September 15, 2025: US immigration officers have detained more than 470 in a raid on the construction site of a battery cell manufacturing joint venture of Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution.

Officers from the federal US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) department swooped on the HL-GA Battery Company site on September 4.

ICE claimed a number of individuals arrested at the site were working illegally and one green card holder from Mexico was arrested — with a view to the individual being deported, based on alleged multiple criminal convictions.

None of those detained were thought to be directly employed by Hyundai Motor, the firm said on September 5.

However, the company said its North America chief manufacturing officer, Chris Susock, had “assumed governance of the entire megasite” in Georgia and would conduct an investigation to ensure all suppliers and their subcontractors comply with all laws and regulations.

Steven Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations in Georgia and Alabama, said: “We welcome all companies who want to invest in the US and if they need to bring workers in for building or other projects, that’s fine — but they need to do it the legal way.”

Hyundai and LGES are investing more than $4 billion in the battery plant, which is scheduled to start production early next year.

HL-GA will supply next-generation battery technology to manufacturing facilities for production of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis EV models.

Hyundai said the facility will help create a stable supply of batteries in the region and allow for a quick response to the global EV demand.