In a dramatic escalation of U.S. immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s second administration, federal agents stormed a major Hyundai-LG Energy Solutions battery plant construction site in Georgia on September 4, 2025, detaining nearly 500 workers—most of them South Korean nationals.
The sweeping operation, dubbed “Operation Low Voltage,” has ignited outrage in Seoul, prompting a human rights investigation and strained ties between two key allies.
Just days later, Trump moved to calm the waters, emphasizing his commitment to welcoming foreign investment while insisting on strict adherence to immigration laws.
As the fallout unfolds, questions swirl about the raid’s true motivations, the treatment of detainees, and the broader implications for U.S.-South Korea economic relations amid Trump’s aggressive push for domestic manufacturing.
The Raid: A Multi-Agency Blitz on Georgia’s EV Ambitions
The incident unfolded at the sprawling Hyundai Metaplant in Ellabell, Bryan County, Georgia—a $7.6 billion flagship project hailed by state officials as the largest economic development initiative in Georgia’s history.
The site, which already employs over 1,200 workers producing electric vehicles (EVs), is expanding with a joint venture battery facility between South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution.
This cutting-edge plant, set to create thousands more jobs by 2027 and bolster America’s EV supply chain, was still under construction when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, alongside Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), FBI, DEA, IRS, and other federal agencies, descended on the premises.
According to Steven Schrank, special agent in charge of HSI for Georgia, the raid was the culmination of a multi-month criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices.
Armed with a judicial search warrant targeting four specific individuals—Andreina Fuentes-Tovar, Kevin Zavaleta-Ramirez, David Zavaleta-Ramirez, and Julio Gonzalez Alvarado—and seeking documents from several contractors, approximately 400 officers halted all work at the multi-hundred-acre site.
In total, 475 individuals were detained, with the majority—over 300—being South Korean citizens, including 307 men and 10 women. ICE officials claimed the workers were in the U.S. illegally, having overstayed visas, crossed the border unlawfully, or engaged in unauthorized employment.
Many were subcontractors or equipment specialists brought in to oversee construction, install specialized machinery, or train local hires—roles that demand niche expertise in battery production for EVs.
Eyewitness accounts paint a chaotic and harrowing picture. Social media videos captured HSI agents in tactical vests ordering workers in yellow safety vests to cease operations immediately, with one official declaring, “We have a search warrant for the whole site.”
Detainees described being shackled at the wrists, waists, and ankles, their belongings and phones confiscated, before being herded onto buses and transported to the ICE detention center in Folkston, Georgia.
Some workers reportedly attempted to flee, with a few even pulled from a sewage pond on the site, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Immigration attorney Charles Kuck, representing several detained South Koreans, alleged that many held valid B-1 business visitor visas or entered under the visa waiver program, making their detentions potentially unlawful.
In at least one case, officials admitted a worker was legally employed but forced him to leave the country anyway, raising serious questions about due process.
LG Energy Solution confirmed that 47 of its employees—46 South Koreans and one Indonesian—were among those held, alongside about 250 from partnering equipment firms.
Hyundai, for its part, stated no direct employees were arrested but vowed a full investigation into subcontractors’ compliance.
The operation marked the largest single-site enforcement action in HSI’s two-decade history, underscoring Trump’s intensified immigration crackdown, bolstered by a July 2025 bill providing ICE with expanded funding for up to 100,000 daily detentions.
Critics, including Georgia Democrats, decried it as “politically motivated fear tactics” designed to terrorize hardworking immigrants fueling the economy.
Diplomatic Repercussions: Seoul’s Outrage and Human Rights Probe
The raid sent shockwaves through South Korea, a vital U.S. ally and major investor in American industry. President Lee Jae-myung called the detentions “bewildering,” warning of a “chilling effect” on future investments and questioning whether establishing plants in the U.S. is worth the risks.
South Korean media dubbed it a “shock,” with outlets like Dong-A Ilbo highlighting potential damage to business activities abroad.
In response, Seoul swiftly launched diplomatic efforts. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun traveled to Washington to secure releases, while Vice-Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo expressed “regret” to U.S. officials, lamenting the timing amid budding trust from a recent U.S.-South Korea summit.
After tense negotiations, an agreement was reached: the roughly 300 South Korean detainees were released and repatriated on chartered flights, with over 300 arriving at Incheon International Airport on September 12, 2025, tearfully reuniting with families.
However, the matter didn’t end there. On September 15, South Korea announced a formal investigation into potential human rights violations during the raid and detention.
The presidential spokesperson vowed to “thoroughly investigate any potential human rights violations or other issues” in collaboration with affected companies.
Returning workers reported panic, confusion, and derogatory remarks from agents referencing “North Korea” and “Rocket Man”—echoing Trump’s past insults toward Pyongyang’s leader—fueling accusations of humiliation. One witness described the scene as treating workers like “prisoners of war.”
The probe also extends to visa practices. Reports emerged that Korean firms, including Hyundai and LG, sent workers on questionable documents despite internal warnings about stricter U.S. enforcement under Trump.
Seoul plans to review and reform its residency and visa systems for U.S.-bound personnel to prevent future mishaps.
Trump’s Response: Balancing Enforcement with Economic Wooing
Hours after news of South Korea’s investigation broke, President Trump sought to defuse tensions. In a statement on September 15, he reiterated that the U.S. does not “want to frighten off” foreign investment—a cornerstone of his “America First” agenda in his second term.
“We welcome all companies who want to invest in the U.S., and if they need to bring workers in for building or other projects, that’s fine—but they need to do it the legal way,” Trump said, acknowledging the expertise of foreign workers in “very unique and complex products” like EV batteries and semiconductors.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed this, noting Trump’s gratitude for global investments while stressing compliance. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau expressed “deep regret” in meetings with Korean counterparts, signaling a desire to mend fences.
Yet, the administration defended the raid as essential to protecting American workers and ensuring a “level playing field” for compliant businesses.
This comes amid a recent U.S.-South Korea trade agreement imposing 15% tariffs on most Korean imports, including autos, in exchange for duty-free access to American goods—aimed at incentivizing onshoring like the Georgia project.
South Korean firms have pledged billions in U.S. investments across EVs, batteries, and chips to sidestep tariffs, but the raid has cast a shadow.
Broader Implications: Economic Delays, Safety Concerns, and Policy Clashes
The raid’s immediate toll is clear: Construction at the battery plant has paused, delaying completion by 2-3 months and threatening Hyundai’s ambitious timeline.
The project, expected to generate 14,000 jobs and advance U.S. EV dominance, now faces uncertainty, with Hyundai appointing its North America chief manufacturing officer to oversee the site and enforce compliance.
Underlying the immigration probe are whispers of workplace safety issues. Over the past two years, three workers have died at the Hyundai site, prompting questions about whether complaints triggered the HSI investigation.
Labor advocates argue the raid exploits vulnerable workers while ignoring broader safety lapses, creating fear that deters reporting.
A recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America found 5% of firms visited by immigration agents, with 10% losing workers due to fears—ripples extending to construction nationwide.
For foreign investors, the episode is a cautionary tale. Trump’s policies—blending tariffs to lure manufacturing with stringent enforcement—risk self-sabotage, as seen in past raids like the 2008 Postville, Iowa, meatpacking bust.
Asian American groups in Georgia report community shock, with small Korean enclaves in Savannah feeling isolated.
As South Korea’s human rights review progresses and diplomatic talks continue, the Hyundai raid underscores a precarious balance: Trump’s vision for American resurgence hinges on foreign capital, but unchecked enforcement could drive it away.
For now, the detained workers are home, but the scars on U.S.-South Korea relations—and Georgia’s EV dreams—may linger.
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