When more than 450 workers were swept up in a dramatic immigration raid at the Hyundai Metaplant in Ellabell, Georgia, on September 4, 2025, the reverberations were felt not just on the factory floor but across continents. The majority of those detained—over 300 South Korean nationals—were working at a sprawling electric vehicle battery facility, a joint venture between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, that’s still under construction about 25 miles west of Savannah. The operation, the largest of its kind in recent U.S. immigration enforcement history, has since sparked diplomatic tensions, public outcry, and questions about the future of U.S.-South Korea business ties.
According to CNN, the raid was the culmination of a months-long criminal investigation involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Armed with a judicial search warrant naming four individuals but arriving with overwhelming personnel, officers detained hundreds of workers suspected of living and working illegally in the United States. The scale of the action quickly drew attention, especially as video footage showed masked agents ordering construction workers—many in hard hats and safety vests—to line up as the facility was swept.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that more than 300 of its citizens were among those detained. The response from Seoul was immediate and robust. Foreign Affairs Minister Cho Hyun left Seoul for Washington, D.C., on September 8 to engage directly with U.S. officials. President Lee Jae Myung, on September 9, expressed his "heartfelt consolation" to those affected and criticized the detentions as "unjust infringements on the activities of our people and businesses." The president added that he hoped "such practices will not happen again."
In a move immigration attorneys described as highly unusual, the South Korean government arranged a chartered Korean Air Boeing 747, capable of carrying 368 passengers, to repatriate its citizens. The flight is scheduled to depart Atlanta late on September 10, 2025. According to Sarah Owings, an immigration attorney representing several of the detainees, "I do not know of another instance where a government has responded with chartering a flight." Jorge Gavilanes, another Atlanta-based immigration attorney, told CNN, "It seems like it’s within South Korea’s best interest to try to get their people back as quickly as possible."
The legal status of the detained workers remains under scrutiny. Some entered the U.S. illegally, others overstayed visas, and a number were present under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which prohibits working. According to Charles Kuck, an attorney representing two of the detained workers, his clients were engineers authorized to work under the visa waiver and were in the U.S. briefly "to advise on the work being done at the site." Kuck emphasized that "they had a specific time they were going to be here and leave, for a specific task that they were assigned to do here as part of their company’s contract with Hyundai."
Neither Hyundai nor LG Energy Solution directly employed all the detained workers. About 50 worked for LG Energy Solution, while another 250—mostly Korean nationals—were employed by HL-GA Battery Company LLC, a Hyundai-LG joint venture. In a statement to CNN, LG Energy Solution said, "We will commit our best efforts to ensure the safe and prompt return of our employees and those of our partners." The company also suspended most business trips to the U.S. and advised traveling employees to return home or remain at their accommodations.
The raid’s impact extended beyond legal and diplomatic channels, igniting a wave of public outrage in South Korea. According to a Realmeter poll of 508 South Korean adults conducted on September 8, 59.2 percent said they viewed the raids as "excessive," while 30.7 percent considered them an "inevitable" part of immigration policy. On September 9, protesters staged a performance outside the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, depicting U.S. President Donald Trump oppressing Korean workers chained in shackles—a powerful image that underscored the emotional response back home.
According to Newsweek, the incident has raised broader concerns about the reliability of the U.S. as an ally, especially as the two countries navigate trade frictions, new U.S. tariffs on Korean steel and auto parts, and ongoing security cooperation. "How can a government that treats Koreans this way be relied upon as an 'ironclad' ally in a crisis?" asked John Delury, a senior fellow at the Asia Society think tank, in comments to Bloomberg. Sean King, a senior vice president at Park Strategies, noted, "U.S. laws must be enforced. But this Georgia incident will give foreign companies fits and cause for real concern as their governments try to meet President Trump’s demands for overseas investment in the United States."
For its part, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security defended the operation, stating, "Together, we are sending a clear and unequivocal message: those who exploit our workforce, undermine our economy, and violate federal laws will be held accountable." Homeland Security Investigations special agent Steven Schrank emphasized that the operation was not a simple round-up but the result of a multi-month investigation involving evidence gathering, interviews, and judicial oversight.
U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the controversy on Truth Social, writing, "Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build world class products, and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so. What we ask in return is that you hire and train American workers." Hyundai, in a statement on September 5, reaffirmed its commitment to "full compliance with all laws and regulations in every market where we operate. This includes employment verification requirements and immigration laws."
The Hyundai Metaplant, which includes both the main electric vehicle manufacturing facility and the under-construction battery plant, was projected to employ up to 8,500 people once completed. The raid halted construction, according to The Associated Press, casting uncertainty over the timeline and future of the project. While the initial search warrant named only four individuals, the sheer scale of the operation—with hundreds detained and a wide array of federal agencies involved—suggested a broader intent to crack down on workforce violations.
As the repatriation flight prepares to depart Atlanta, both governments are working to resolve the immediate crisis. South Korean officials remain focused on the "swift release of our detained citizens and the stable implementation of the investment projects," as stated by Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik. Meanwhile, the incident has left a lasting impression on public opinion and diplomatic relations, with many in South Korea now questioning the strength and fairness of their alliance with the United States.
For the workers and their families, the ordeal has been deeply personal. Outside the Georgia facility, protesters—some chanting in Spanish and Korean—demanded justice and the safe return of the detained. "These people have families and loved ones and they have no contact with them," one protester told CNN, calling the raid "disgusting." As the dust settles, the story of the Hyundai plant raid serves as a stark reminder of the complex intersection between immigration enforcement, international business, and the bonds between nations.