Nearly 500 workers were detained in a sweeping raid at Hyundai’s electric vehicle plant in Georgia, marking the largest workplace enforcement action of Donald Trump’s second presidential term. Most of those held are South Korean nationals, prompting Seoul to voice “concern and regret” and urge Washington to safeguard its citizens’ rights.
Homeland Security officials said the arrests stemmed from a lengthy investigation into “unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes,” not simply an immigration roundup. Steve Schrank, head of Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta, called it “the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the agency.”
President Trump defended the raid, insisting the workers were in the US illegally and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was “just doing its job.” He also linked the situation to his broader crackdown on illegal immigration, a central campaign promise, while continuing to push for domestic manufacturing growth.
Hyundai stated that none of the detained individuals were directly employed by the company. Production at the 3,000-acre site continued, though partner LG Energy Solutions briefly halted construction work. South Korea dispatched diplomats and warned that the rights of Korean citizens and companies “must not be unfairly infringed” during US enforcement operations.
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