A large-scale raid by US immigration authorities at a Hyundai facility in Georgia has resulted in the arrest of 475 workers, many of whom held temporary visas for tourism and business travel that do not permit employment, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official confirmed on Friday.

Federal agents executed a judicial search warrant at the sprawling manufacturing site on Thursday as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into alleged unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes, the Department of Homeland Security said.

“This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding the integrity of our economy, and protecting workers from exploitation," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.

The White House emphasized the Trump administration’s stance on strict immigration enforcement, stating that foreign workers brought in for specific projects must enter the United States legally and with proper authorizations.

“President Trump will continue delivering on his promise to make the United States the best place in the world to do business, while also enforcing federal immigration laws,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said on Friday.

The South Korean government expressed “concern and regret” over the raid, which targeted one of Georgia’s largest and most high-profile industrial developments.

South Korean foreign ministry spokesperson Lee Jaewoong said the number of detained South Koreans was “large,” though no exact figure was confirmed.

South Korean media reported that about 300 nationals were among those detained.

The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which assisted ICE in the operation, said on social media that approximately 450 people in total were apprehended.

Hyundai’s South Korean headquarters did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The facility, located west of Savannah, is part of a $7.6 billion project to manufacture electric vehicles and build an adjacent battery plant in partnership with LG Energy Solution.

The EV plant, which employs around 1,200 workers, began production last year.

Construction of the battery site has been paused to assist investigators, Hyundai and LG’s joint venture HL-GA Battery Company said.

ICE spokesman Lindsay Williams said agents focused their enforcement efforts on the construction site of the battery plant, located on the 3,000-acre property.

Lee said South Korea’s embassy in Washington and consulate in Atlanta have dispatched diplomats to the site, with plans to form an on-site response team.

“The business activities of our investors and the rights of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed in the process of US law enforcement,” Lee said in a televised statement.

The Department of Homeland Security did not confirm how many individuals were ultimately detained or arrested.

The Hyundai site has been promoted by Georgia officials as the largest economic development project in the state’s history.

The Trump administration has carried out sweeping ICE operations at various workplaces, including farms, construction sites, restaurants, and auto repair shops, as part of its immigration enforcement strategy.

The Pew Research Centre, citing preliminary US Census Bureau data, reported that the US labour force lost more than 1.2 million immigrants from January through July, including both undocumented immigrants and legal residents.

Hyundai spokesperson Bianca Johnson confirmed that operations at the EV manufacturing facility remain unaffected by the raid.