A masked federal agent carrying a Homeland Security Investigations vest guards a website throughout a raid the place about 300 South Koreans have been amongst 475 individuals arrested at the positioning of a $4.3 billion undertaking by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution to construct batteries for electrical automobiles in Ellabell, Georgia, U.S. September 4, 2025 in a nonetheless picture taken from a video.
U.s. Immigration And Customs Enf | Via Reuters
A battery plant co-owned by Hyundai Motor is dealing with a minimal startup delay of two to 3 months following an immigration raid final week, Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz mentioned on Thursday.
The Georgia plant, which is operated by way of a three way partnership between Hyundai and South Korea’s LG Energy Solution, was at the middle of the largest single-site enforcement operation within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s historical past final week.
The plant, a part of a $7.6 billion manufacturing unit complicated to make battery-powered fashions, was slated to return on-line later this yr.
Munoz, in his first public feedback for the reason that raid, mentioned he was stunned when he heard the information and instantly inquired if Hyundai staff have been concerned. He mentioned the corporate found that the employees at the middle of the raid have been primarily employed by suppliers of LG.
About 475 staff, principally South Korean nationals, have been arrested, in keeping with U.S. immigration officers.
It is typical for an automotive battery plant to make use of these staff as it’s getting off the bottom, Munoz mentioned.
“For the construction phase of the plants, you need to get specialized people. There are a lot of skills and equipment that you cannot find in the United States,” Munoz mentioned, on the sidelines of an automotive convention in Detroit.
Munoz mentioned Hyundai will supply batteries from different crops because it waits for the LG plant to begin up, together with from a Georgia plant co-owned with Korean battery-maker SK On.
Fallout from the raid has cascaded throughout the nation. Reuters first reported that staff at different LG crops, together with these co-owned by GM, have been requested to return residence.