U.S. immigration authorities arrested 475 people while executing a judicial search warrant at a Hyundai facility in Georgia on Thursday.
Steven Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia, called the raid the “largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security Investigations.”
The search at the plant, where Hyundai manufactures electric vehicles, shut down construction on an adjacent factory being built to produce EV batteries.
During a press conference on Friday, Schrank said those arrested were mostly South Korean citizens and “illegally present in the United States or in violation of their presence in the United States, working unlawfully.”
He added that the operation “underscores our commitment to jobs for Georgians and Americans, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding the integrity of our economy and protecting workers from exploitation.”
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson Lindsay Williams confirmed that federal authorities were conducting an enforcement operation at the 3,000-acre site west of Savannah. He said agents were focused on the construction site for the battery plant.
“This was not a immigration operation where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks and put them on buses. This has been a multi-month criminal investigation,” Schrank said.
He said no criminal charges would be announced on Friday but that investigators were still trying to determine employment details for those in custody.
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Most of the people arrested were held at the Folkston detention facility on Thursday and would be moved based on their individual circumstances, according to Schrank.
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Georgia State Patrol troopers blocked roads to the Hyundai site on Thursday. The Georgia Department of Public Safety confirmed they were dispatched to assist federal authorities.
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The operation involved law enforcement agents from many federal agencies, including ICE, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, border patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Internal Revenue Service.
The South Korean government responded to the detentions of many of its citizens in a statement on Friday.
“In the course of U.S. law enforcement, the economic activities of our investment firms and the rights and interests of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed upon,” said Lee Jae-woong, a spokesperson for South Korea’s foreign ministry. “We conveyed our concern and regret to the U.S. Embassy today and urged them to take special care to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of our nationals are not violated.”
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In a statement to NBC News, a Hyundai spokesperson said the company is “closely monitoring the situation and working to understand the specific circumstances.”
“As of today, it is our understanding that none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company. We prioritize the safety and well-being of everyone working at the site and comply with all laws and regulations wherever we operate,” the statement reads.
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In a statement to The Associated Press, LG Energy Solution, which has partnered with Hyundai to build an adjacent battery plant, said it was “closely monitoring the situation and gathering all relevant details.”
The operation targeted one of Georgia’s largest and most high-profile manufacturing sites, touted by the governor and other officials as the largest economic development project in the state’s history. Hyundai Motor Group began manufacturing EVs a year ago at the US$7.6-billion plant, which employs about 1,200 people.
The raid in Georgia comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has undertaken sweeping ICE operations as part of a mass deportation agenda.
— With files from The Associated Press
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