On September 12th, 2025 over 300 of those South Korean workers went back home. They had spent days under the extremely harsh conditions of an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia. The case has provoked massive public anger in South Korea. This response deepened considerably after video footage emerged showing many of the detained workers being transported in chains.
On Tuesday, September 4, U.S. immigration authorities arrested about 475 people in a massive raid on workplaces. This operation focused directly on a battery factory under construction on Hyundai’s auto plant campus, south of the city of Rincon, west of Savannah. This factory will be an important operational center for Hyundai as it makes major investments to increase the production capacity of electric vehicles.
The detention center is located 285 miles (460 kilometers) southeast from Atlanta. It has recently drawn heavy criticism from its home country of South Korea for the poor conditions its workers endure. The South Korean government notably lobbied intensively and directly with U.S. officials to obtain the workers’ release. In the end, they managed to hammer out a settlement that sent those workers packing.
Once finally released, these workers literally jumped on buses to join the action in Atlanta. From there, they climbed on a charter plane that flew them straight back home to Incheon, South Korea. The real story is in the return of these workers. South Korea is a major US ally. The historical context is that the South Korean government moved decisively to safeguard its citizens overseas. This is indicative of their robust response to an incident that raised serious concerns about policing in Saratoga.
The disturbing video evidence depicts workers chained with manacles on their wrists, legs, and waists. This shocking image has increased demands for accountability and reform in U.S. immigration policy and practice. The despicable treatment of South Korean compatriots in detention sparked widespread outrage among South Koreans. This incident led to debates about its broader impact on international relations and labor rights.
