In a dramatic turn of events that’s sent ripples through the worlds of business, diplomacy, and immigration policy, U.S. federal authorities on September 4, 2025, conducted a massive raid at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America site in Ellabell, Georgia. The operation, which unfolded just west of Savannah, targeted the construction site of a new electric vehicle (EV) battery plant—a joint venture between Hyundai and South Korea’s LG Energy Solution. The result? The largest single-site enforcement action in the history of Homeland Security Investigations, with 475 workers arrested, most of them South Korean nationals.
According to the Associated Press, the sprawling 3,000-acre site—heralded as Georgia’s largest economic development project and a cornerstone of the state’s manufacturing future—has been operational for about a year, producing electric vehicles. The battery plant, still under construction and slated to open in 2026, represents a crucial piece of Hyundai’s $7.6 billion investment in the region. Governor Brian Kemp has repeatedly touted the project as a triumph for Georgia, employing between 1,200 and 1,400 people and drawing international investment to the Peach State.
But on that Thursday morning, the mood shifted dramatically. Georgia State Patrol troopers blocked access roads. Videos posted to social media captured workers in yellow safety vests being lined up as agents—some bearing tactical vests emblazoned with “HSI” for Homeland Security Investigations—announced, “We’re Homeland Security. We have a search warrant for the whole site. We need construction to cease immediately. We need all work to end on the site right now.”
Federal officials, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), confirmed that the raid was part of an ongoing criminal investigation into “allegations of unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes.” Special Agent Steve Schrank, who leads Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia, told reporters, “This in fact was the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of homeland security investigations.” He emphasized that the operation was the result of a multi-month investigation and not a random sweep. “This was not an immigration operation where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks and put them on buses,” Schrank explained. Instead, agents reviewed documents and conducted background checks on workers, focusing on those employed at the battery plant construction site.
By the end of the day, 475 individuals had been detained, most of them South Korean nationals. Those arrested were taken to the Folkston immigration processing center in Georgia, where authorities began the process of determining their individual circumstances and next steps. According to Schrank, the detained workers were either in the United States illegally or were working unlawfully, often employed by a network of contractors and subcontractors rather than directly by Hyundai itself. “As of today, it is our understanding that none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company,” the automaker said in a statement to multiple news outlets, including NBC News and BBC. “We prioritize the safety and well-being of everyone working at the site and comply with all laws and regulations wherever we operate.”
LG Energy Solution, Hyundai’s partner in the battery plant project, also acknowledged the arrests and announced that construction had been paused while the company cooperated with authorities. “Employees of both companies had been taken into custody,” LG Energy Solution confirmed in a statement. Operations at Hyundai’s main EV manufacturing plant, however, were not affected. Plant spokesperson Bianca Johnson told the Associated Press, “This did not impact people getting to work. Production and normal office hours had already begun for the day.”
The raid has not only disrupted one of Georgia’s most high-profile manufacturing projects but also triggered a diplomatic response from South Korea. Seoul’s foreign ministry expressed deep concern about “possible unjust infringement” of their citizens’ rights and dispatched diplomats to Georgia to monitor the situation. Spokesperson Lee Jae-woong stated, “The economic activities of our investment firms and the rights and interests of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed upon.” South Korea has also established an on-site task force with the help of its consulate in Atlanta to support detained nationals and ensure their rights are protected.
The operation’s scale was staggering. About 400 federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives participated in the action. U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap described it as part of the nationwide initiative “Operation Take Back America,” aimed at “repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, achieving the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations.” Despite the size of the raid, officials reported no significant injuries—only one worker was treated for overheating, and one agent suffered a minor laceration.
For many, the raid highlights a fundamental tension in U.S. policy under President Donald Trump: the desire to attract foreign investment and manufacturing jobs while simultaneously enforcing strict immigration laws. The Trump administration has made sweeping ICE operations a hallmark of its approach, targeting not only farms and restaurants but also major construction and manufacturing sites. As BBC noted, while the president has celebrated foreign companies like Hyundai for bringing jobs to America, he has also campaigned on cracking down on illegal immigration, arguing that unauthorized workers take jobs from Americans.
This dual approach is not without diplomatic risks. Just a week before the raid, President Trump hosted South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung at the White House, where Lee pledged an additional $150 billion in U.S. investment, including in battery manufacturing. South Korean companies, keen to avoid tariffs and deepen economic ties, have promised billions more in U.S. projects. In March, Hyundai announced plans to invest $21 billion in U.S. onshoring from 2025 to 2028, a figure recently increased to $26 billion. These investments are expected to create 25,000 new direct jobs over the next four years, including a $5.8 billion steel plant in Louisiana and a state-of-the-art robotics facility.
Yet, as this week’s events show, even flagship projects can become embroiled in the complexities of immigration enforcement. No criminal charges were announced immediately following the raid, and investigations into the employment practices of contractors and subcontractors remain ongoing. U.S. officials have stressed that the operation is about ensuring a level playing field for businesses and protecting American jobs. “This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians and Americans, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding the integrity of our economy and protecting workers from exploitation,” Schrank said.
As the dust settles in Ellabell, the world will be watching how the U.S. balances its drive for economic growth with its commitment to immigration enforcement—and how it manages relations with key allies like South Korea in the process. For now, the Hyundai site stands as a symbol of both the promise and the peril of global investment in an era of heightened scrutiny and shifting priorities.
