ABC Exposes ICE’s Largest-Ever Raid on South Korean Workers
ICE raids in Georgia to arrest South Korean workers. (Image X.com)
The ABC News investigation uncovers shocking details of a Homeland Security raid that detained over 300 South Korean engineers working legally for Hyundai and LG contractors, raising questions of racial profiling and diplomatic fallout.
By TRH Foreign Affairs Desk
New Delhi, November 9, 2025 — A forthcoming ABC News documentary has shed new light on the September 4 ICE enforcement operation in Georgia, now described as the largest single-site immigration raid in U.S. Homeland Security Investigations history.
The raid targeted a massive construction site for Hyundai and LG Energy Solutions, where more than 500 workers were detained — including over 300 South Korean nationals working on legally sanctioned contracts.
Federal agents reportedly stormed the site with search warrants, detaining workers and confiscating phones. Witnesses told ABC that the detainees were bused to ICE detention centers, where they faced unsanitary conditions — moldy mattresses, foul-smelling water, and toilets with no privacy.
One worker, identified as Kim, said he was lawfully in the U.S. on a B1 visa, approved through consular procedures. “They treated our workers, even with residence cards and valid visas, like terrorists,” he said. Kim and nearly 200 others are preparing to sue ICE, alleging unlawful arrest, racial profiling, human rights violations, and excessive force.
The raid has rattled both Washington and Seoul, coming just weeks after South Korea pledged $350 billion in U.S. investments. The South Korean government has called the incident “traumatizing” and warned it could delay major U.S. factory projects.
Even US President Donald Trump — who initially championed strict immigration enforcement — appeared to distance himself from the operation. “They went, they left, and they’re going to be coming back,” Trump said, calling the raid “a mistake.”
Hyundai told ABC that construction at the site is expected to resume, with the plant scheduled to open in early 2026. LG Energy Solutions confirmed it had temporarily suspended U.S. business travel after the incident but has since restarted operations.
Economic experts warn the episode could deepen U.S. labour shortages in high-skill manufacturing and discourage foreign technical talent, undermining America’s clean-energy industrial push.
The full investigation, reported by Selina Wang, airs Monday night on ABC News Prime, offering a rare inside look at how an immigration crackdown collided with one of America’s most critical industrial alliances.
Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
About The Author
