A Hyundai manufacturing plant under construction in rural southeast Georgia turned into the scene of one of the largest workplace immigration raids in recent US history on Thursday, as federal agents arrested 475 workers — most of them Korean nationals.
The sweep unfolded at the sprawling battery facility in Ellabell, about 25 miles west of Savannah, after months of planning by federal and state agencies. By dusk, hundreds of workers were in custody, transported to the Folkston ICE Processing Centre.
Negotiations 'concluded,' detained workers to be released
After diplomatic engagement with US, South Korean government on Sunday announced that negotiations with Washington had been "concluded" to secure the release of the detained workers.
"As a result of the swift and united response, negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded," Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to President Lee Jae Myung, said in a statement. "Only administrative procedures remain. Once these are completed, a chartered flight will depart to bring our citizens home."
A chaotic morning at the plant
Eyewitnesses described the scene as resembling a "war zone." Armed, masked agents stormed the site, ordering workers in hard hats and safety vests to line up against the walls, according to a report from CNN. Each was questioned about their legal status, with some handed "clear to depart" papers and others led away in handcuffs.
“They just told everybody to get on the wall. We stood there for about an hour and were then taken to another section where we waited. Then we went in another building and got processed,” an employee told CNN.
Panic spread across the site. Several workers tried to escape, with some hiding in air ducts and others plunging into a sewage pond, only to be pulled out by agents in a boat.
“Everyone came out running and told us immigration has arrived,” an unidentified man told CNN. “We hid ourselves in an air duct and it was really hot.”
One individual even tried, unsuccessfully, to capsize the vessel, authorities said.
“Agents used a boat to fish them out of the water. One of the individuals swam under the boat and tried to flip it over to no avail,” the US attorney’s office said. “These people were captured and identified as illegal workers.”
Most arrested were Korean nationals
Homeland security investigations said those detained included individuals who had crossed illegally, overstayed visas, or violated visa waivers. Over 300 were confirmed to be South Korean nationals, prompting urgent diplomatic responses from Seoul.
South Korea’s foreign affairs minister Cho Hyun had said President Lee Jae Myung ordered “all-out necessary measures” to assist affected citizens. Cho even signalled he was prepared to travel to Washington, DC, to negotiate directly with US officials.
Largest sweep yet in Trump administration crackdown
Federal officials stressed the raid was not a random roundup but the culmination of a months-long criminal probe into alleged unlawful employment practices at the Hyundai site. The operation involved Homeland Security, ICE, the FBI, DEA, IRS, Georgia State Patrol and other agencies.
“This was a meticulously coordinated criminal investigation,” said Steven Schrank, Homeland Security Investigations’ special agent in charge. “Together, we are sending a clear and unequivocal message: those who exploit our workforce, undermine our economy, and violate federal laws will be held accountable.”
The sweep unfolded at the sprawling battery facility in Ellabell, about 25 miles west of Savannah, after months of planning by federal and state agencies. By dusk, hundreds of workers were in custody, transported to the Folkston ICE Processing Centre.
Negotiations 'concluded,' detained workers to be released
After diplomatic engagement with US, South Korean government on Sunday announced that negotiations with Washington had been "concluded" to secure the release of the detained workers.
"As a result of the swift and united response, negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded," Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to President Lee Jae Myung, said in a statement. "Only administrative procedures remain. Once these are completed, a chartered flight will depart to bring our citizens home."
A chaotic morning at the plant
Eyewitnesses described the scene as resembling a "war zone." Armed, masked agents stormed the site, ordering workers in hard hats and safety vests to line up against the walls, according to a report from CNN. Each was questioned about their legal status, with some handed "clear to depart" papers and others led away in handcuffs.
“They just told everybody to get on the wall. We stood there for about an hour and were then taken to another section where we waited. Then we went in another building and got processed,” an employee told CNN.
Panic spread across the site. Several workers tried to escape, with some hiding in air ducts and others plunging into a sewage pond, only to be pulled out by agents in a boat.
“Everyone came out running and told us immigration has arrived,” an unidentified man told CNN. “We hid ourselves in an air duct and it was really hot.”
One individual even tried, unsuccessfully, to capsize the vessel, authorities said.
“Agents used a boat to fish them out of the water. One of the individuals swam under the boat and tried to flip it over to no avail,” the US attorney’s office said. “These people were captured and identified as illegal workers.”
Most arrested were Korean nationals
Homeland security investigations said those detained included individuals who had crossed illegally, overstayed visas, or violated visa waivers. Over 300 were confirmed to be South Korean nationals, prompting urgent diplomatic responses from Seoul.
South Korea’s foreign affairs minister Cho Hyun had said President Lee Jae Myung ordered “all-out necessary measures” to assist affected citizens. Cho even signalled he was prepared to travel to Washington, DC, to negotiate directly with US officials.
Largest sweep yet in Trump administration crackdown
Federal officials stressed the raid was not a random roundup but the culmination of a months-long criminal probe into alleged unlawful employment practices at the Hyundai site. The operation involved Homeland Security, ICE, the FBI, DEA, IRS, Georgia State Patrol and other agencies.
“This was a meticulously coordinated criminal investigation,” said Steven Schrank, Homeland Security Investigations’ special agent in charge. “Together, we are sending a clear and unequivocal message: those who exploit our workforce, undermine our economy, and violate federal laws will be held accountable.”
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