South Korean Workers Return Home After U.S. Immigration Raid

More than 300 South Koreans detained as part of a U.S. immigration raid on a Hyundai-linked site in Georgia are back in Seoul. Their return concludes a turbulent week that embroiled South Korean officials in diplomatic tensions, triggered public outrage, and raised questions about future foreign investment.

The group of 307 men and 10 women arrived in South Korea after being part of 475 who were detained on Sept. 4, during a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in connection with an investigation into employer violations of labor laws. The raid took place at a Hyundai-affiliated electric vehicle battery site that had been heralded as part of the foundation for South Korea’s $500 billion U.S. investment promise.

Emotional Welcome Back to South Korea

The returnees arrived at Incheon International Airport to an unpredictable reception. Some saw family again with quiet relief; others walked past clusters of journalists and protesters. Since images of detainees with shackles were released to the Korean public, anger ignited as South Korea scrutinized the deportations and remanded U.S. actions.

One protester held a sign asking whether South Korea should “keep investing in the U.S. despite backstabbing.” Another banner showed Donald Trump dressed as an ICE officer with oversized cash bag.

Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to President Lee Jae Myung, greeted the returnees at the arrival gate, thanking them for their “patience and resilience.” Some of the workers described the raid as “like a movie,” with armored vehicles and weapons pointed at them. “There was nothing we could do to resist it,” one of the men said. “We all just surrendered.”

Delays, Diplomatic Disturbance, and Unanswered Questions

The South Korean government wanted a much speedier repatriation of the detained workers, but officials from the U.S. surprisingly delayed the detainees’ release to see if they could allow some of the workers to stay and work on the construction of the EV plant. In the end, South Korean authorities decided that it was in the group’s best interest to return first.

The South Korean workers were released from the Folkston ICE Processing Center in Georgia, free of physical restraints, in the early hours of Thursday morning. The press was instructed not to show their faces or share their names.

Most of the detained workers entered the U.S. using a short-term business visa—a common practice that is not really regulated or monitored. It has been reported that the Trump administration’s abrupt crackdown will further deter cooperation for large scale projects like the $4.3 billion battery plant in Ellabell, which could delay the opening by several months.

Hyundai reported that no direct employees were detained. Of the South Korean workers involved, 47 were workers hired by LG Energy Solution, and the rest were hired by subcontractors. LG issued a public statement apologizing and thanking the South Korean government for working quickly to facilitate their swift release.

Art Wheaton, a labor expert at Cornell University, explained that this episode sends a bad message to international investors. “It is not good when a government has to charter a plane to rescue their own workers,” Wheaton said. “It sends a message of risk to anyone considering U.S.-based projects.”

There are about 145 additional foreign workers, from places including Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Chile, and Venezuela, who remain in ICE custody.

Unions in both countries, including the Korean Metal Workers’ Union and United Auto Workers, condemned the detentions and urged companies to take greater responsibility for navigating the complicated visa rules and regulations. This incident is still escalating the conversations about foreign labor and investment in the United States and the changes that are occurring with immigration.