Immigration raid at Hyundai’s Georgia battery plant construction site detains 475 workers, including 300 South Korean nationals, in largest DHS operation.
Federal agents detained nearly 500 workers during an immigration raid at a Hyundai battery plant construction site near Savannah, Georgia — an operation that has rattled U.S.–South Korea relations and drawn scrutiny regarding how America staffs its biggest industrial projects.
About 475 workers at the battery plant’s construction site were detained on Sept. 4 under suspicion of being in the U.S. illegally, with at least 300 reportedly hailing from the democratic half of the Korean peninsula – which is also a top U.S. ally and key Asian partner.
The incident at the plant in Bryan County – several miles west of the Savannah suburb of Pooler — renewed scrutiny on construction sites of large projects as the Trump administration continues to investigate illegal worksite practices.
Steven Schrank, a top official at Homeland Security Investigations’ Atlanta bureau, said the raid sent «a clear and unequivocal message that those who exploit our workforce, undermine our economy and violate federal laws will be held accountable.»
The plant, still under construction and aiming to produce «Hyundai-LG» batteries, was the largest single-site operation in DHS history, according to several reports.
Schrank alleged some workers either overstayed their visas or were improperly employed in violation of them.
James Kim, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, criticized challenges and confusion in U.S. visa process in comments to the .
