ICE detains 300 Korean nationals in Georgia, Seoul lodges protest

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided a Korean company’s battery plant construction site in Georgia on September 4, detaining at least 300 Korean nationals in what Seoul called an alarming escalation of the Donald Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

The operation, which came just over 10 days after the first Korea-U.S. summit in Washington, has sparked fears of diplomatic fallout.

“U.S. ICE conducted a raid on September 4 at the construction site of our company’s battery plant in Georgia, during which many of our nationals were detained,” Lee Jae-woong, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a briefing on September 5.

Lee added that “economic activities by our investor companies and the rights of our nationals must not be unfairly infringed upon during U.S. law enforcement operations.”

The Foreign Ministry dispatched consuls from the Korean Embassy in Washington and the Consulate General of Korea in Atlanta to the scene. Authorities also set up an emergency task force to coordinate a response.

It is the first time U.S. law enforcement has raided a Korean company and detained such a large number of Korean workers. Witnesses at the site said ICE agents deployed helicopters, armored vehicles and firearms during the raid.

U.S. media reported that between 450 and 560 workers were detained, including about 300 Koreans.

Most of the Koreans held had entered the United States on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or on business visas, such as the B1 visa. ICE is believed to be questioning whether their visas permitted employment.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed the detainees are being held at ICE facilities.

A ministry official said authorities are communicating with the companies involved and still verifying the details, adding that Seoul is “closely monitoring U.S. policies and enforcement actions and will provide necessary consular support.”

The incident comes as the Korean government has sought to manage relations with Washington despite U.S. tariff increases and defense spending pressure under U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term.

President Lee Jae Myung’s administration pledged $350 billion in U.S. investments in late July as part of tariff negotiations and reached agreements on shipbuilding and other industries during the August 25 summit with Trump in Washington.

The raid, however, has raised concerns that Korean companies may have become a target amid the administration’s ongoing push for investment and immigration enforcement.

A diplomatic source warned that the “case could escalate into a bilateral issue if not resolved quickly.” President Lee has ordered close monitoring and decisive action, according to government officials.

Political leaders also voiced concern. Jang Dong-hyuk, chair of the conservative People Power Party, met Joseph Yun, the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Seoul, and urged him to ensure Korean nationals receive proper legal protection.

Yun said he had reported the matter immediately to Washington and that U.S. authorities were still confirming the facts.

The plant under construction, targeted in the raid, is a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution. The two companies each hold a 50 percent stake in the $4.3 billion project, which broke ground in late 2023.

The plant was scheduled for completion by the end of this year, with capacity to mass-produce about 30 gigawatt-hours of battery cells annually — enough to power roughly 300,000 electric vehicles.