In a dramatic escalation of immigration enforcement, a major Hyundai-LG battery plant under construction in Ellabell, Georgia, became the epicenter of the largest single-site raid in U.S. Department of Homeland Security history on September 4, 2025. The operation, months in the making and involving nearly 500 federal, state, and local officers, resulted in the detention of 475 workers—most of them South Korean nationals—sending shockwaves through diplomatic, business, and immigrant communities on both sides of the Pacific.
The raid, led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations, was not a spur-of-the-moment roundup. According to CNN, it stemmed from a meticulous criminal investigation involving multiple agencies, including the FBI, DEA, IRS, U.S. Marshals Service, Georgia State Patrol, and others. The agencies executed a search warrant as part of an ongoing probe into alleged unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes at the sprawling Metaplant America campus, where Hyundai and LG Energy Solution are building a massive electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturing facility.
As dawn broke over the construction site, officers set up a security perimeter, blocking roads and moving swiftly through the facility. Workers—many in hard hats and safety vests—were ordered to line up against the walls. "They just told everybody to get on the wall. We stood there for about an hour and were then taken to another section where we waited. Then we went in another building and got processed," a construction worker told CNN, describing the scene as akin to a "war zone." Agents checked Social Security numbers, birth dates, and other identifying information before determining who would be allowed to leave and who would be taken into custody. Those cleared received a paper marked "clear to depart" to present at the gate.
But not everyone complied peacefully. Some workers attempted to flee, running into a sewage pond or hiding in air ducts, CNN reported. Agents used a boat to retrieve those in the water, and one individual even tried to overturn the boat in a desperate bid to escape. All were eventually apprehended. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia confirmed that the majority of those detained were Korean nationals, with over 300 South Korean citizens and at least 23 Mexican nationals among the arrestees.
Steven N. Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations in Georgia and Alabama, stated at a news conference that all 475 individuals were in the U.S. illegally—some had crossed the border unlawfully, others had overstayed visas, and some were in the country under visa waivers that did not permit employment. "We welcome all companies who want to invest in the U.S., and if they need to bring workers in for building or other projects, that's fine—but they need to do it the legal way," Schrank said, according to Automotive News. He also clarified that while some U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents had been detained during the operation, they were released after identification. ICE denied that any U.S. citizens were ultimately held, stating, "Once citizens have identified themselves, we have no authority."
The fallout from the raid was immediate and far-reaching. In South Korea, the news triggered a diplomatic scramble. President Lee Jae-myung convened an emergency meeting, and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun publicly expressed "deep concern" over the operation. "The economic activities of our investment companies and the rights and interests of our citizens must not be unjustly violated during U.S. law enforcement proceedings," Cho emphasized, as reported by the Associated Press. He added that President Lee had ordered "all-out efforts" to support the detained South Koreans, with the government dispatching consulate officials to Georgia and negotiating for the release and repatriation of the workers. A chartered plane was arranged to bring the 300-plus South Korean nationals home.
"If necessary, I am prepared to personally travel to Washington, D.C., to engage directly with U.S. officials to resolve this matter," Cho said, signaling the gravity with which Seoul viewed the situation. The Korean Ambassador to the U.S. and the Consul General in Atlanta established an on-site response team to monitor developments and advocate for the rights of Korean citizens and businesses. According to Korean media cited by The New York Times, the South Korean government also urged the U.S. to "exercise extreme caution" regarding the rights of its nationals.
The implications extended beyond government circles. LG Energy Solution, which co-owns the battery plant with Hyundai, announced the suspension of all employee business travel to the U.S. after 47 of its workers were detained. The company advised all remaining employees in the U.S. to return to South Korea, highlighting the chilling effect the raid had on Korean business operations in America. Jang Dong-hyeok, chair of Korea’s main opposition People Power Party, warned that "such mass detentions of workers could pose a serious risk at the national level," especially as Korean firms expand investments across the U.S.
Hyundai Motor North America responded with a carefully worded statement, clarifying that none of the detained individuals were direct employees of Hyundai, but rather subcontractors or suppliers' workers. "Hyundai is committed to full compliance with all laws and regulations in every market where we operate. This includes employment verification requirements and immigration laws. We expect the same commitment from all our partners, suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors," the company said. North America Chief Manufacturing Officer Chris Susock was appointed to oversee governance of the entire Georgia megasite, and Hyundai pledged to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure strict legal compliance throughout its supply chain.
The raid also sparked protests in Savannah and near the facility, with demonstrators chanting "Get your ICE out of Savannah!" and holding signs reading "ICE GO HOME." Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s office, however, stood firmly behind the operation, stating, "In Georgia, we will always enforce the law, including all state and federal immigration laws." The Department of Public Safety coordinated closely with ICE, underscoring the state’s commitment to federal partnerships.
For many of the detained workers, the ordeal was both bewildering and traumatic. Some, like engineers who arrived under the visa waiver program for brief business assignments, were caught up in the sweep despite plans to return home soon, according to their attorney, Charles Kuck. Family members and advocacy groups struggled to locate detainees or establish contact, with Asian Americans Advancing Justice–Atlanta noting that many families were still in South Korea, left in the dark about their loved ones’ fates.
The Hyundai-LG battery plant is a centerpiece of recent South Korean investment in the United States, part of a $350 billion pledge announced after a trade deal between President Lee and President Donald Trump. The Metaplant America campus, projected to employ up to 8,500 people and produce up to 500,000 EVs annually, was intended as a symbol of deepening economic ties. Now, it has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement, labor practices, and international relations.
As construction at the battery plant remains halted and diplomatic negotiations continue, the episode stands as a stark reminder of the complex, sometimes fraught intersection of global business, national security, and the lives of ordinary workers. For now, the future of Korean investment in the U.S.—and the fate of hundreds of families—hangs in the balance.
