300+ South Koreans challenge US over Georgia raid

More than 300 South Korean workers detained during a major immigration raid at a Hyundai electric vehicle facility in Georgia are taking legal action against the US government.

The workers have begun filing administrative claims against several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, the FBI and the departments of Justice and Labor. The claims are a required step before they can pursue a lawsuit in federal court.

The September 2025 operation at the Hyundai Metaplant in Ellabell resulted in the detention of 475 workers, most of them South Korean nationals. US authorities described it as the largest single-site operation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations at the time.

The workers allege that they were detained without adequate explanations or interpreters. Some said they were forced to sign documents they could not understand and were transported to an ICE detention facility in Georgia.

Several workers also described difficult detention conditions, including overcrowded rooms, poor food and inadequate sleeping arrangements. One claimant said he spent seven days in detention and suffered emotional distress and lasting psychological harm.

The legal claims seek compensation for alleged losses, including confiscated belongings, lost income and psychological injuries. The workers are also seeking an official acknowledgment and apology over their treatment.

US authorities have defended the raid. The Department of Homeland Security said agents executed a judicial search warrant as part of a criminal investigation into alleged unlawful employment practices and other federal offences. Customs and Border Protection said those detained were believed to have violated the conditions of their visas or immigration status.

However, some of the South Korean workers told US media they had been working under valid visas and were not given clear reasons for their detention.

The case has also raised questions about the US visa system and the use of foreign specialists in major industrial projects. Industry representatives say highly specialised workers are often needed to install machinery, train local employees and launch advanced manufacturing facilities, while existing business visas can create uncertainty over what work they are legally permitted to perform.

The Hyundai-LG battery project has since resumed operations. The facility began commercial production earlier this year and now employs more than 500 people, with most workers hired locally.

Some South Korean specialists who were detained have returned to the US to perform similar technical work, in some cases using the same types of visas they held during the raid.

Under the Federal Tort Claims Act, federal agencies generally have six months to respond to administrative claims. If the claims are rejected or no response is provided within the required period, the workers may pursue their cases in federal court.

The legal action could become a major test of the government’s handling of immigration enforcement at workplaces and the protections available to foreign specialists working on major US industrial projects.