South Korea said it has reached an agreement with the U.S. to repatriate hundreds of South Korean nationals who were arrested during a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai–LG electric vehicle battery construction site in Georgia on Thursday.
Newsweek has emailed the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and South Korea’s embassy in Washington, D.C. for comment.
Why It Matters
The detained workers were connected to one of the largest Korean investments in the U.S.—a Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution battery joint venture—which U.S. officials and state leaders have promoted as a major job-creation project. The arrests paused construction and raised questions about how multinational investments will be staffed amid tighter visa rules and heightened immigration enforcement.
This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows a person being handcuffed at the Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicle plant on September 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Georgia.
This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows a person being handcuffed at the Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicle plant on September 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Georgia.
Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP
What To Know
U.S. immigration agents arrested 475 people at the Ellabell, Georgia, construction site on Thursday. At least 300 of those detained were South Korean nationals, the country’s foreign ministry said.
U.S. officials described the operation as the largest single-site enforcement action in Department of Homeland Security history and said those detained were in the U.S. illegally or working without authorization.
Seoul said it would send a chartered plane once remaining administrative steps were cleared and pledged to review visa procedures for business trips tied to large investment projects.
“We will not let our guard down until we have our people safely back home,” Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, said at a meeting of senior officials, according to The New York Times.
The immigration operation followed a months-long investigation into alleged illegal hiring practices at the Hyundai site. According to court records cited by The Associated Press, U.S. prosecutors said they have not yet determined which company or contractor hired “hundreds of illegal aliens.”
Some of the detainees had entered the country unlawfully, while others arrived on temporary visas or through a waiver program that does not allow employment, according to Steven Schrank, the lead Georgia agent of Homeland Security Investigations.
Attorney Charles Kuck, who represents two detained workers, told AP his clients arrived under the visa waiver program and were in the country legally for tourism or business. He said one had been in the U.S. for only two weeks and the other for 45 days, both planning to return home soon.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson Lindsay Williams told AP that some individuals were detained due to prior criminal records and added, “Once citizens have identified themselves, we have no authority” to detain them. Hyundai stated Friday that it believed none of its direct employees were among those detained and said it was reviewing its practices to ensure legal compliance by contractors and subcontractors.
What People Are Saying
Steven Shrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations for Georgia and Alabama, said: “This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians and Americans…We are sending a clear and unequivocal message that those who exploit our workforce, undermine our economy and violate federal laws will be held accountable.”
Hyundai, in a statement shared with Newsweek said: “We are closely monitoring the situation and working to understand the specific circumstances…it is our understanding that none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company.”
The nonprofit legal advocacy organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta in a statement said: “Our communities know the workers targeted at Hyundai are everyday people who are trying to feed their families, build stronger communities, and work toward a better future.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday: “They were illegal aliens and ICE was just doing its job.”
What Happens Next
South Korea promised to review business-visa procedures for investment-related trips—moves that aim to limit a recurrence of similar incidents.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.