Federal Agents Raid Hyundai Battery Plant Construction Site in Georgia Over Alleged Illegal Hiring
HMGMA in Ellabell, Savannah, Georgia, U.S. (Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group) 출처 : Businesskorea(https://www.businesskorea.co.kr)
Federal agents halted construction at a major Hyundai battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia, on Thursday as part of an investigation into alleged illegal hiring practices. The site, a joint project between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, is adjacent to Hyundai’s $7.6 billion electric vehicle facility, which began operations a year ago and currently employs about 1,200 workers.
According to NBC News, multiple arrests were made during the raid. A video captured at the scene shows an officer announcing, “We are Homeland Security. We have a search warrant for the whole site. We need construction to cease immediately.”
The operation involved Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and other federal agencies. Georgia State Patrol officers blocked roads leading to the site, while a helicopter circled overhead, according to the Savannah Morning News. Workers said agents questioned them about their citizenship status and searched their personal belongings. Social media posts showed agents assembling workers and conducting interviews.
A Hyundai spokesperson said the company voluntarily paused construction to assist investigators and emphasized its commitment to complying with labor and immigration laws.
The president of the Georgia AFL-CIO criticized the raid, calling it “the latest in an ongoing campaign of harassment targeting immigrant Georgians as they try to earn an honest living,” according to WSAV.
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