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Hundreds of South Korean nationals are being repatriated after being detained in a large-scale U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai electric vehicle battery plant under construction in Georgia. The operation, conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), resulted in the arrest of approximately 475 workers, the vast majority of whom were South Korean citizens.
The raid targeted the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America site, a key facility in the company's North American electrification strategy. U.S. authorities alleged the workers were violating the terms of their visas. According to reports, many were in the country on B-1/B-2 visitor visas, which do not permit engaging in manual labor. An attorney representing some of the workers argued they were highly skilled specialists brought in for specific, short-term installation tasks, a role they contended should be permissible.
The detentions prompted swift diplomatic intervention from the South Korean government. Following negotiations between U.S. and South Korean officials, an agreement was reached for the workers' release and voluntary departure. South Korea’s foreign ministry confirmed it had dispatched officials to assist its citizens and arranged for charter flights to bring them home. A key objective for Seoul is to ensure the workers can legally re-enter the US in the future, a point of discussion during Foreign Minister Cho Hyun's subsequent visit to Washington.
The incident has caused confusion and shock both in the U.S. and South Korea, raising questions about labor practices at major foreign investment projects. The workers were processed at an ICE facility, and reports from South Korean media described the detainees arriving back home in shackles, sparking public concern. The raid highlights the complexities of immigration law enforcement within the context of large-scale industrial projects vital to the U.S. economy, particularly those central to the green energy transition.
