On the morning of Thursday, September 4, 2025, the sprawling Hyundai-LG manufacturing site in Ellabell, Georgia, became the epicenter of the largest single-site immigration enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security Investigations, according to U.S. immigration officials. As federal agents descended on the under-construction electric vehicle battery plant, panic and confusion rippled through the workforce—most notably among the hundreds of South Korean nationals suddenly swept up in the raid.
The scene, as described by a South Korean worker to BBC, was chaotic and tense. "Multiple phone lines were ringing and the message was to shut down operations," he recalled, painting a picture of a workplace thrown into turmoil. Workers, many of whom were mechanics installing production lines or specialists sent from Seoul for training, were ordered to line up, frisked, and shackled around their hands, ankles, and waists before being loaded onto buses. Some, in a desperate bid to avoid detention, even attempted to flee—jumping into a nearby sewage pond, according to reports reviewed by BBC Verify.
By the end of the operation, 475 people had been detained, at least 300 of them South Korean nationals. The majority were taken to a detention center in Folkston, Georgia, near the Florida state line. ICE released footage showing the scale of the operation: a caravan of vehicles approaching the site, agents in tactical gear, and workers being led away in chains. The images, circulated widely on news outlets like AP and BBC, shocked not only the local Korean American community but also reverberated all the way to Seoul.
The raid, dubbed "Operation Low Voltage" by officials, targeted the battery plant being built adjacent to Hyundai’s existing electric vehicle factory. The $7.6 billion complex, described by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp as the largest economic development project in the state's history, is a centerpiece of foreign investment in the region. Hyundai, in partnership with LG Energy Solution, had begun manufacturing electric vehicles at the site a year prior, with the battery plant slated to open the following year.
For many in the Korean workforce, the operation was both shocking and, in some ways, unsurprising. As one worker told BBC, "Their slogan is America first, and if you work in America legally, you won't have an issue." Yet, nearly all those detained, he believed, had some legal right to be in the U.S.—but were either on the wrong type of visa or their work authorization had expired. ICE agent Steven Schrank confirmed at a news conference that none of the detainees had been charged with crimes as of September 5, and that the investigation was ongoing. He stated, "They were workers who have entered through a variety of different means into the United States, some illegally crossed the border, some that came in through visa waiver and were prohibited from working, some that had visas and overstayed their visas."
Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, in a joint statement following the raid, said they were "co-operating fully with the appropriate authorities regarding activity at our construction site. To assist their work, we have paused construction." Hyundai further clarified that, "based on our current understanding, none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company." The companies emphasized their commitment to compliance with all laws and regulations in every market where they operate.
The political fallout was immediate and severe. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, announced on Sunday, September 7, that the U.S. and South Korea had finalized negotiations for the release of the detained workers. "Negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded, after swift responses by the relevant ministries, business agencies, and companies," Kang said in a statement, as reported by AP. He added, "However, some administrative procedures remain, and once they’re completed, a chartered plane will depart to bring back our citizens." South Korea’s foreign ministry voiced "concern and regret" over the incident, and diplomats were dispatched to the site to advocate for their nationals.
President Lee pushed for an "all-out response," emphasizing that the rights and interests of South Korean nationals and the business operations of companies investing in the U.S. "must not be infringed upon," according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. The opposition People Power Party was quick to criticize the government’s handling of the issue, warning that the detentions "could pose a serious risk" to the country. Senior PPP spokesperson Park Sung-hoon blamed Lee’s diplomatic approach, stating it "failed to ensure both the safety of citizens and the competitiveness" of South Korean businesses, and noting that recent promises of investment in the U.S. had seemingly only resulted in a "crackdown" against Korean citizens.
The raid was not an isolated incident but part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on immigration, which has mandated at least 3,000 arrests per day nationwide. Border Czar Tom Homan, speaking to CNN, vowed, "Yes. We’re going to do more worksite enforcement operations." He argued, "No one hires an illegal alien out of the goodness of their heart. They hire them because they work them harder, pay them less and undercut the competition that hires US citizen employees." The administration’s tough stance has been bolstered by record funding for ICE and new latitude for enforcement, as noted by Al Jazeera, and has led to a notable contraction in the immigrant workforce—over 1.2 million fewer immigrants in the U.S. labor force from January through July, according to Pew Research Center data cited in the coverage.
The incident has also strained U.S.-South Korean relations at a time of significant economic partnership. In July, South Korea had struck a tariff deal with the Trump administration, pledging to invest $350 billion in the U.S. and purchase $100 billion in American energy in exchange for lower duties. The Hyundai-LG complex itself represents the largest foreign investment in Georgia’s history, employing about 1,200 people and serving as a symbol of deepening commercial ties.
Within the Korean American community in Georgia, the raid left many unsettled. Cho Dahye, president of the Korean American Association of Greater Savannah, told BBC, "It's very shocking to me and the image of a global, well-known company. It's also affecting the relationship of the government and all those Korean immigrants here in this country, invested in business." Even those with citizenship or legal work status, she said, felt a new sense of vulnerability.
As the dust settles and the detained workers prepare to return home on a chartered flight, the aftermath of Operation Low Voltage continues to ripple through diplomatic, business, and immigrant communities alike. The incident has prompted both governments and companies to reassess their approaches to labor, compliance, and cross-border cooperation—reminding all involved that in today’s global economy, the line between opportunity and risk can be as thin as a visa stamp.
