On September 4, 2025, the quiet town of Ellabell, Georgia became the center of a diplomatic storm after U.S. immigration authorities conducted a sweeping raid at the construction site of a major Hyundai Motor Company and LG Energy Solution electric vehicle (EV) battery plant. The operation, described by Homeland Security Investigations as the largest single-site enforcement action in its history, resulted in the detention of approximately 475 workers, including nearly 300 South Korean nationals. The fallout from the raid has rippled across two continents, raising urgent questions about immigration enforcement, foreign investment, and the complex ties between the United States and South Korea.
The $4.3 billion Hyundai-LG battery facility, still under construction, is a linchpin in Georgia’s ambitious push to become a leader in the EV supply chain. The project, one of the largest foreign investments in the state, is expected to create thousands of jobs and cement Georgia’s role in the clean energy economy. Many of the workers on site were employed by subcontractors and brought in for their specialized expertise in battery technology—a skill set in high demand as automakers race to electrify their fleets.
But on that Thursday morning, the hum of construction was replaced by the thunder of helicopters and the sight of armored vehicles as federal agents descended on the site. According to The New York Times, workers were handcuffed, some shackled at the wrists, ankles, and waist, and loaded onto buses. Footage released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) showed convoys of vehicles entering the plant and agents lining up workers outside for processing. Those with valid work authorization or visas were reportedly allowed to leave, but many—despite presenting documentation—were detained. ICE officials stated that a significant number of those held were on visitor or visa waiver programs, which prohibit employment in the United States.
The raid, which initially targeted a small number of Hispanic workers, soon swept up hundreds—predominantly South Koreans employed by subcontractors. Hyundai Motor Company was quick to clarify that none of its direct employees were among those detained, emphasizing that the affected workers were subcontracted.
The diplomatic fallout was immediate and intense. South Korea, a close U.S. ally and major economic partner, expressed “concern and regret” over the incident, as reported by Yonhap. President Lee Jae Myung ordered urgent government action to secure the release and safe return of detained citizens. South Korea’s Foreign Minister, Cho Hyun, engaged in rapid talks with U.S. officials, while diplomats from the consulate in Atlanta visited nationals held at the Folkston ICE Processing Center to check on their health and well-being. “There are some administrative procedures left, but once they are cleared, we will send a chartered plane to bring our people home. We will not let our guard down until we have our people safely back home,” Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to President Lee, told senior officials, according to The Indian Express.
Negotiations between the two governments moved swiftly. By Sunday, an agreement had been reached: nearly 300 South Korean workers would be allowed to return home on a chartered flight, designated as a voluntary departure to avoid formal deportation penalties. The South Korean government took charge of logistics, with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun scheduled to travel to the U.S. for further talks and an official delegation set to oversee ongoing dialogue in Washington.
The raid’s timing could hardly have been more sensitive. Just weeks earlier, President Donald Trump and President Lee had held a summit focused on deepening economic ties and encouraging foreign investment in the U.S.—with South Korean firms pledging at least $50 billion in new projects. Yet the Trump administration’s hardline immigration stance has increasingly come into conflict with its drive to attract foreign capital. Since returning to office, President Trump has expanded ICE’s budget and granted the agency sweeping authority to conduct raids, part of a broader crackdown on immigrants and refugees. In a statement following the raid, Trump voiced support for ICE, referring to those detained as “illegal aliens.”
According to Pew Research Center, the U.S. labor force lost more than 1.2 million immigrant workers between January and July 2025. While Trump has pledged to deport “the worst of the worst criminals,” ICE data shows a marked increase in the detention of non-criminal immigrants. The Hyundai-LG raid, critics argue, underscores the risks of prioritizing enforcement over economic growth—especially when skilled foreign labor is integral to high-tech manufacturing.
The impact on Hyundai and LG Energy Solution was immediate. Hyundai reiterated that its direct employees were not among those detained, but acknowledged that subcontractors had employed undocumented workers. LG Energy Solution reportedly paused most overseas business travel and instructed staff to return to South Korea out of safety concerns. Investor anxiety spiked over potential disruptions to the EV battery supply chain and the viability of the Georgia project, valued at $4.3 billion by U.S. sources and $7.6 billion by South Korean media.
For the detained workers and their families, the experience was traumatic. Reports described moments of panic and distress as armed agents entered the workplace. Community advocacy groups and Georgia lawmakers criticized the raid as a misdirected use of resources, targeting vulnerable immigrant workers rather than focusing on violent or dangerous criminals. “The rights and interests of South Korean nationals, as well as the business operations of South Korean companies investing in the US, must not be violated,” Foreign Minister Cho Hyun emphasized, according to Yonhap.
South Korea’s opposition People Power Party (PPP) seized on the incident to criticize President Lee’s “pragmatic diplomacy” with Washington. Senior PPP spokesperson Park Sung-hoon accused the administration of failing to protect its citizens, noting that recent investment pledges had been met with “crackdowns” in return.
In the aftermath, both governments have pledged to review their procedures. South Korea will scrutinize its visa practices for workers traveling to the U.S., aiming to prevent similar incidents in the future. Industry officials told The New York Times that those detained included LG employees visiting on short-term business visas or under a visa waiver program to provide technical guidance, as well as South Korean construction workers hired by subcontractors. U.S. immigration officials, for their part, accused South Korean companies of favoring foreign workers over Americans by employing people without proper authorization.
The construction at the Georgia plant was forced to halt, but Kang Hoon-sik confirmed that South Korea would continue the project despite the disruption. The episode has prompted calls for a reevaluation of visa issuance, subcontractor oversight, and enforcement coordination to avoid collateral diplomatic and economic damage.
This remarkable episode in U.S.-Korea relations is a stark reminder of the delicate balance between enforcing immigration laws and fostering international business partnerships. As the global economy becomes ever more interconnected, the need for coherent policies that prioritize both legal compliance and respectful treatment of international labor forces has never been more urgent. The Hyundai raid’s aftermath will likely echo in boardrooms and government halls on both sides of the Pacific for years to come.
