Chaos and Fear: Witness Account of ICE Raid at Georgia Car Factory
A witness at a car factory in Georgia described the chaos and fear that ensued during a massive immigration operation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The operation resulted in the arrest of 475 individuals, including 300 South Korean nationals, some of whom were taken away in chains. Workers at the factory were alerted to the raid when they received calls instructing them to shut down operations, leading to a state of panic among employees.
The witness recounted how family members of the detained workers tried to reach out to them, but their efforts were hindered as the workers had left their cell phones in the office, which was locked. The operation, which took place at a $7.6 billion factory complex jointly owned by Hyundai and LG Energy, involved hundreds of state and federal agents converging on the site to detain individuals suspected of illegal employment practices.
The detained workers, primarily mechanics installing production lines at the factory, were employed by a contractor, with some workers sent from the company's head office in Seoul for training purposes. The witness believed that most of the workers had some legal right to be in the US but may have been on incorrect visas or had expired work permits. Following the raid, Hyundai and LG Energy stated that they were cooperating with authorities and had paused construction at the site.
ICE officials confirmed that all 475 detainees were unlawfully present in the US, having entered through various means such as illegal border crossings, visa waivers, or overstaying their visas. The operation, named "Operation Low Voltage," targeted an electric battery plant under construction on the factory premises. The witness expressed concern over the impact of the raid on foreign investment in the US, citing potential delays in project completion due to visa-related challenges.
Despite the aftermath of the raid, the electric car factory in Georgia continued its operations, with minimal visible signs of the previous day's events. The factory, a significant economic development project in the state, has been a key source of employment in the region. The Korean American community in Savannah expressed shock over the ICE arrests, hoping that the incident would not strain US-South Korean relations. The association's president emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive image for global companies operating in the US.