The US government has carried out its biggest-ever immigration raid at a single location, detaining nearly 500 foreign workers at a Hyundai Motor battery plant site in Georgia. The raid has raised concerns among overseas companies investing in America to meet US President Donald Trump’s trade goals.
On Thursday, officials arrested 475 people at an under-construction factory near Savannah. The plant, a $7.6 billion joint project between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, is the largest manufacturing investment in Georgia’s history and will produce electric-vehicle batteries.
LG Energy Solution has instructed employees on business trips in the US to either return to Korea immediately or remain confined to their residences, according to a Reuters report.
Trump’s policies collide
The raid brought together two of President Trump’s main policies – tough action on illegal immigration and boosting US manufacturing. Authorities said those detained had either crossed the border illegally, overstayed their visas or entered through a visa waiver program that didn’t allow them to work.
According to a search warrant unsealed on Friday, the first targets of the probe were four Hispanic workers. Officials stressed the investigation is still ongoing and no criminal charges have been filed so far. Homeland Security’s Steven Schrank said the probe had taken months and promised action against anyone breaking federal labour and immigration laws.
South Korea reacts strongly
The raid shocked South Korea, a close ally of the US and one of its biggest trading partners. More than 300 of those arrested were South Korean nationals. Seoul said it had not been warned in advance and is working to secure the release of its citizens.
Hyundai said none of the detained were directly employed by the company, while LG Energy confirmed it was cooperating with investigators.
Asked about the action, Trump said many of those detained were illegal immigrants. “We had a lot of illegal aliens working there,” he remarked, suggesting some were “not the best of people”.
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Hyundai has already pledged $26 billion in US investments since Trump took office, including $5 billion after South Korea’s president visited Washington last week. Trump’s wider trade push has also pressured allies like Japan and the EU to commit hundreds of billions of dollars in US projects, though details remain vague.