SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Hundreds of workers were arrested by immigration authorities at a Hyundai plant near Savannah, Georgia, this week. Agents detained nearly 500 workers in what Homeland Security is calling the largest single-site immigration enforcement in U.S. history. NPR immigration correspondent Jasmine Garsd joins us. Jasmine, thanks so much for being with us.
JASMINE GARSD, BYLINE: Hi, Scott.
SIMON: What do we know about this large operation?
GARSD: So the raid happened in Ellabell, Georgia, which is right by Savannah, at a construction site for an electrical vehicle battery plant which is co-owned by LG Energy Solution and the Hyundai Motor Group. It involved several law enforcement agencies. Homeland Security says this was a monthslong investigation, and it culminated with a search warrant. They arrested 475 people, most of whom are South Korean citizens. And Homeland Security says the workers detained were in the U.S. illegally or working at the site unlawfully. They said some overstayed their visas. Others unlawfully crossed the border. Here's special agent Steven Schrank.
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STEVEN SCHRANK: This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians and Americans, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding the integrity of our economy and protecting workers from exploitation.
GARSD: So far, no charges have been filed against the company or the workers, but officials say it is an ongoing investigation.
SIMON: Now, the plant was a major economic project supported by the state of Georgia and part of a multibillion-dollar facility that employs about 1,200 people. How have Georgia officials and the companies responded?
GARSD: The Georgia Department of Economic Development told NPR in a statement that they expect, quote, "anyone doing business in Georgia to follow federal and state laws." Meanwhile, LG Energy Solution said in a statement that employees of both companies have been taken into custody and that they are cooperating. But in a separate statement, Hyundai said none of those detained were Hyundai employees.
SIMON: Now, of course, the Trump administration has had a campaign going to detain and arrest immigrants unlawfully in the U.S., but large workplace raids have so far been relatively rare. Do you think this represents a shift in policy?
GARSD: The Trump administration has vowed to hold companies accountable for employing people in the country illegally. But so far, the policy has focused on arresting immigrants in smaller raids at a wide array of places, from Home Depot parking lots to construction sites and some farms. But this operation is the biggest workplace raid during this administration, and it happened in a red state, in Georgia. On the same day - on Thursday - in central New York state, a food manufacturing plant was raided and dozens of people suspected of being in the country illegally were detained. Does that mean it's a big policy shift? We're going to have to see how frequent this becomes.
SIMON: And as you mentioned, most of those arrested were South Korean nationals. What response has there been from South Korea?
GARSD: The South Korean government expressed concern. Embassy officials were sent to the site of the raid. A foreign ministry spokesperson said, quote, "the business activities of our investors and the rights of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed."
I just want to point out that President Trump has made it a priority to bring manufacturing to the U.S. In fact, just over a week ago, he hosted President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea, who pledged to invest an additional $150 billion in the U.S. - including in battery factories.
SIMON: NPR's Jasmine Garsd, thanks so much.
GARSD: Thank you for having me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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