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📍 Bryan County, Georgia — A sweeping federal immigration enforcement operation has led to the detention of approximately 450 workers at a Hyundai Motor Group construction site in southeast Georgia, prompting an immediate suspension of work on a planned electric vehicle battery facility.
The raid, conducted on September 4, involved multiple U.S. agencies including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Authorities executed a judicially authorized search warrant targeting alleged unlawful employment practices and other federal violations.
The facility, part of a $4.3 billion joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and South Korea’s LG Energy Solution, was scheduled to begin battery production by the end of the year. The site is adjacent to Hyundai’s $7.6 billion EV manufacturing plant, which remains operational.
Among those detained were at least 30 South Korean nationals, prompting diplomatic concern from Seoul. The South Korean Foreign Ministry issued a statement urging U.S. authorities to safeguard the rights of Korean citizens and investment interests during law enforcement actions.
Hyundai and LG Energy Solution have stated they are cooperating fully with investigators. Construction at the battery site has been paused to facilitate the investigation, though Hyundai confirmed that EV production at its main facility is unaffected.
This enforcement action marks one of the largest immigration raids in recent years and underscores heightened scrutiny of labor practices at major industrial sites across the United States.
