On September 4, 2025, the quiet town of Ellabell, Georgia, became the unlikely stage for a dramatic and far-reaching immigration raid that sent shockwaves through diplomatic and business circles on both sides of the Pacific. U.S. immigration officials, acting under a judicial search warrant, arrested approximately 475 workers—including more than 300 South Koreans and one Indonesian—at the construction site of a $4.3 billion Hyundai and LG Energy Solution electric vehicle battery plant. According to Reuters, this operation was the largest single-site enforcement action in the history of the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative operations.
The raid, which was executed by federal agents accompanied by armored vehicles, targeted what authorities described as “unlawful employment practices” at the 100-acre construction site. Footage released by U.S. officials depicted workers in handcuffs and ankle chains being led onto buses—a scene that caused considerable anger and distress in South Korea. The incident unfolded just ten days after a high-profile summit in Washington between U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, where both leaders had pledged to strengthen business ties between their nations.
LG Energy Solution reported that 47 of its employees were among those detained, with the vast majority being South Koreans. The company also noted that about 250 of the arrested individuals were employed by its contractors, again mostly South Koreans. Hyundai Motor, for its part, clarified that none of its direct employees were among those arrested, as reported by multiple outlets including Asia Financial.
The timing and scale of the raid sent shockwaves through Seoul. South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a key U.S. security ally, has been a major investor in American industry. In July 2025, Seoul pledged $350 billion in U.S. investments as part of a new tariff agreement. The Korean business community, according to The Korea Economic Daily, quickly voiced concerns that the incident could jeopardize more than $101 billion in ongoing and future projects, including joint shipbuilding ventures and expansions in steel and power equipment manufacturing.
Many of the detained workers had entered the U.S. under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or short-term B-1 business visas, a practice common among Korean firms facing tight construction schedules and limited access to H-1B and L-1 work visas. These short-term visas allowed companies to rotate engineers and skilled staff in and out of the country every 90 days—a workaround that, while not uncommon, left many vulnerable to enforcement actions.
U.S. authorities maintained that the operation was necessary and lawful. Steven Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia, told reporters that the raid targeted “unlawful employment practices going on at this massive, 100-acre construction site.” A customs official noted that many of those arrested lacked proper authorization to work in the United States. Tom Homan, the White House’s border czar, was blunt in his assessment, telling CNN, “No one hires an illegal alien out of the goodness of their heart. They hire them because they can work them harder, pay them less, undercut the competition that hires US citizen employees.”
President Trump, who has made immigration enforcement a central pillar of his administration since taking office in January 2025, responded to the raid with a mix of admonition and encouragement. On September 7, 2025, he posted on social media, “Please respect our Nation’s Immigration Laws. 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 train American Workers.” He later added, “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.”
For the South Korean government, the incident was both a diplomatic headache and a logistical challenge. Seoul’s presidential office announced on September 7 that negotiations to secure the release of the detained Korean workers had concluded and that processing for their return was underway. A chartered plane was being arranged, with the workers likely to board on September 10, 2025, according to South Korean Consul General in Washington Cho Ki-joong, as quoted by Yonhap News Agency. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun was dispatched to Washington on September 9 to help smooth relations and ensure the swift repatriation of the workers.
Industry officials in Seoul warned that, unless visa arrangements for skilled Korean staff were settled through bilateral talks, investment timetables worth billions could face serious delays and cost overruns. As The Korea Economic Daily reported, “Korean workers are treated like criminals for building factories that Washington itself lobbied for. If this continues, investment in the US could be reconsidered.”
In response to the incident, both Hyundai and LG Energy Solution suspended non-essential business trips to the United States and began recalling employees currently in the country, except in exceptional cases. LG Energy Solution, in particular, made clear that staff business trips would be halted for the foreseeable future as the company assessed the fallout from the raid.
The battery plant at the center of the controversy is one of the largest economic development projects in Georgia’s history, with Hyundai and LG Energy Solution each holding a 50% stake. The facility is expected to play a key role in supplying batteries for electric vehicles, a sector that both companies and the U.S. government have identified as critical for future growth and competitiveness.
Despite the diplomatic turbulence, both Washington and Seoul reiterated their commitments to deepening economic ties. Just weeks before the raid, Korean Air had announced a historic purchase of 100 Boeing aircraft, following the Trump-Lee summit. South Korea had also secured a 15% tariff rate for exports to the United States, significantly lower than the 25% initially threatened by the Trump administration.
Yet, the episode has highlighted the complexities and tensions that can arise when immigration enforcement intersects with global business. As South Korea’s presidential chief of staff Kang Hun-sik noted, the government would seek ways to improve the visa system for Korean workers traveling to the U.S. to “prevent a similar incident.” For now, the focus remains on bringing the detained workers home and restoring confidence among Korean investors and companies operating in the United States.
In a world increasingly defined by cross-border investment and international labor, the events in Georgia serve as a stark reminder that even the closest allies can find themselves at odds over the rules of engagement. As planes prepare to bring the workers home, both nations are left to consider how best to balance the imperatives of law enforcement, economic growth, and diplomatic goodwill.
