Hundreds of workers have been detained in a large-scale immigration raid at a car battery factory under construction in Georgia, United States, intended to supply Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles. The operation, led by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), brought work on the site to a halt.
The facility, a joint venture between South Korean battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution (LGES) and Hyundai Motor, forms part of what has been described as the largest industrial investment in Georgia’s history. State governor Brian Kemp had previously hailed the project as a major economic boost.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Atlanta confirmed that at least 450 people were arrested. However, the Korea Economic Daily, citing industry sources, reported that around 560 workers were detained, including approximately 300 South Korean nationals.
The raid, carried out on Thursday, involved multiple federal agencies, including ICE, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Officials stated that it was part of an investigation into alleged unlawful employment practices. “Arrests are being made,” said Steven Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations for Georgia.
A South Korean government representative confirmed that those detained were being held at an ICE facility. The country’s foreign ministry expressed concern over the impact of the operation, stating: “The economic activities of our companies investing in the United States and the interests of our citizens must not be unduly violated during the course of US law enforcement.”
The battery plant, due to begin operations at the end of this year, is intended to supply Hyundai, Kia and Genesis electric vehicle models. Hyundai Motor said production of electric vehicles at its other facilities was unaffected, though construction at the battery site has been paused.
The $4.3bn joint venture, announced in 2023, is part of Hyundai’s wider $12.6bn investment in Georgia, which also includes a newly opened car manufacturing plant. The company has described the project as the largest economic development initiative in the state’s history.
Footage posted on social media showed a Homeland Security Investigations officer telling workers: “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.”
The raid comes amid the Trump administration’s continued immigration enforcement drive, which it says targets serious offenders. However, ICE figures indicate an increase in the detention of individuals without criminal records, prompting criticism from rights groups.
In a separate incident on the same day, ICE officers conducted a raid at the Nutrition Bar Confectioners facilities near Syracuse, New York, detaining more than 40 workers. State governor Kathy Hochul condemned the action, saying it risked leaving children without parents at home. The advocacy group Rural & Migrant Ministry estimated that over 70 workers were arrested in the New York operation.
Both cases have drawn attention to the potential impact of immigration enforcement on major business projects and local communities.
