Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday labeled the hundreds of workers arrested in a raid at a South Korean plant construction site in Georgia as "illegal aliens," emphasizing that immigration officials were "just doing their job."
According to Yonhap News Agency, the raid on Thursday at the electric vehicle battery construction site, operated by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution Ltd. in Bryan County, led to the arrest of 475 individuals, the majority of whom are South Korean nationals. The operation was part of a broader immigration crackdown by Trump's administration.
Trump remarked at the White House press conference that he had only recently been informed about the raid and supported the actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Steven Schrank, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations for Georgia, confirmed that the arrests were made during the execution of a search warrant as part of a criminal investigation into "unlawful employment practices and serious federal crimes."
The investigation aims to ensure accountability for law violations and uphold the rule of law, Schrank added. Among those arrested, more than 300 were identified as South Korean nationals, according to a diplomatic source in Seoul.
Schrank explained that the individuals were in the United States illegally, including those who crossed the border unlawfully, entered through a visa waiver program prohibiting employment, or overstayed their visas. The detainees, many of whom were subcontractors for various companies, are currently in the custody of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Most detainees were transported to the Folkston Immigration Detention Center in Georgia on Thursday night and will be relocated based on their individual circumstances. Authorities reported no injuries during the raid, except for one person who was "overheating" and an agent who sustained a minor laceration.
The operation has been described as "the largest single site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security Investigations." The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia noted that some individuals attempted to flee during the raid, including several who ran into a sewage pond. These individuals were captured after a boat was used to retrieve them from the water.
U.S. Attorney Margaret Heap stated that the goal of the operation is to curb illegal employment and prevent employers from gaining unfair advantages by hiring unauthorized workers, while also protecting such workers from exploitation. The office emphasized that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
South Korea's foreign ministry expressed "concern and regret" regarding the raid, urging that the rights of those involved must not be unjustly infringed upon.