SEOUL / WASHINGTON – Three Japanese nationals were among the 475 people detained during a raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the construction site of a Hyundai Motor plant in the southern state of Georgia, it was learned Tuesday.
According to Japanese government officials, the local Japanese Consulate-General has confirmed their detention of and is handling the situation.
The detained Japanese nationals were dispatched from Japanese partner companies to the electric-vehicle battery plant currently under construction by Hyundai in collaboration with South Korea’s LG Energy Solution. Japanese government officials met with them Sunday.
Of the three, two were dispatched from Hirano Tecseed, a manufacturer of industrial machinery including battery electrode coating machines headquartered in Kawai, Nara Prefecture.
“The employees have obtained visas in accordance with the law. We are currently confirming the details,” a Hirano Tecseed official said. This is the first instance of an employee of the company being detained by U.S. immigration authorities, according to the official.
On Friday, ICE announced that it had carried out a large-scale raid at the battery plant site. The detainees, including more than 300 South Koreans, were working or staying illegally in the United States, the agency said.
With U.S. President Donald Trump intensifying crackdowns on illegal immigrants, risks have been rising for companies operating in the United States.
The South Korean government said it plans to charter aircraft to repatriate its nationals.
It is believed that Chinese nationals were also among those detained.
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