Several federal and state law enforcement agencies raided the construction site of a Hyundai joint-venture in Georgia today, arresting 475 for alleged immigration violations.

The EV battery plant, known as HL-GA Battery Company, is a joint venture between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, and is located next to Hyundai’s “Metaplant” in Ellabell, Georgia, southwest of Savannah. It was slated to open by the end of this year or early 2026, and it will supply batteries for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 EV SUVs.

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Steven Schrank told reporters at a news conference the arrests were made for entering the U.S. unlawfully, overstaying visas, and working unlawfully. No charges have been filed yet as the investigation continues. The raid is the latest in President Donald Trump’s controversial crackdown on unlawful immigration.

Schrank confirmed a majority of the people arrested were Korean nationals but did not give an exact number. A spokesperson for LG told the New York Times both its employees and Hyundai employees were arrested, though Hyundai told the Times separately it believed none of its employees were arrested.

Hyundai told Fox News in a statement: “As of today, it is our understanding that none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company. We prioritize the safety and well-being of everyone working at the site and comply with all laws and regulations wherever we operate.”

Schrank said some of the people arrested worked for subcontractors and not directly for either parent company. He also said some number of U.S. citizens and lawful residents were detained and are now being released.

“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,” Schrank told reporters at a news conference.

The Department of Homeland Security told CNN in a statement it had executed a search warrant “as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes.”

ICE officials told the BBC the raid was the culmination of 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 an official search warrant.”

HL-GA Battery Company told the Associated Press in a statement it “is cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities. To assist their work, we have paused construction.” A spokesperson for Hyundai’s Metaplant told the AP in a statement that the raid did not affect plant operations.

The South Korean government has gotten involved, sending diplomatic and consular officials to the site and contacting the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, according to the Yonhap News Agency and the BBC. A spokesperson for South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said at a press conference: “The economic activities of our companies investing in the U.S. and the rights and interests of our nationals must not be unfairly violated. We conveyed our concern and regret through the U.S. Embassy in Seoul today and urged them to exercise extreme caution to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of Korean citizens are not infringed upon.”

Hyundai’s Metaplant and its co-located supplier network cover 2,900 acres, and at $7.6 billion, represent the largest single economic development in Georgia’s history. The plant employs 1,200 people and suppliers onsite are expected to increase that number to as many as 8,500 jobs. It has been touted extensively by Georgia’s Republican governor, Brian Kemp, along with other state and local officials.

The Metaplant is also the crown jewel of Hyundai Group’s commitment to invest $26 billion in the U.S. announced last year and updated since. It includes expanded auto making, a robotics manufacturing facility, and a $5.8 billion steel plant in Louisiana. Together, those investments are estimated to create 25,000 jobs.

The raid comes at a delicate time in South Korea’s relationship with the U.S. Just more than a week ago, President Trump hosted South Korean president Lee Jae Myung at the White House, where the latter promised to invest an additional $150 billion in the U.S. on top of the $350 billion investment agreed to during trade and tariff negotiations in July, which ultimately resulted in a 15-percent tariff (or import tax, paid by the importer) on Korean-made goods.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Investigation division led the raid, aided by ICE, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Georgia State Police, and others. It is the largest single raid in Department of Homeland Security history.