ICE arrests 300 Korean nationals for visa violations in Georgia

The recent federal immigration raid on a battery plant under construction in Savannah, Georgia, reveals the true scale of the Trump administration’s enforcement strategy. On September 4, federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) stormed the Hyundai Motor Group–LG Energy Solution joint project, arresting 475 workers. According to Steven Schrank, HSI’s special agent in charge for Georgia and Alabama, those arrested were either undocumented or working illegally in violation of their visa status.

Among those detained were an estimated 300 Korean nationals. Many were in the United States on B1 business visas or under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), documents that allow short-term visits for meetings or contracts but not employment. The scale of the raid sent shockwaves through the Korean community and underscores an alarming truth: the government’s dragnet is no longer confined to criminals but is extending to anyone deemed out of status.

At the start of his second term, President Donald Trump repeated what had become a familiar talking point: that only undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records would be targeted for deportation. That claim was misleading from the beginning. On the campaign trail, Trump had promised to remove all 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country. Today, his administration is putting that pledge into practice.

The numbers are staggering. In just the first half of this year, more than one million undocumented immigrants have left the United States. Of those, roughly 250,000 were formally deported, while another 750,000 left on their own, worn down by fear, uncertainty, and financial hardship. What began as a policy framed around “public safety” has become a campaign of mass removal.

Historically, immigration enforcement has focused heavily on the Latino community. According to a 2024 Pew Research Center report, as of 2022 there were about four million undocumented immigrants from Mexico and another 2.16 million from Central and South America. That concentration explains why raids often hit Latino neighborhoods first.

Yet the same report found that about one million undocumented immigrants in the United States are of Asian origin, including an estimated 173,000 from South Korea. By sheer numbers, once Latino communities are heavily targeted, Asian communities will inevitably follow. The Savannah raid, with hundreds of Koreans detained, is a stark warning of what lies ahead.

The tactics being used by federal authorities point to what can only be described as a fear-based strategy. Despite court rulings that racial profiling is unconstitutional, ICE has carried out surprise raids at Home Depot parking lots and car washes, locations where day laborers often gather. Officers have patrolled Latino neighborhoods, arresting people on suspicion alone — a practice known as “roving patrols.” In some cases, ICE agents have even entered immigration court buildings, detaining undocumented individuals as they awaited hearings. This practice, dubbed a “court ambush,” has become increasingly common.

In July, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a notice reminding all non-citizens over the age of 18 that they must carry proof of lawful status, such as a green card, at all times. Although this requirement under the Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 264(d) has long been dormant, the government’s renewed emphasis signals an intention to legitimize street-level checks. Violations carry a penalty of up to $100 or 30 days in jail — or both. By reviving an obscure rule, federal authorities are laying the groundwork for broader identity checks that could lead to mass arrests and deportations.

The Korean community has already witnessed what these raids look like on the ground. On September 3, in the heart of Los Angeles’ Koreatown, 15 heavily armed federal agents stormed the Olympic Car Wash on Olympic Boulevard. They handcuffed five workers on site and hauled them away in government vehicles. This kind of unannounced, high-profile enforcement action is designed not only to remove individuals but also to send a chilling message to entire communities.

The government’s earlier assurances — that only undocumented immigrants with violent criminal records would be targeted — were never accurate. The true objective, as Trump made clear during his campaign, has always been the removal of all undocumented immigrants, regardless of circumstance. The raids in Savannah and Los Angeles demonstrate that this promise is being carried out in real time.

For Asian immigrants, particularly Koreans, the implications are serious. With numbers large enough to draw federal attention and communities concentrated in visible neighborhoods and industries, they are increasingly vulnerable. What has long been a crisis felt primarily in Latino communities is now expanding, and the Korean community must prepare for what may come next.

By Mooyoung Lee [lee.mooyoung@koreadaily.com]