Hyundai Battery Plant Faces Shutdown After Immigration Raid

A massive immigration raid at Hyundai Motor Co.’s $7.6 billion Georgia facility led to the detention of approximately 450 workers, halting construction at a nearby battery plant critical for electric vehicle production. The operation, conducted Thursday, involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), targeting allegations of unlawful employment practices and other federal crimes.

The ATF reported that the detained workers were unlawfully employed at the HL-GA Battery Co. site, a joint venture with LG Energy Solution Ltd. Hyundai clarified that none of the detained individuals are direct employees, stating, “We are closely monitoring the situation and working to understand the specific circumstances.” LG Energy Solution is collaborating with the South Korean government and authorities to secure the release of its employees and partners.

The raid targeted the battery plant, set to power 300,000 electric vehicles annually with a 30 GWh capacity upon completion later this year. This facility, alongside another joint venture with Korea’s SK On Co., supports Hyundai’s “Metaplant America” in Georgia, which aims to produce 500,000 hybrid and electric vehicles yearly and employ 12,500 workers by the early 2030s. The vehicle assembly plant, operational since early 2025, employs 1,200 people and was unaffected, according to spokesperson Bianca Johnson.

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South Korea’s foreign ministry expressed regret over the raid, emphasizing that the rights of Korean investors and citizens should not be “unjustly infringed.” Consular staff were dispatched to assist. The action follows a pattern of high-profile U.S. workplace raids under President Donald Trump’s pledge for large-scale deportations, with a recent operation detaining over 40 workers at a New York food plant.

The raid coincides with Hyundai’s broader U.S. investment strategy, including a $21 billion commitment announced in March to expand its Georgia operations. South Korea’s $350 billion trade deal with the U.S., including $150 billion for private investments, underscores growing Korean economic ties. The incident raises concerns about the economic impact of such crackdowns, as unauthorized immigrants constitute 5% of the U.S. workforce, contributing significantly to economic output.

Hyundai Chairman Euisun Chung is slated to speak at a Detroit auto industry conference next week, as the company navigates this disruption to its ambitious U.S. expansion.

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