Raid at Hyundai Plant Leaves 450 Hispanic and South Korean Workers Detained

Massive Raid at Hyundai Plant in Georgia

450 Immigrants Detained

Latinos and South Koreans Affected

A surprise raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia ended with the detention of around 450 immigrant workers, primarily from Latino and South Korean communities.

It is the largest operation of its kind so far under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Massive Raid Shakes Hyundai Plant

#TvMigranteReports

Around 450 people were detained during an immigration raid on September 4 at a Hyundai plant in Ellabell, Georgia.

According to @DHSgov, the operation was carried out as part of an ongoing criminal investigation… pic.twitter.com/9I2YxUjyTl

— TV Migrante (@TvMigrante) September 5, 2025

Operation Details

The intervention took place at the battery plant of the so-called “Hyundai megasite” in Bryan County, near Savannah.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reported that the raid led to the arrest of hundreds of immigrants with irregular status.

Videos shared on social media showed scenes of chaos: some workers ran for cover while others even tried to hide in ducts and nearby wooded areas.

The raid was conducted at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, where electric vehicles are manufactured.

The operation also temporarily halted construction of an adjacent battery plant, part of a strategic alliance between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution.

Who Participated in the Hyundai Raid

The operation was led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division. The FBI, DEA, and Georgia State Patrol also took part.

Among those detained were undocumented workers and about thirty South Korean employees who were in the United States for work purposes.

It was not clarified whether the latter had irregularities in their immigration status.

Related: Mexican Detainee Dies in ICE Custody as Migrant Deaths Reach Five-Year High

Economic and Business Impact

The Hyundai complex represents a $7.6 billion investment and employs more than a thousand people.

Although construction of the battery plant was temporarily halted, the company assured that its electric vehicle production was not affected by the raid.

Authorities stated that the goal was to respond to growing pressure from the Trump administration regarding irregular migration.

This raid has become a visible example of the hardline policy applied in strategic areas of the automotive and energy industries.

Why It Matters

Such operations generate fear in immigrant communities and call into question job stability in major industrial projects.

At the same time, they spark debate over the impact these measures have on the local economy and on the production chains of international companies like Hyundai.

The raid in Georgia left hundreds of Latino and South Korean families in uncertainty, marking a new chapter in U.S. immigration policy.

Although production was not halted, the tension in the affected communities is evident.

Do you think operations of this magnitude should prioritize national security or protect the stability of working communities?

SOURCE: EFE