Three months after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out a large-scale enforcement operation at a Hyundai/LG battery plant in Georgia, a handful of Korean workers have begun to return. The communities they are returning to, however, remain deeply shaken by the experience.
Approximately 50 South Korean technicians—including subcontractor employees—have reentered the United States to help normalize operations at the plant, located in Ellabell, about 20 miles west of Savannah, according to local Korean community organizations. Some obtained newly issued B-1 business visas, while others were able to return using their existing visas without going through a reapplication process.
ABC News and The New York Times reported last month that more than 100 of the 317 South Korean nationals detained during the September operation have since had their B-1 business visas reinstated or restored, with many not required to reapply. The New York Times described the move as “a sign that the workers were lawfully in the United States to install equipment at the factory.”
James Lim, president of the Korean American Association of Southeast Georgia, told ACoM that returning workers encountered no significant issues at Atlanta’s airport, despite having prior ICE arrest records. “They said U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were courteous, and no particularly difficult questions were asked during the entry process,” he noted.
Formal clearance, however, has done little to ease the psychological toll. Lim said that many workers were initially reluctant to return to the United States after what he described as a humiliating detention experience. “Some had to draw lots to decide who would go back,” he said. “That alone shows how deep the trauma runs.”
The lingering fear has extended into the broader labor market. Sarah Rosado of Express Employment Professionals said that even workers with lawful immigration status have become hesitant to leave their homes for work since the raid. “The chilling effect has been profound.”
The impact has also been felt in community and cultural life. Alfonso Ribot, founder and CEO of the Metropolitan Savannah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said many residents have altered their behavior to avoid drawing attention to their ethnicity. “I see people changing how they dress so they don’t appear Hispanic,” Ribot said. “In this environment, people are afraid to openly say, ‘I am Hispanic.’”
Amid heightened safety concerns, Savannah’s annual Hispanic Heritage Parade—traditionally held each September—was canceled. Ribot explained that organizers feared the event could be disrupted by enforcement actions. “If there’s a belief that someone could enter the parade and start pulling people out, it’s impossible for the community to feel safe,” he said.
Similar concerns rippled through the Korean American community beyond Georgia. In October, the possibility of canceling a major Korean cultural festival in Los Angeles’ Koreatown was publicly discussed, following fears that visiting Korean business representatives could face detention while traveling in the United States. In response, festival organizers invited immigration attorneys to brief participating companies on entry procedures and required documentation.
Local government officials said the Georgia incident significantly heightened concerns among South Korean municipal governments and businesses about travel safety in the United States. “This year’s events went forward without incident, but unless visa-related uncertainties between the two countries are resolved, fewer people may be willing to visit in the future,” one official said.
The controversy stems from an ICE operation on September 4, when agents raided the Hyundai electric vehicle and battery manufacturing complex in Georgia, detaining approximately 475 workers on suspicion of immigration and employment violations. Of those detained, 317 were South Korean nationals. After spending about a week in immigration detention, they were repatriated to South Korea on chartered flights following diplomatic consultations between the two governments.
Subsequent reviews revealed that many of the detained South Korean workers were highly skilled specialists essential to plant construction and were in the United States legally on B-1 business visas. This disclosure sparked criticism in both the United States and South Korea that the operation amounted to excessive enforcement. Industry analysts also warned that the resulting labor disruption could delay construction by several months and potentially dampen future foreign investment.
While U.S. authorities later reiterated that enforcement against undocumented immigrants would continue in accordance with the law, they also moved to streamline certain visa procedures related to South Korean investment projects. Nevertheless, few of the detained workers have returned, and many are reportedly preparing legal action against the U.S. government.
According to South Korean media reports, roughly 200 of the detained workers are considering lawsuits against ICE, alleging unlawful enforcement, racial profiling, human rights violations, excessive use of force, and wrongful arrest.
Calls for accountability are resonating across communities. Ribot characterized the raid as a clear abuse of authority, stressing that meaningful change can only occur when officials are held responsible. Korean American organizations have echoed those demands, pressing elected leaders for concrete assurances of immigrant safety and transparency in enforcement practices.
At a recent local election candidate forum in Atlanta, GA, Korean American business owners made immigrant protection a central issue. Lawrenceville City Council–elect Randy Travis, a descendant of Ukrainian immigrants, emphasized the nation’s immigrant roots. “Without immigration, this country would not be what it is today,” he said.
Sun Park, who moderated the forum, concluded with a pointed message: “Elected officials must explain how they intend to rebuild trust and transparency between immigrant communities and local institutions. We will continue to demand those answers until real change is achieved.”
Jongwon Lee contributed reporting for this story
