- The South Korean government will charter a plane to pull the workers from the US.
- According to ICE, many of the people detained did not have the correct work visas.
- Also detained in the agency’s raid were approximately 47 staff employed by LG.
Late last week, one of the largest immigration enforcement actions in recent US history unfolded at Hyundai’s factory in Georgia. Authorities detained 475 individuals identified as “illegal aliens,” with roughly 300 of them confirmed to be South Korean nationals. Since the raid, Washington and Seoul have worked out an agreement to repatriate the detained workers.
According to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, many of the detained employees were working illegally, including some using short-term and recreational visas, which however do not authorize work. Steven Schrank from Homeland Security Investigations added that some workers had illegally crossed the US border, while some who had entered the country legally now have expired visas.
Read: ICE Storms Hyundai’s Georgia Plant Detaining Hundreds In Massive Immigration Raid
The chief of staff for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Kang Hoon-sik, says the government is organizing a charter plane to bring the workers back home. He added that the rights of the South Korean nationals and the economic activities of Hyundai and other South Korean firms must not be unfairly infringed upon during the ongoing law enforcement procedures.
Visa Policies Under Review
In the wake of the raid, South Korea announced plans to strengthen its visa system for citizens traveling to the US for business. The government specifically pointed to major investment projects, including Hyundai’s joint venture with LG Energy Solution in Georgia, as a focus for tighter oversight.
“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,” Schrank said. “This operation sends a clear message that those who exploit the system and undermine our workforce will be held accountable.”
LG Energy Solution says that approximately 47 of its 250 contracted staff at the site were detained. It has asked its South Korean employees to return from business trips in the US in the wake of the ICE raid.
Record-Breaking Operation
The operation at the Hyundai plant was the single largest enforcement move in the history of the US Department of Homeland Security. NPR reports that the majority of the individuals detained were taken to an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia. As of Friday, none of them had been charged with any crimes.
Image: ATF @ X
