On Thursday, law enforcement threw the book at an EV assembly plant complex located in Ellabell, Georgia. They managed to arrest 475 people in the course of executing the raid. The $7.6 billion facility which covers 3,000 acres opened last year. It has morphed into a key economic development project in the state, drawing accolades from Republican Gov. Brian Kemp as the largest such project in Georgia’s history.
The complex is half an hour from Savannah, Georgia. Ever since it was announced back in 2022, it’s been an extremely important prospect for jobs in the community. When fully operational, the facility will employ thousands of workers to build electric vehicles, bolstering the rapidly expanding automotive industry making the nationwide switch to clean, sustainable transportation. On Thursday morning, the complex officially took center stage for a different, completely surprising reason. An estimated 400 state and federal agents, including a heavily armed, masked man in a vest bearing the acronym “HSI” for Homeland Security Investigations, police carried out a surprise raid at the location.
The operation commenced around 10:30 AM when agents arrived and executed a search warrant for the entire site, demanding an immediate cessation of all construction activities. Witnesses reported scenes of terrible chaos and confusion as workers fled an already besieged compound. Phone lines became flooded and rang unanswered during the chaotic, abrupt lockdown mandated by police officials.
“We’re Homeland Security, we have a search warrant for the whole site. We need construction to cease immediately, we need all work to end on the site right now.” – Masked man (HSI)
Employees witnessed workers just running for their lives, because people were just trying to get out of the neighborhood. Rumors began to circulate about people jumping into an adjacent sewage lagoon. At the same time, two other men were seen trying to escape by running into a river. Law enforcement ultimately recovered one deceased male from the water, who spoke with responding agents in Spanish.
Steven Schrank, an ICE agent involved in the raid, stated that the detainees were determined to be “illegally present in the United States.” He described the various means by which his Krewe of travelers had entered the country. Some originally crossed illegally, others through lawful entry but then overstayed their visas or came through visa waiver programs that barred work.
“Who have entered through a variety of different means into the United States, some illegally crossed the border, some that came in through visa waiver and were prohibited from working, some that had visas and overstayed their visas.” – Steven Schrank
After the raid, we were told that none of those arrested were on the payroll of Hyundai Motor Company. The company’s PR spin was on full display with the notion that it complies with all applicable laws and regulations in each market it operates.
“Based on our current understanding, none of those detained is directly employed by Hyundai Motor Company.” – Hyundai
South Korean workers on hand during the raid clearly were astonished and saddened at what was happening. As one worker described the panic that ensued as calls came pouring in and they didn’t have operations running.
“Multiple phone lines were ringing and the message was to shut down operations.” – South Korean worker
Another worker released a statement condemning the lack of hiring practices that led to the incident. Their recommendation was that businesses should reconsider investments in the U.S. due to the risk of complicated consequences from these operations.
“I mean, after this happened, many companies will think again about investing in the United States because setting up a new project might take so much longer than before.” – South Korean worker
The raid has sparked fears among the local business community about chilling effects for future job-creating investment and economic development. Cho Dahye, the president of Jungjaeeup’s local Farmers’ Association, said she couldn’t believe it. She focused on how that can help reframe the narrative around the development.
“It’s very shocking to me and the image of a global, well-known company.” – Cho Dahye (Ruby Gould)
Now, communities are just beginning to understand the long-term ramifications of this high-profile operation. Next, they’ll turn their attention to the response of local industries to regulatory scrutiny and enforcement of immigration law. The Ellabell complex incident indicates a dangerous trend. It highlights the perilous war between supporting economic development and punishing immigration enforcement in our current era of extremism.