In a sweeping operation, US federal agents arrested 475 workers at the construction site of a Hyundai Motor–LG Energy Solution joint venture plant in Georgia — the largest single-site immigration raid carried out under President Donald Trump’s anti-migrant drive.
Authorities said the majority of those detained were South Korean nationals suspected of working illegally in the United States.
The raid took place at the $350 billion battery plant project in Ellabell, earlier hailed by Georgia leaders as the state’s largest-ever economic development investment and a key pillar of America’s electric vehicle push.
A video released by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Saturday showed a convoy of enforcement vehicles approaching the site, where agents ordered workers in hardhats and safety vests to line up outside.
The crackdown comes against the backdrop of strained US–South Korea ties following Washington’s tariffs on imported goods and ongoing disputes over trade terms. Seoul has sought investment protections, while Washington has pressed for greater market access.
Despite diplomatic friction, the Hyundai–LG facility remains central to US plans to expand domestic EV battery manufacturing.
Footage circulating on social media showed a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent announcing: “We have a search warrant for the whole site. We need construction to cease immediately. We need all the work to end on the site right now.”
Some detainees were ordered to press their hands against a bus as they were frisked before being shackled at the hands, ankles, and waist. Others were restrained with plastic ties as they boarded a Georgia inmate-transfer bus.
One construction worker described the raid as resembling a “war zone.” Speaking anonymously to CNN, he said: “They just told everybody to get on the wall. We stood there for about an hour and were then taken to another section where we waited. Then we went inside another building and got processed.”
Agents reportedly asked each worker to provide their Social Security number, date of birth, and other identification details.
Those determined to be lawfully present in the United States were handed a slip stamped “clear to depart” to present at exit checkpoints.
