The U.S. carried out its largest single-site immigration enforcement raid in history at the Hyundai–LG battery plant construction site in Ellabell, Georgia on Friday. More than 475 workers, mostly South Korean nationals, were detained in the early morning operation led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with support from DHS task forces.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes: some workers climbed into air ducts to hide, while others jumped into a pond in a desperate attempt to escape. Videos released by DHS show long lines of detainees in shackles being escorted onto buses — a move the South Korean government called “regrettable.”
South Korea’s President Lee Jae-Myung vowed full diplomatic support for its citizens, announcing Seoul may dispatch a special envoy to Washington. LG Energy Solutions also suspended worker travel to the U.S. pending further clarity.
🔑 What’s Changing?
- Mass arrests: 475 workers detained, mostly subcontracted South Korean nationals allegedly working without proper U.S. visas or work authorization.
- Historic scale: DHS officials say it’s the largest U.S. worksite raid ever, surpassing poultry plant raids in Mississippi (2019).
- Enforcement shift: The Biden-to-Trump policy transition has reignited large-scale workplace raids, a tactic paused for years due to humanitarian concerns.
- Corporate scrutiny: Hyundai and LG — both investing billions in Georgia — face federal pressure to review labor subcontractor compliance.
🧾 What Are the Options Now?
- For detainees: Many face detention without bond after a recent appellate ruling expanding mandatory detention for unauthorized entrants. Immigration attorneys expect fast-track removal proceedings unless they can prove legal status or secure asylum claims.
- For companies: Hyundai and LG may be required to re-screen subcontractors and provide detailed worker authorization documentation. The companies have pledged cooperation but stress that many workers were hired via third-party contractors.
- For South Korea: Seoul is weighing legal aid funding for detained nationals and pushing for consular access.
⚠️ Important Reminders
- Families at risk: Many detained workers lived in nearby communities; family separation is now a real possibility.
- Worksite raids returning: This signals a policy reversal — large workplace raids are back after years of focusing enforcement on individuals with criminal convictions.
- Diplomatic fallout: With billions in U.S.–Korea trade deals on the line, this could escalate into a major diplomatic dispute.
