Immigration authorities arrested nearly 500 illegal immigrants at a Hyundai plant in Ellabell, Georgia, that former President Joe Biden once promised would create jobs that Americans “could raise a family on.”
Law enforcement arrested 475 illegal immigrants, mostly of whom were South Korean nationals, after agents conducted a judicial search warrant to investigate allegations about “unlawful work practices” at the electric vehicle plant, Steven Schrank, a special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations for Georgia, announced at a press conference on Friday. The raid was the “largest single site enforcement operation” in the history of Homeland Security operations across the U.S.
“This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians and Americans, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding the integrity of our economy and protecting workers from exploitation,” Schrank said.
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Some of the illegal immigrants unlawfully crossed the border, while others entered through a visa waiver or overstayed their visas.
Biden announced the opening of the plant during his visit to South Korea in October 2022. In an Oct. 25, 2022 press release, Biden touted Hyundai’s $5 billion investment to create 8,000 jobs in the EV battery industry.
“Hyundai’s commitment to invest more than $5 billion and create more than 8,000 jobs making electric vehicles and batteries will help boost the entire community around Bryan County with good jobs people can raise a family on, and ultimately help lower costs for the American people,” Biden said.
Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced the opening of the new Hyundai facility in December 2022 to bring “jobs and opportunities to communities” across Georgia. A spokesperson for Kemp told the Daily Caller News Foundation that all companies in Georgia “must follow the laws of Georgia and our nation.”
“In Georgia, we will always enforce the law, including all state and federal immigration laws,” the spokesperson said. “All companies operating within the State must follow the laws of Georgia and our nation. The Department of Public Safety coordinated with ICE to provide all necessary support for this operation, the latest in a long line of cooperation and partnership between state law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement.”
Most of those arrested were held at the Folkston detention facility on Thursday night and will be moved based on their specific circumstances, Schrank said. The illegal immigrants arrested have since been turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.
Schrank said no criminal charges would be announced as of Friday. He said that the arrests followed several months of collecting substantial evidence and conducting several interviews related to the case.
ICE, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were all involved in the operation, The New York Times reported.
Hyundai Motor Company stated that none of those arrested were “directly employed” by the company, according to the BBC.
President Donald Trump just recently hosted a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in the Oval Office on Aug. 25. The South Korean leader expressed optimism on Trump’s foreign policy and jokingly asked for a Trump Tower to be built in the country.
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