US immigration raid halts Hyundai battery plant construction, 475 arrested
U.S. immigration agents have arrested about 475 workers, mostly South Korean nationals, at a Hyundai Motor electric vehicle battery plant under construction in Ellabell, Georgia. Officials said those detained had either crossed the border illegally or overstayed visas, marking the largest single-site enforcement action in the Department of Homeland Security’s history.
The raid, dubbed “Operation Low Voltage,” forced Hyundai and its joint venture partner LG Energy Solutions to suspend work on the $4.3 billion facility, part of Hyundai’s $12.6 billion investment in Georgia. None of the workers arrested were directly employed by Hyundai, which pledged to review suppliers and subcontractors for compliance, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The arrests come as Washington and Seoul navigate sensitive trade relations, with South Korea’s Foreign Ministry expressing “regret and concern.” The battery plant is considered the largest economic development project in Georgia’s history and was set to supply Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis EV models.
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