An agreement has been reached to allow more than 300 workers detained in a raid at a Hyundai plant to return to South Korea—a development that underscores how the auto industry isn’t immune from the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
First things first: Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to the President of the Republic of Korea, said Sunday that South Korea will send a charter plane to bring the workers home once the necessary administrative steps are complete.
The workers were among 475 detained Thursday during a raid at the Hyundai Metaplant site in Ellabell, Georgia, dubbed “Operation Low Voltage.”
Operated by South Korea-based Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, the facility houses an electric vehicle battery plant—part of a $7.59 billion investment.
Homeland Security officials said the workers arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Georgia—following an investigation that spanned several months—were barred from working in the U.S. after crossing the border illegally or overstaying visas.
What they’re saying: “To prevent a recurrence of similar cases, we will work together with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the companies concerned, to review and improve the visa system and stay status of people traveling to the US for investment projects,” Kang said Sunday, via CNN.
Why it matters: As the United States’ sixth-largest trade partner, the worker issue could carry broader implications for South Korea’s relationship with the Trump administration amid the country’s plans to invest $150 billion in the U.S., including $26 billion from Hyundai Motor.
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Between the lines: Industry concerns about the raids have even prompted the UAW—which has been pushing to unionize Hyundai plants—to weigh in with a statement.
“For years, Hyundai—including its joint ventures and the suppliers that work in its plants—cut corners on industry-standard safety precautions, refused to respect workers’ right to a union, and relied on the exploitation of immigrant labor to build its factories and supply chains.”
“When workers are put in danger by predatory companies like Hyundai, there is an opportunity for a constructive response from the federal government: OSHA and the NLRB have tools at their disposal to increase workplace safety. Unfortunately, the militarized federal crackdown on these workers further hurts safety at Hyundai.”
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” that more immigration raids like the one at the Hyundai plant could follow.
Bottom line: The Hyundai raid sends a stark warning to automakers and their suppliers: unchecked labor practices risk federal crackdowns, billion-dollar projects, and scrutiny from both regulators and unions, much like other industries impacted by immigration policies.
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