TIts official U.S. Name of Immigration Agents of the Law gave the operation “low tension”, but the shake he delivered was stopped at a Georgia plant planned to start car batteries by the end of the year.
The repercussions extended to Washington DC and Seoul.
On September 4th, Almost a dozen federal, state and local agencies, including United States immigration and customs execution (ICE), executed a federal search order on HL-GA BATTERY CO. In Ellabell, ga. used for equipment installation and calibration.
A joint company between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Sollation, the plant is part of Hyundai Motor Group Motor Motor, a 2,906 hectares near Savannah.
The action was aimed at illegal employment practices, including workers who violated visa terms by performing unauthorized labor during the advanced phase of the adjustment of the EV battery plant.
The ice keeps the detainees in a Folkston installation, ga.
Although the global project had brought boom times to the local area, there had been a lot about the number of Koreans in the hands of the last stages of work of the battery plant.
In a statement, Hyundai said that detainees worked for the subcontractor and that none was used directly by Hyundai Motor Company or LG Energy Sollation. These companies emphasized compliance with United States laws and investigating their suppliers.
The HL-GA battery plant is an essential component of $ 12.6 billion from Hyundai Metaplant America in Georgia, the largest economic development project in Spain. There was a ground in 2022 and the EV mounting plant began rolling cars in October, including models such as Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9. The battery installation is designed to produce cells for several Hyundai vehicles.
According to the Hyundai Hyundai Hyundai press release, the investment of $ 12.6 billion represents the largest single in Georgia’s history. “Finally, up to 40,000 indirect and direct jobs created will provide $ 4.6 billion in individual earnings each year,” according to the Automotive Research Center. “
The foray arising from a criminal investigation for months on illegal employment and Federal crimes in the site, according to ICE.
Nationalities of detainees
Of the 475 detainees, most were southern national -coreans (more than 300), with others, including 23 Mexicans and an Indonesia. All of them were considered to be illegally presented or worked in violation of visa status. Many participated in B-1/B-2 business visas or the visa resignation program, which prohibits employment. A Mexican Green Card holder was detained due to the sentences prior to the possession of narcotics, stolen firearms sales and theft.
HSI Special Agent by Steven N. Schrank said the operation “sends a clear message that those who exploit the system and Immerse our workforce will be responsible. ”
In Washington DC, President Donald Trump defended the ICE actions as he recognized the need for foreign labor specializing in advanced manufacturing. In comments to journalists, he said, “If you do not have people in this country right now who know the batteries, we may have to help them … We have to work on something where we bring experts so that our people can train so that they can do it themselves.”
Trump defended temporary legal paths for foreign trainers in sectors such as EV batteries, naval construction and technology as a balance between application and economic growth.
In a real social place, he talked directly with foreign investors: “Your investments are welcome and we encourage you to legally bring your very smart people … What we ask in return is that you hire and form North -Americans.”
The South Korea government also quickly responded to its detained citizens. Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lee Jae-Woong, stated that “the economic activities of our companies that invest in the United States and the interests of our citizens should not be violated improperly during the course of US police.”
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordered “efforts” to solve the problem, sending diplomats to the site and forming a workforce. On September 7, Seoul announced an agreement with the United States for the publication of workers and began coordinating transport for them.
Ice raids, intensified under the executive orders of the Trump 2025 administration, represent challenges in the construction. Incursions have triggered the immediate stops of the site in Tallahassee (arrests of 100 more in May) and Alabama (37 arrests in June), triggering delays, cost expenses and a chilling effect where workers prevent places out of fear.
The construction industry faces a labor shortage of 439,000 workers, projected to reach one million in 2030.
The employees detained for the EV Georgian Battery Plants project were mechanical, technicians and engineers used mainly by South Korean subcontractors for the departure phase.
There is no direct evidence that American workers were fired specifically to hire workers detained at the HL-GA battery plant.
But not everyone in Georgia was satisfied with the result of the huge plant project.
Barry Zigler, a business manager of the UA Local Union of 188 in Savannah, Georgia, told the New York Times that “65 Union members were fired months before the installation of steel pipes on the site.”
Zigler said, “Georgians promised these jobs … I have no problem that the Koreans were here and trying to make a living here.” But he said he had a problem with people who were not authorized to work “stealing our job.”
There is no direct evidence that Koreans replaced North -Americans already employed in the construction of plants.
