Some Korean techs swept up in Hyundai campus ICE raid return to Georgia
Machinery installation has resumed at the yet-to-open electric vehicle battery factory next to Hyundai’s EV assembly plant near Savannah as some South Korean technicians return to Georgia two months after they were swept up in an immigration raid and repatriated to South Korea.
LG Energy Solution, the battery plant’s operator, confirmed Thursday that “subject matter experts” are back at the HL-GA Battery work site. It did not divulge how many of the 317 South Korean nationals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement for expired or ineligible visas in the Sept. 4 action have returned.
A New York Times report published Thursday put the number at 30, citing information provided by one of the highly skilled workers involved in the raid and lawyers for others.
Those professionals are among about 180 B-1 business visa holders detained in the raid to have their visitation privileges restored by the U.S. State Department over the last few weeks, according to the Times.
In a statement to the Times, the State Department acknowledged visas were being issued to allow short-term entry for specially skilled workers in the U.S. to support South Korean investments.
Charles Kuck, an Atlanta-based immigration attorney, represents 12 of the Korean workers detained in the raid. He said none of them have returned to Georgia but might be required to do so by their management, even if they personally have reservations.
“I think they’re scared to death,” he said. But “keep in mind, this is their job, right? This is what they do. So, I don’t think they have much of a choice if they want to keep their job … I mean, the volume hasn’t come back yet, but clearly something’s going on and people are coming back.”
South Korean technicians employed by LG Energy Solution and subcontractors were coordinating the installation of the battery-making equipment and training American workers at the time of the raid.
The factory was to open in early 2026 and supply batteries to the neighboring Hyundai Metaplant, which began production in October 2024 and projects manufacturing 500,000 EVs and hybrid automobiles annually by 2028.
The Hyundai campus, which includes manufacturing facilities for six affiliated suppliers including HL-GA Battery, is the largest economic development project in Georgia history.
Machinery installation halted following the immigration raid, as much of the equipment is proprietary in nature. LG Energy Solution is a South Korean company that manufactures EV batteries at eight U.S. facilities, including several in joint ventures with automakers, similar to HL-GA Battery.
Hyundai Chief Executive José Muñoz predicted in September the immigration raid would delay the battery factory’s opening by two to three months. The automaker said Thursday the HL-GA Battery is scheduled to begin operation in the first half 2026.
In the meantime, Hyundai is sourcing lithium battery packs from the SK Battery America factory northeast of Atlanta along I-85 in Commerce. SK is a Korea-based company and its plant makes EV batteries for other automakers, such as Ford.
Hyundai said Thursday it appreciates “the importance of the lawful and transparent transfer of specialized know-how to support next-generation manufacturing projects in the United States” and is “dedicated to full compliance with all laws and regulations, including employment verification requirements and immigration laws.”
Leaders in business and government across the county have campaigned for visa system improvements since the immigration raid. Gov. Brian Kemp, who led efforts to recruit the Hyundai Metaplant to the state earlier this decade, lobbied President Donald Trump on the value of temporary workers with expertise in proprietary technology. He visited with Hyundai officials last month during an economic development mission to South Korea and Japan to relay what he shared with Trump.
Trump in an interview this week acknowledged the need for foreign-born, highly skilled workers in situations such as the HL-GA Battery factory setup. “You’re going to need that” from South Koreans who have “made batteries all their lives,” Trump told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham.
A Kemp spokesperson expressed the governor’s thanks to the Trump administration Thursday.
“These temporary, highly skilled employees from our business partners are essential to the completion of these facilities, and we appreciate that our federal partners worked tirelessly to deliver on creating good, high-paying jobs for hard-working Georgians,” the spokesperson said.
Kuck said B-1 visa holders were likely arrested during authorities’ sweep of the battery plant because of confusion from immigration enforcement officials on the scene over the scope of the visa.
As a temporary business visitor visa, the B-1 program allows travelers to come to the U.S. to participate in business meetings, attend conferences or negotiate a contract. According to the Department of State, the B-1 also permits the installation or servicing of “commercial or industrial equipment or machinery purchased from a company outside the U.S. or to train U.S. workers to perform such services.”
Chief political reporter Greg Bluestein contributed to this report.
About the Authors
Adam Van Brimmer is a journalist who covers politics and Coastal Georgia news for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
