Hyundai Battery Plant Startup Delayed by 2–3 Months After US Immigration Raid

A battery manufacturing plant co-owned by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution in Georgia will face a two-to-three-month startup delay following a major US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) raid, Hyundai’s CEO José Muñoz announced on Thursday.

The Georgia facility, part of a $7.6 billion electric-vehicle complex, was the site of the largest single-location enforcement action in DHS history. Officials detained approximately 475 individuals, including over 300 South Korean nationals, over alleged irregularities in visa and immigration status. Muñoz said the majority of those arrested were employed by LG’s contractors rather than directly by Hyundai, and expressed surprise upon learning that specialised workers essential for the plant’s construction were affected.

“For the construction phase of the plants, it is essential to acquire specialised personnel. There are numerous skills and equipment that are not readily available in the United Kingdom or United States,” Muñoz remarked at an automotive conference in Detroit.

While awaiting the launch of the Georgia plant, Hyundai will source batteries from alternative facilities, including a joint-venture plant in Georgia with SK On. Executive Chair Euisun Chung voiced relief that most workers would be repatriated under a Seoul-Washington agreement, but called for closer collaboration between the two governments to establish a more reliable visa programme for critical foreign labour.

Hyundai and LG Energy Solution broke ground on the Georgia battery plant in 2023. Designed to produce lithium-ion cells for Hyundai’s expanding electric vehicle portfolio, the complex was scheduled to begin operations in late 2025.

The facility’s two-phase build is expected to reach an annual capacity of 30 GWh, supporting over 300,000 EVs annually. The raid underscores growing enforcement of US immigration regulations at critical infrastructure sites and highlights the challenges global automakers face in securing skilled labour for advanced manufacturing operations.