Hyundai Battery Plant Faces Startup Setback After Raid

A Hyundai-LG Energy battery factory in Georgia is experiencing a delay of two to three months in its launch due to a large immigration raid, which CEO Jose Munoz called the biggest ever by U.S. Homeland Security at a single location, announced Thursday.

Hyundai CEO Jose Muñoz stated he was surprised by the recent immigration raid at the company’s Georgia battery plant. He later learned that LG’s subcontractors were mainly responsible for hiring the workers involved. The $7.6 billion facility, which was intended to support Hyundai’s electric vehicle initiatives, will now face a delay of several months.

Approximately 475 workers, over 300 from South Korea, were detained in a U.S. immigration raid over visa concerns. They are being sent back to South Korea from Atlanta, as both governments agreed on their return and to discuss a visa program for skilled labour at Korean-run construction sites.

Hyundai’s Executive Chair Euisun Chung expressed concern over the recent raid but felt relieved that the workers are returning to South Korea. During an event in Detroit, he expressed hope that the U.S. and South Korea could collaborate to simplify visa regulations in the future.

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Munoz explained that hiring specialised workers is common when starting a battery plant. With the LG plant delayed, Hyundai will source batteries from other sites, including one shared with SK On in Georgia. The raid’s effects spread, causing other LG plants, even those linked to GM, to send workers home.