US federal agents arrested 475 people from a Hyundai manufacturing site earlier this week — the largest single-site immigration raid in its history. Visuals shared online showed hundreds of uniformed officials descending on the site in Georgia before chaining the workers — most of them South Korean nationals — and leading them into vehicles for detention. The incident has also sparked outrage in Seoul and risks damaging ties with Washington. South Korean officials confirmed on Sunday afternoon that the detained citizens would return home following talks between the two countries.
“I would say that they were illegal aliens and ICE was just doing its job,” US President Donald Trump told reporters.
But the timing of the raids — days after a meeting between Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung — has left many worried about a brewing diplomatic crisis. The meeting at the White House also saw the two countries reach a major trade deal, which included a $350 billion fund to help Korean companies enter the US market. Multiple source-based reports suggest that Trump may also visit South Korea in October for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation event.
Diplomatic crisis?
The incident had sparked outrage in South Korea — with officials calling the release of arrest images ‘regrettable’. Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun said he felt a “great sense of responsibility for the arrest of our citizens” as South Korea held emergency meetings and dispatched diplomats to the site. Seoul also held talks with US officials to negotiate the release of detained Korean workers in Georgia.
Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hun-sik later said in televised remarks that a plane would be sent to bring them back once administrative procedures were completed. He also indicated that the government would seek ways to improve the visa system of Korean workers traveling to the US to “prevent a similar incident”. According to reports, South Korean companies such as LG Energy Solution have also taken steps — including a pause on business travel to the US and recalling employees amidst the fallout.
How the raid unfolded
Nearly 500 federal, state and local officials had entered the Hyundai facility on Thursday after setting up a security perimeter and blocking roads. The workers were lined up along the walls and questioned individually about their legal status — prompting panic and attempts to flee. Some had run to a sewage pond amid the chaos while others tried hiding in air ducts. According to reports, the operation was launched after weeks of coordination and intelligence gathering as the Donald Trump administration continued its crackdown on immigration.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials insist that the detained workers were all working illegally — some had entered the country without permits, some had visas that prohibited them from working, and others had overstayed their visas. Some of the affected individuals are now contesting their detention with an immigration lawyer telling The New York Times that two of his clients had been wrongfully caught up in the raid. Charles Kuck said the duo were under a visa waiver programme that allowed travel for tourism or business up to 90 days, and attending business meetings.
Visuals shared online showed masked and armed agents ordering the construction workers to line up as officers raided the facility. Many were seen being chained by their hands, stomachs, and legs before being led into vehicles.
“Some ran into a sewage pond located on the premises. Agents used a boat to fish them out of the water. One of the individuals swam under the boat and tried to flip it over to no avail. These people were captured and identified as illegal workers,” CNN quoted the US Attorney’s Office as saying.