A Self-Inflicted Wound: Hyundai ICE Detainment Reveals U.S. Policy Disconnect
On September 4th, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted its largest single-site detainment in history at the Hyundai-LG electric vehicle battery factory in Ellabell, Georgia. Of the 475 detainees, 316 South Korean auto workers and engineers were arrested, alongside ten Chinese, three Japanese, and one Indonesian national. Most of the detained South Korean nationals were engineers and other high-skilled workers who traveled to the U.S. temporarily on short-term assignments to install equipment and perform other specialized tasks to launch the battery plant.
In a video released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Hyundai workers were shown shackled at the hands, feet, and waist, lined against walls, and taken onto inmate transport buses. They were taken to a Georgia detention center, where they remained for a week. This video has sparked widespread anger among South Koreans, whose government has recently pledged to invest $350 billion into the U.S.
In February 2024 – just a year prior – Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) praised Hyundai Motor Group at the Ellabell plant for bringing thousands of jobs to Georgia and taking a step to revive American manufacturing. Since taking office, Governor Kemp has worked closely with the South Korean company, which planned to invest $12.6 billion – a project expected to bring jobs for decades to come.
Hyundai’s expansion reflects a broader wave of South Korean foreign investment in the U.S. In July, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung pledged $350 billion in investments in the U.S. Despite these major South Korean investments, the Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia National Guard have cooperated with federal ICE agents to enforce President Trump’s immigration crackdowns.
The detention of hundreds of South Korean nationals highlights a conflict between U.S. economic and immigration priorities. On one hand, proponents of President Trump’s calls for stricter immigration policy argue that foreign companies must strictly adhere to U.S. visa and labor laws. On the other hand, industry leaders and South Korean foreign affairs officials warn that these restrictions create high costs and worker shortages that undermine growth.
The DHS alleges that detainees either overstayed their visa waiver permits, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), or were holding B-1 visas, which do not allow manual labor. In response, President Trump posted on Truth Social, telling foreign companies operating in the U.S. that “[their] investments are welcome, and we encourage [them] to LEGALLY bring [their] very smart people.”
Other proponents of stricter immigration laws echo President Trump’s rhetoric. In an interview, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated, “We’re encouraging all companies who want to come to the United States and help our economy and employ people… [who] want to follow our laws and work here the right way.” To Trump and Noem, holding foreign companies accountable to these tough measures is a way to protect American jobs.
In response to stringent regulations, critics have voiced concerns about the current visa process. With companies like Hyundai investing heavily into the American economy, industry leaders argue that current guidelines make it harder for plants like Ellabell’s to be built and staffed. Hyundai CEO José Muñoz told reporters that, “What I’ve learned in the past couple of days and weeks is that activities in this particular battery factory require a very specific expertise that is not in the country.”
Currently, the U.S. faces a shortage of skilled workers in areas essential to building and installing equipment: sectors in which South Korea has deep expertise in. Working visas, also known as H-1B visas, required by foreign companies to bring these skilled workers, are both limited and take a significant amount of time to get approved. In September 2025, the Trump Administration issued another barrier by imposing new application fees on visa seekers. The lack of skilled workers and work visas has led companies like Hyundai to issue and rely on short-term business (ESTA) or tourist visas (B-1 visas), often skirting immigration laws. Until the Hyundai raids, these practices were largely tolerated by U.S. authorities.
After the ICE raid, the Hyundai battery plant faces months of delays and has left South Korean foreign investors uncertain of future projects. Most of the detained Korean workers have since returned to South Korea following diplomatic negotiations, and South Korean officials have voiced concerns with the U.S. visa system. Two months ago, in a recent speech marking 100 days in office, President Lee warned that companies would be reluctant to finance future U.S.-based projects, stating, “It’s not like these are long-term workers. When you build a facility or install equipment at a plant, you need technicians, but the United States doesn’t have that workforce, and yet they won’t issue visas to let our people stay and do the work.”
South Korea, a longtime ally and eighth largest trading partner, has continued diplomatic engagement despite tensions. On October 29th, President Trump traveled to South Korea, where the two governments announced that they finalized a deal that lowered tariffs on Korean auto and auto motor parts from 25% to 15%. Additionally, the White House has expressed regret for the incident. In a comment about the ICE raid, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson described how “The United States is proud to be a home for major investments and looks forward to continuing to build on these historic investments and partnerships that President Trump has secured.” While the White House affirmed their support for the foreign workers at Hyundai, Jackson also emphasized that “[a]ny foreign workers brought in for specific projects must enter the United States legally and with proper work authorizations.” This messaging highlights the administration's attempt to maintain strong economic ties while still upholding strict enforcement rhetoric.
In response to South Korean pushback, the U.S. government has also allowed South Koreans on B-1 visas and visa waiver permits to help construct manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Despite these recent advancements, South Korean workers detained in the raid are hesitant about returning to America. Kihwan Kim, the president of the Federation of Korean Associations for the Southeast U.S. stated in an interview that, “[The workers] don’t have to come to the United States to work after that kind of humiliation. They can go to other countries.”
Ultimately, this Georgia ICE raid underscores the widening tension between America’s economic ambitions and its immigration enforcement priorities. Despite Trump’s promise to revitalize the manufacturing industry, his harsh immigration policy continues to conflict with his economic commitments. As the U.S. continues to navigate through labor shortages and the needs of global industries, questions continue to remain about how immigration policy can support economic growth. This Hyundai raid reveals the fundamental question of how immigration policy can be reformed to support, rather than hinder, the nation’s economic development.