorities said they were investigating alleged shady hiring practices by subcontractors—the companies that had actually employed most of the detained workers. Local police also played a role: WABEreported that Georgia State Patrol troopers blocked roads leading into the site, while Bryan County Sheriff Mark Crowe told WJCL his office was available to assist but not formally part of the raid. Workers described buses pulling in and construction suddenly grinding to a halt, leaving many confused and anxious.

The South Korean government reacted quickly. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said, “The economic activities of our companies investing in the United States and the interests of our citizens must not be unduly violated during the course of U.S. law enforcement.” He confirmed that the number of South Koreans detained was “large,” though he declined to give an exact figure. Al Jazeera reported that Seoul dispatched diplomats from its Washington embassy and Atlanta consulate to the site and began building an on-the-ground response team.

Hyundai and LG’s joint venture, HL-GA Battery Company, paused construction after the raid and pledged full cooperation. A spokesperson told Fox News, “As of today, it is our understanding that none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company.” The Financial Times noted that while construction was frozen, EV production at Hyundai’s nearby facilities was not affected.

The raid left Georgia with one of its most ambitious industrial projects in limbo, while raising bigger questions about labor practices, immigration enforcement, and the future of U.S.–South Korea business ties.

Photo by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Wikimedia Commons