AHRC Statement on Mass Detentions at Hyundai’s Georgia Battery Project

For Immediate Release — September 10, 2025 AHRC Statement on Mass Detentions at Hyundai’s Georgia Battery Project

Enforcement of immigration law must not sacrifice human dignity, non-discrimination, and due process.

The African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC) stands in solidarity with the workers and families affected by last week’s large-scale immigration raid at the Hyundai-LG battery project near Savannah, Georgia, in which U.S. authorities detained approximately 475 people, including 300+ South Korean nationals. The Republic of Korea has deployed a chartered aircraft and consular teams to facilitate returns and assist those detained.

Emerging accounts indicate that many—likely most—of those detained entered the United States lawfully (e.g., on B-1 business visas or the visa-waiver program). U.S. authorities, however, assert that such documents did not authorize the on-site construction work at issue. This discrepancy underscores the urgent need for transparency, individualized assessments, and due-process safeguards. In at least one case, a leaked ICE document suggests a detainee held a valid visa and had not violated its terms, even as DHS publicly contends otherwise—raising serious concerns about wrongful detention and coerced “voluntary” departures.

“When hundreds of workers are swept up at once—many with lawful entry documents—the government’s obligation to ensure proportionality, accurate status determinations, and access to counsel is at its highest,” said Melanie Nathan, AHRC Executive Director. “Clarity on legal standards and humane treatment are non-negotiable.”

  AHRC is deeply concerned that the tactics used in Georgia signal a developing modus operandi—large, surprise workplace sweeps that risk becoming routine. We urge DHS/ICE to pause raids at complex industrial sites and instead work collaboratively with corporations, unions, and consulates to establish advance warning systems, clear remediation timelines, and non-custodial compliance options so individuals are not funneled into immediate detention. The Trump administration has said its enforcement priorities focus on dangerous criminals; the mass detention of technical workers and trainees appears inconsistent with that commitment and warrants urgent policy review.

Enforcement of immigration law must not sacrifice human dignity, non-discrimination, and due process.

AHRC calls for:

1. Immediate disclosure of the legal basis and scope of the operation, including warrant criteria and how work-authorization determinations were made.

2. Guaranteed access to counsel, interpreters, medical care, and consular assistance for every detainee; use of alternatives to detention pending case-by-case review.

3. An independent review of any wrongful or status-compliant detentions, with remedies and accountability where warranted.

4. A U.S.–ROK–industry task force to align visa categories with short-term, specialized industrial work (installation/commissioning), reducing reliance on mass raids that chill lawful investment and labor protections alike.

AHRC will continue monitoring developments.