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Trump defends immigration raid at Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia

Published: 06 Sep. 2025, 11:13 Updated: 07 Sep. 2025, 12:43

SEO JI-EUN
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U.S. President Donald Trump gives remarks during a bilateral meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Sept. 3. [EPA/YONHAP]

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday defended the arrest of nearly 500 workers — including hundreds of Koreans — at the Hyundai Motor–LG Energy Solution joint electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia, framing it as a straightforward enforcement action.

“They were illegal aliens and ICE was just doing its job,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding he had heard about it just before the news conference.

"They're doing their job. That's what they have to do.” he added.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said a total of 475 people were detained at the site, describing the operation as the largest single-site enforcement action in the agency’s history.

According to investigators, those arrested were in the United States illegally or had violated their visa status. Some had crossed the border unlawfully, while others had entered under the Visa Waiver Program, which prohibits employment, they said.

Roughly 300 of those detained were reportedly Korean nationals, later transferred to detention centers for questioning.

Asked about Hyundai Motor Group’s multibillion-dollar investment plans in the United States, Trump stressed the company’s legitimate role in the American market.

“They have the right to sell cars and things in our country," he said. "You know, it's not a one-sided deal.”

The remark appeared to counter criticism that the large-scale raid unfairly targeted a company that has pledged substantial investment.

Korea's Foreign Ministry has voiced "concern and regret" over the raid, saying that the people's rights must not be unfairly infringed upon.

Law enforcement officers, including HSI and ICE agents, raided the construction site of a Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution electric vehicle battery plant in Bryan County, Georgia, detaining more than 450 workers suspected of being undocumented, including Korean nationals. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Atlanta office said on X, formerly Twitter, that the operation involved HSI, the FBI, DEA, ICE, the Georgia State Patrol and other agencies, emphasizing their “commitment to community safety.” [SCREEN CAPTURE]

On concerns that immigration crackdowns could clash with his administration’s push to revive domestic manufacturing, Trump replied, "We want to get along with other countries, and we want to have a great, stable workforce," while adding, "But we had a lot of illegal aliens working there [...] So we have to do our job.”

The enforcement action comes just months after Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung announced a $26 billion U.S. investment plan at a White House event attended by Trump. Korean President Lee Jae Myung also reaffirmed Seoul’s investment commitment during a summit with Trump on Aug. 25.

Industry officials voiced frustration at the timing.

“The United States is pressing for rapid investment, but at the same time it is not granting enough visas for the core personnel needed to design and operate the plants,” one corporate source said. “In this situation, the large-scale raid has created a dilemma for companies that must keep pushing ahead.”

Foreign media also spotlighted the move.

The BBC said the raid could heighten tension between Trump’s twin policy goals of strengthening U.S. manufacturing and cracking down on illegal immigration, while the New York Times called it a “diplomatic alarm” for Korea.

Separately, Trump dismissed a New York Times report claiming he had authorized a 2019 U.S. Navy special forces infiltration into North Korea to bug leader Kim Jong-un during nuclear negotiations.

“I don’t know anything about it," he said. "I could look, but I know nothing about it. [...] I'm hearing now for the first time."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY KANG TAE-HWA, SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]