How many people got arrested during the Hyundai raid last year, and how many of those people actually had visa problems?
Executive summary
Federal authorities detained roughly 475 people in the September raid at the Hyundai–LG battery plant construction site in Ellabell, Georgia — media outlets and law enforcement consistently reported about 475 (described also as “nearly 500” or “hundreds”) arrests [1] [2] [3]. What remains contested and undocumented in public reporting is the precise number of those detainees who truly lacked lawful work authorization: ICE and DHS officials said the vast majority were “illegally present” or barred from working, while leaked documents and lawyers representing detainees show at least some individuals on valid visas — but none of the sources provide a definitive, independently verified tally of how many actually had visa problems [4] [3] [2].
1. The headcount: how many were taken into custody
Multiple reputable outlets and official statements put the number of people detained at the site at approximately 475 — Reuters, the New York Times, Wikipedia’s compiled account and immigration-law briefings all cite roughly 475 arrests, while some coverage rounded that to “nearly 500” or “hundreds” [3] [5] [1] [6]. Local and federal officials also told reporters detainees were held at ICE’s Folkston facility after the operation, and Korean media and U.S. sources reported that more than 300 of those detained were South Korean nationals, with other nationalities including Mexicans and Japanese among the total [3] [7] [1].
2. The official claim: most lacked authorization to work
Homeland Security and ICE leaders publicly characterized the operation as enforcement against workers “barred from working” — ICE’s on-the-record description and later briefings framed the raid as targeting individuals who had crossed the border illegally, overstayed visas, or were otherwise not permitted to work, language repeated in major outlets such as Reuters and the BBC [3] [4]. Industry and legal summaries likewise reported that many detained individuals had entered on B-1 visitor visas or through the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) — categories that ordinarily do not permit employment — reinforcing the administration’s position that the detainees were unlawfully working [8] [9].
3. The counter-evidence: at least some detainees had valid visas
Reporting based on a leaked ICE/HSI internal file obtained by the Guardian documented at least one South Korean worker arrested who entered the U.S. on a valid B‑1/B‑2 visa and whose detention was later questioned by advocates and legal observers, who said he was nonetheless processed for removal despite not violating his visa on its face; the Guardian and immigration attorneys highlighted that it is not yet clear how many others in the group shared that circumstance [2]. That leak introduces a material dispute over the uniformity of legal status among detainees and undercuts any simple claim that every person detained lacked lawful authorization [2].
4. Why a precise tally of “visa problems” is unavailable
Public-source reporting provides strong estimates for arrests but lacks a definitive, independently verified breakdown of immigration statuses for all detainees: ICE’s public assertions, diplomatic interventions, corporate statements, legal filings and leaked internal documents all offer partial or contested portraits, but none publishes a full roster matching each detainee to a legal finding of unauthorized employment or removal order that would answer the question conclusively [3] [2] [10]. Several outlets note that many were en route to being processed for removal, and South Korean government engagement suggests many were returned or negotiated out, but those outcomes do not equal an authoritative count of who “actually had visa problems” in legal terms [10] [4].
5. Competing narratives and possible incentives shaping coverage
The administration sought to cast the raid as firm enforcement consistent with its broader immigration agenda, which benefits politically from publicizing large-scale operations; Hyundai, LG and Korean officials emphasized disruptions to investment and worker protections, which pushes a competing diplomatic and corporate narrative calling for visa-system reform [3] [10]. Legal advocates and the Guardian’s leaked document highlight potential administrative overreach and individual lawful status, raising questions about processing standards and subcontractor compliance — reporting that suggests both enforcement zeal and business interests influenced how facts and frames were released [2] [11].