US authorities have arrested 475 people — most of them South Korean nationals — in what officials described as the largest single-site immigration enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The raid, carried out on Thursday at a Hyundai Motor–LG Energy Solution battery plant under construction in Ellabell, Georgia, followed a criminal probe into alleged unlawful employment practices.
“This was the largest single-site enforcement operation in HSI history,” Steven Schrank, the agency’s special agent in charge in Atlanta, said at a press briefing. “Those arrested were illegally present in the United States and working unlawfully.”
South Korea’s foreign ministry said it had conveyed its “concern and regret” to the US embassy in Seoul, urging Washington to respect the rights of its citizens. A ministry spokesperson, Lee Jae-woong, told reporters: “The economic activities of our investors and the legitimate rights and interests of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed in the course of US law enforcement.”
A source in Seoul told AFP that roughly 300 South Koreans were among those detained. The detainees have been handed over to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for possible deportation.
The Georgia facility, a joint venture between Hyundai and LG, is intended to supply batteries for electric vehicles. Schrank declined to specify how many of those arrested were employed directly by the firms or through subcontractors.
Hyundai said it was “closely monitoring” the situation and stressed that none of the detainees were directly employed by the company. LG Energy Solution said it was “gathering all relevant details” and pledged full cooperation with US authorities.
The crackdown comes amid President Donald Trump’s pledge to launch the largest deportation drive in US history. South Korean firms have invested heavily in the US, with Seoul promising $350 billion in projects earlier this year to bolster trade ties and shield its companies from tariff threats.
Schrank defended the raid, saying: “We are sending a clear and unequivocal message that those who exploit our workforce, undermine our economy and violate federal laws will be held accountable.”
