GA Battery Plant Construction Raid Update

Federal Agents targeting Illegal Employment Practices have Detained nearly 500 Workers, the Majority of them South Koreans, at a Hyundai Battery New Plant in Georgia. The Sept. 4th Raid at HL-GA Battery Company Plant in Ellabell, about 30 miles northwest of Savannah, was Not Primarily an Immigration Action, but instead Focused on Criminal Violations of Employment Laws, Officials said at a Sept. 5th News Conference. thorities regarding activity at our construction site."

"The goal of this operation is to reduce illegal employment and prevent employers from gaining an unfair advantage by hiring unauthorized workers," U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap (R) said. About 475 People were Detained in the Raid, at the $4.3 billion Construction site. Federal Officials said the Raid was the Largest Single-Site Workplace Enforcement Action in the History of Homeland Security Investigations. The Factory will make Batteries for Hyundai Cars built in the U.S.

Some Targeted Workers fleed Federal Agents ran into an Onsite Sewage Pond in an attempt to Hide, Authorities said in a Statement, and were Fished-Out by Agents in a Boat. Company Officials said they were Co-Operating with Federal Investigators. The Raid was the Culmination of Months of Criminal Investigation, Officials said. They said they could Not Release more Information about the Criminal Case, including who might be facing Criminal Charges. But they Reiterated their Goal was to ensure a Level Playing Field for AmericanW workers.

The Battery Plant is a Joint Venture between Hyundai and LG, which are both South Korean Companies, and Local Media have Reported extensively on concerns that the Facility was being Built and Staffed by People working Iillegally. South Korean Media reported that the Government has Expressed Concern about the Raid.

Federal Officials said Hundreds of Workers they Encountered on Site had Violated a Wide Variety of Immigration and Employment Laws; some who Illegally crossed the U.S. Border and Others Traveled on Tourist Visas that barred them from Working. Those Detained Workers now Face Deportation Hearings, Officials said. Officials said they are also Investigating whether any of the Workers were Trafficked to the Site.

"This was not an immigration operation where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks and put them on buses," said Special Agent in Charge Steven Schrank, of Homeland Security Investigations. "This has been a multi-month criminal investigation where we have developed evidence, conducted interviews, gathered documents and presented that evidence to the court in order to obtain a judicial search warrant."

The Battery Plant is being Built next to Hyundai Motor Group's Metaplant America, on a Site that's nearly 3,000 acres, and was touted as Bringing Hundreds of Good-Paying Jobs to the area. Mary Beth Kennedy, a Spokesperson for the HL-GA Battery Company, said in a Statement, that the Company was "cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities regarding activity at our construction site."










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