A massive attack on immigration in a Hyundai-LG-Energy-Joint venture battery in Georgia is testing an economic partnership between the USA and South Korea. Federal agents arrested around 450 workers, including more than 30 South Korean citizens, only weeks after Seoul had signed a US dollar in the United States of $ 350 billion.
Federal agents with ICE and Homeland Security investigations carried out the raid on Thursday at the building site in Ellabell, Georgia. Officials said the operation was associated with an investigation of “illegal employment practices and other serious federal crimes”.
The ATF's Atlanta office said that the arrested were “illegal extraterrestrials”. NBC News Verified Video in which agents were set with a search order and the order of the construction. The workers said they were asked about their citizenship, while additional film material showed that the employees and their bags were inspected.
Today @Atfatlanta HSI, FBI, DEA, ICE, GSP and other agencies in a large immigration authorities in the battery facility of Hyundai Mega Site in Bryan County, GA, concluded, which led to the arrest of ~ 450 illegal foreigners and the emphasis of our engagements for the safety of the community. #Atf pic.twitter.com/su6ralrlu6
– ATF Atlanta (@atfatlanta) September 4, 2025
South Korea answers
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that more than 30 of its citizens were imprisoned and “concerned and regret to the US message. A spokesman said” the economic activities of our companies that invest in the United States and the rights and interests of our nationals must not be wrongly violated, “said Yonhap.
Seoul sent consular officers to Washington and Atlanta and founded a task force on site to monitor the situation.
LG Energy confirmed that some of his employees were arrested on business trips and said she was working with the South Korean government to secure her release. A spokesman for the HL GA battery company said the company worked on the site while working with the investigators.
Why the plant is important
The Ellabell complex, which is considered one of the largest manufacturing projects in Georgia, is an investment of 7.6 billion US dollars from Hyundai and LG Energy. As soon as it is complete, batteries are delivered to the nearby Hyundai batteries in the nearby Hyundai batteries and are expected to create 8,500 jobs by 2031.
Hyundai only announced last month that it would increase its US investment to $ 26 billion by 2028.
Diplomatic missions
The raid is only given weeks after Seoul has agreed to invest in the USA 350 billion US dollars as part of the talks that ended with a 15% tariff set for its imports. Analysts warned that repeated comprehensive enforcement processes could disrupt cooperation between allies.
“[It] Would damage the trust and damage the industrial cooperation between the USA and South Korea in various industries, with negative effects on local communities, ”said Hur Jung, Professor at Soang University in Seoul and President of the Korean Association of Trade and Industry Studies.
Mathew Grisham (digital producer)
and Bast Bramhall (video editor)
contributed to this report.
