Hundreds of employees at a Hyundai factory in the US have been detained by federal officers as part of a crackdown on illegal workers.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says 475 undocumented workers were found to be working at the manufacturing plant, located in the US state of Georgia – of which approximately 300 were said to be from South Korea, news outlet Reuters reports.
It’s believed several workers attempted to flee the raid, with two caught hiding in a sewage pond nearby.
Officials called it one of the largest operations ever conducted on a site in the department’s two-decade history.
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The facility is understood to be a joint venture between Hyundai and LG Energy Solutions, which provides batteries for Hyundai’s hybrid and electric vehicles.
Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump introduced widespread tariffs for imported products – including new cars – in an attempt to force manufacturers to build their vehicles on US soil.
“Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build World Class products, and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so,” President Trump wrote on social media.
“What we ask in return is that you hire and train American Workers.”
In response to the action, Hyundai issued a statement saying the company had “zero tolerance” for illegal practices, with the car giant putting a senior executive in charge of the site’s governance.
“We are closely monitoring the situation while working to understand the specific circumstances. Based on our current understanding, none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company,” said the statement.
According to news outlet AP, the South Korean President’s office engaged in negotiations with top US officials for the workers’ release from an immigration detention centre, with a chartered plane being organised to facilitate their return.
Reports out of South Korea claim the raid left many stunned both within the government and at Hyundai, given the country is considered a close ally of the US.
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