More than 450 illegal immigrants were arrested on Thursday morning, following an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on a construction site for a Hyundai electric car battery factory in Georgia. South Korea, the home to Hyundai's headquarters, expressed "concern and regret," over the raid, as hundreds of those arrested were South Korean nationals.
BREAKING: 450 illegal alien workers got arrested at Hyundai's battery plant site in Georgia today.
— George (@BehizyTweets) September 5, 2025
The workplace raids need to happen every single day.
Americans should be working those jobs. pic.twitter.com/SzvdVeaVaF
This is insane…
— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) September 5, 2025
Hyundai got BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars and huge tax incentives for this plant in Georgia because they promised good paying jobs for local Americans…
Instead, they hired hundreds of illegal immigrants. They need to face massive fines. https://t.co/vvnacG8Gr0
Multiple federal agencies participated in the raid, including Atlanta’s Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations.
Today, @ATFAtlanta joined HSI, FBI, DEA, ICE, GSP and other agencies in a major immigration enforcement operation at the Hyundai mega site battery plant in Bryan County, GA, leading to the apprehension of ~450 unlawful aliens, emphasizing our commitment to community safety. #ATF pic.twitter.com/su6raLrLu6
— ATF Atlanta (@ATFAtlanta) September 4, 2025
The project, estimated to cost between $4.3 billion and $7.6 billion, will supply electric car batteries to a nearby factory and is the largest single investment in the state’s history.
South Korea expressed significant concern over the raid, as more than 300 of those apprehended were Korean nationals. They sent a counselor and embassy officials to the construction site, which spans 3,000 acres.
Lee Jae-woong, a spokesperson for South Korea’s foreign ministry, told the Financial Times on Friday, "Our companies’ economic activities and our people’s rights should not be infringed unfairly in the U.S. legal enforcement process."
The raid comes as South Korea agreed to invest $350 billion in the United States following a trade deal struck in July.
Hyundai released a statement, saying that they "are closely cooperating with the South Korean government and relevant authorities to ensure the safety of our employees and staff at contractors, and to secure their swift release from detention."