US immigration raid: 300 workers detained in massive Georgia Hyundai plant raid to return to South Korea
Share this @internewscast.com

SEOUL, South Korea — Over 300 South Korean employees who were held after a significant immigration operation at a Hyundai facility in Georgia are set to be released and returned to South Korea, the government announced on Sunday.

Kang Hoon-sik, the head aide to President Lee Jae Myung, declared that discussions between South Korea and the U.S. regarding the workers’ release have concluded. South Korea plans to dispatch a chartered aircraft to retrieve the workers once all necessary administrative procedures are finalized.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is to leave for the U.S. on Monday for talks related to the workers’ releases, South Korean media reported.

U.S. immigration officials reported that on Friday, they apprehended 475 individuals, primarily South Koreans, during a large-scale federal raid at Hyundai’s extensive production site in Georgia, where the company manufactures electric cars. The operation centered on a facility still under construction, in collaboration with LG Energy Solution, to produce batteries for electric vehicles.

Cho said that more than 300 South Koreans were among the detained.

This raid is the most recent in a series of workplace operations linked to the Trump administration’s expansive deportation policy. However, the raid stood out for its magnitude and the importance of the site, which has been labeled Georgia’s largest economic development initiative.

The event surprised many in South Korea, an important U.S. ally, especially since the nation agreed to a substantial $100 billion energy purchase from the U.S. and a $350 billion investment in exchange for reduced tariffs. Just two weeks prior, President Donald Trump and President Lee had met in Washington.

President Lee emphasized that the rights of South Korean citizens and the economic pursuits of Korean firms should not be unfairly compromised during U.S. legal actions. Additionally, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry expressed “concern and regret” about the incident and dispatched diplomats to the location.

Video released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday showed a caravan of vehicles driving up to the site and then federal agents directing workers to line up outside. Some detainees were ordered to put their hands up against a bus as they were frisked and then shackled around their hands, ankles and waist.

Most of the people detained were taken to an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia, near the Florida state line. None has been charged with any crimes yet, Steven Schrank, the lead Georgia agent of Homeland Security Investigations, said during a news conference Friday, adding that the investigation was ongoing.

He said that some of the detained workers had illegally crossed the U.S. border, while others had entered the country legally but had expired visas or had entered on a visa waiver that prohibited them from working.

Kang, the South Korean presidential chief of staff, said that South Korea will push to review and improve visa systems for those traveling to the U.S. on business trips for investment projects.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Brown University reports active shooter on campus

Brown University Campus Lockdown: Authorities Respond to Active Shooter Alert

On a tense Saturday afternoon, Brown University found itself at the center…
Did anyone win the $1 billion jackpot? Winning Powerball numbers for Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025

Powerball Results: Find Out if the $1 Billion Jackpot Was Claimed on December 13, 2025

Saturday night’s Powerball drawing offered a jackpot that ranks as the seventh…
Brown University reports active shooter on campus

Active Shooter Alert Issued at Brown University Campus

Individuals on the Brown University campus have been instructed to remain indoors…
'I thought it was a firework': Neighbors recall deadly Sandalwood shooting caught on surveillance

Shocking Sandalwood Shooting Caught on Camera: Neighbors Mistake Gunfire for Fireworks

Residents of Jacksonville’s Sandalwood neighborhood are expressing their shock and disbelief following…
Jim Caviezel starring in Bolsonaro biopic as son of jailed former president launches 2026 campaign

Jim Caviezel Cast in Bolsonaro Biopic Amid Son’s 2026 Presidential Campaign Announcement

Plans for a biographical film about Brazil’s incarcerated former president, Jair Bolsonaro,…
Ohio man who spent decades on death row for murder has his case dismissed

Ohio Man’s Justice: Decades on Death Row End with Case Dismissal – A Landmark Legal Victory

A man who had spent over 25 years on death row for…
Brown active shooter today: Brown University shooting in Providence, RI hurts multiple by Barus, Holley Engineering, Governor St.

Brown University Shooting Incident in Providence Leaves Multiple Injured Near Barus & Holley Engineering Building

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLS) — On Saturday afternoon, a shooting incident erupted near…
Man uncovers missing father’s bones buried beneath family home, unleashing ‘a thousand' other secrets

Man Discovers Missing Father’s Remains Beneath Family Home, Revealing a Wealth of Hidden Secrets

On the eve of Halloween in 2018, Michael Carroll’s son experienced a…
Dem Rep. Delia Ramirez Initiates Impeachment Push Against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

Representative Delia Ramirez Launches Impeachment Proceedings Against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

An Illinois Democratic congresswoman has officially urged an investigation into Homeland Security…
One person killed after U-Haul truck explodes in Idaho retail shopping center parking lot

Tragic U-Haul Explosion Claims Life in Idaho Shopping Center Parking Lot

Tragedy struck early Saturday morning when a U-Haul truck exploded, resulting in…
2 US Army soldiers, interpreter killed in Syria ambush attack, Trump warns of 'very serious retaliation'

Tragic Syria Ambush Claims Lives of 2 US Soldiers and Interpreter, Sparks Trump’s Warning of Strong Retaliation

On Saturday, President Donald Trump issued a stern warning of “very serious…
Fans pay tribute to Peter Greene after ‘Pulp Fiction’ actor is found dead in NYC

Fans Honor the Legacy of ‘Pulp Fiction’ Star Peter Greene Following His Passing in NYC

Fans are paying tribute to Peter Greene, celebrated as one of cinema’s…