Sat Sep 06 23:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a news article version:
**Summary:**
A large-scale immigration raid occurred at a Hyundai manufacturing plant construction site in Ellabell, Georgia, resulting in 475 arrests, primarily of Korean nationals. Federal, state, and local officers executed the operation, acting on a criminal investigation into unlawful employment practices. Workers attempted to flee, some hiding or running into a sewage pond. South Korea is responding by providing support to its citizens and engaging with US officials, while Hyundai stated it is reviewing its processes to ensure legal compliance by contractors. The raid, the largest single-site operation in Homeland Security Investigations history, halted construction at the plant and sparked protests.
**News Article:**
**Massive Immigration Raid Hits Hyundai Plant in Georgia; Hundreds Arrested**
**Ellabell, GA** – A massive immigration raid at a Hyundai manufacturing plant under construction in Ellabell, Georgia, on Thursday resulted in the arrest of 475 individuals, the vast majority of whom are Korean nationals. The operation, described as the largest single-site enforcement action in the history of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), brought construction at the sprawling EV battery production facility to a standstill.
Nearly 500 federal, state, and local officers descended on the plant, blocking roads and setting up a security perimeter. Witnesses described a chaotic scene as agents moved through the facility, lining up workers against walls. Some workers attempted to evade capture, with some hiding in air ducts and others fleeing into a nearby sewage pond.
“They just told everybody to get on the wall,” one construction worker told CNN, describing the scene as resembling a “war zone.”
Authorities stated that the raid was the culmination of a multi-month criminal investigation into “allegations of unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes.” The search warrant sought records related to conspiracy to conceal or harbor individuals in the US illegally.
According to Steven Schrank, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge, all 475 individuals taken into custody were in the US illegally, some having crossed the border unlawfully, others having overstayed visas, and some with visa waivers prohibiting employment.
The South Korean government has responded swiftly, expressing concern for its citizens and dispatching diplomats to the site. President Lee Jae Myung has instructed officials to take “all-out necessary measures” to support Korean nationals. Foreign Affairs Minister Cho Hyun stated readiness to travel to Washington, D.C. to engage directly with US officials.
Hyundai released a statement stating it is reviewing its processes to ensure legal compliance by contractors and subcontractors, emphasizing its “zero tolerance for those who don’t follow the law.”
The raid has sparked protests in Savannah and near the plant, with demonstrators holding signs and chanting against ICE. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s office stated that the state would “always enforce the law, including all state and federal immigration laws.”
The Hyundai Metaplant, consisting of an electric vehicle manufacturing site and an EV battery plant (a joint venture with LG), is projected to employ up to 8,500 people upon completion. The disruption caused by the raid raises questions about the project’s timeline and the impact on the local economy.
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