Federal agents carried out a months-long investigation that culminated in a large immigration enforcement action at Hyundai Motor Group’s Ellabell, Georgia, battery plant construction site in early September, detaining 475 people—most identified as Korean nationals—and pausing work on the project.
Key Takeaways
- Federal and state authorities arrested 475 people at the Hyundai Metaplant site in Ellabell, Bryan County, Georgia.
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said most detainees were Korean nationals; exact nationality breakdown has not been released.
- The operation involved multiple agencies and relied on court-approved warrants after months of investigation.
- Hyundai says it does not believe arrested individuals were direct employees; contractors and subcontractors may be involved.
- Construction on the EV battery plant was halted following the raid; the Metaplant is expected to employ up to 8,500 when complete.
- Detainees were taken to the Folkston ICE Processing Center for processing; some were found to have entered under visa waivers or to have overstayed visas.
- South Korea dispatched diplomats to assist its citizens and asked U.S. authorities to protect their rights.
Verified Facts
Authorities executed the enforcement action after a multi-month criminal investigation, obtaining judicial search warrants and gathering evidence, officials said. The Department of Homeland Security described the raid as part of an ongoing probe into alleged unlawful employment practices and other federal crimes.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement worked alongside the Georgia Department of Public Safety, the Georgia State Patrol, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the FBI, DEA, CBP, ATF and the IRS to carry out the operation, according to statements from federal and state offices.
All 475 people taken into custody were determined to be in the United States without authorization, HSI officials said. Some arrived via unlawful entry, others were on visa waiver entries but were restricted from working, and several had overstayed visas. Detainees were transported off-site to the Folkston ICE Processing Center for booking and resolution.
Hyundai Motor Group said it does not believe any of those arrested were direct employees of Hyundai and that it is reviewing contractor and subcontractor vetting procedures. The Metaplant spans roughly 2,900 acres and includes an EV vehicle plant and a battery joint venture with LG, with projected employment of up to 8,500 people upon completion.
Context & Impact
The operation is among the largest single-site enforcement actions in recent Homeland Security Investigations history and is the most extensive worksite raid reported under the current federal enforcement posture. Officials emphasized this was a coordinated criminal investigation rather than a rapid, unplanned roundup.
Local and regional effects are immediate: construction activities at the battery plant were paused, and contractors and suppliers face delays while the investigation and any subsequent legal processes continue. The interruption may slow timelines for a project that state and company officials had positioned as a major economic investment for the region.
Politically, state leaders expressed support for enforcement of federal and state laws. South Korea’s government moved to provide consular assistance to detainees and to press U.S. officials to ensure protections for their citizens. Legal advocates noted that visa-waiver visitors who engage in work-related activities can face detention even when they contend their trips were brief advisory visits.
Economic and supply-chain stakeholders will be watching whether the suspension of construction extends and how remediation of hiring and vetting practices by contractors affects remaining site work and future staffing.
“Hyundai has zero tolerance for those who don’t follow the law,”
Hyundai Motor Company statement
“In Georgia, we will always enforce the law, including all state and federal immigration laws,”
Office of Governor Brian Kemp
Unconfirmed
- Full nationality breakdown for all 475 detainees beyond HSI’s statement that most were Korean has not been released.
- Comprehensive information identifying which detainees were direct hires versus contractors or subcontractors is pending the ongoing investigation.
- Specific allegations of unlawful employment practices referenced by investigators have not yet been publicly detailed in charging documents.
Bottom Line
The Ellabell enforcement action underscores intensified federal focus on worksite immigration compliance and the risks companies face when contractor vetting fails. The incident will likely prompt closer review of hiring practices across construction and manufacturing projects tied to major industrial investments, while immediate legal and diplomatic steps will shape outcomes for those detained.