Korean Workers At Spring Hill TN Plant Leave; Co-Located GM EV Plant Lays Off Half Of 1,400 In Workforce

[hatrack]

Federal agents last week carried out the largest single-site immigration raid in Homeland Security’s history at LG Energy Solution’s joint battery facility with Hyundai Motor in Georgia, detaining 475 workers — more than 300 of them South Korean nationals. In the aftermath of the Sept. 4 raid, Korean employees at the company’s Spring Hill, Tenn. operation left the U.S., citing growing concerns over visa status and legal uncertainty, according to a Reuters report.

The report comes after a July announcement that LG Energy Solutions and GM announced the latest stepping-stone of its $2.3 billion joint venture to produce low-cost battery cells known as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) at its Spring Hill production site.

Many of the Georgia detainees held Electronic System for Travel Authorization visa waivers or B-1 temporary business traveler visas, according to Reuters. Those documents do not allow non-citizens to work in the U.S. in construction or equipment installation.

That operation has impacted auto manufacturing operations in Tennessee. Located on the General Motors’ Spring Hill production site, Ultium Cells — a joint venture between the country’s largest automaker and LG Energy Solutions — has felt the ripple effect.

EDIT

https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/cars/2025/09/12/south-korean-factory-workers-flee-spring-hill-tennessee-hyundai-raid/86096234007/

[newdeal2]

1. Republican states are going to find out too

The orange man’s policies and isolationism is going to cost us jobs.

[Duncanpup]

2. MAGA winning

[Vogon_Glory]

3. Groove on that MAGA/Trump prosperity

So much winning!

[Renew Deal]

4. I wonder if the action at Hyundai was more about battling EV's than immigration.

Maybe just a side benefit to them.

[MichMan]

8. People aren't interested enough in buying them

Last week, the General Motors Spring Hill plant announced the company would be furloughing roughly half of its 1,400 shift workers as it rolls back production of its electric vehicles.

Auto manufacturers don't slow down production of popular vehicles.

[Strelnikov_]

10. Hearing that Orange Julius asked the workers to stay

somewhat deflated my thinking along those lines.

In the end, probably ICE overreacting to a tip. Maybe some ICE supervisor intentionally pulling a ‘rigid adherence to plan’ to send a message to upper management.

Definitely a LAMF moment, or did the Leopard eat their own face on this one?

[Srkdqltr]

5. So are they now hiring American workers in place.

[Ilsa]

7. I think the Korean workers were here to

train permanent workers. I suspect operations have shut down for the foreseeable future. Let's call them and find out!
Check this out:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220640158
ICE Raids Will Delay Construction At Georgia Battery Plant By 2-3 Months At Minimum, Perhaps Until Mid-2026

[Srkdqltr]

9. Of course. But the nasty invading foreigners are gone.

[Arazi]

11. These were specialists for particular machines

The Koreans were here to train Americans on the technology. We don’t have those workers in the US (yet. Or for the foreseeable future)

[Srkdqltr]

12. Well now there all gone. Most likely the plant that was supposed to boost the economy is gone too.

Win, 🏆 ✌️ 💪 🏆

[Crunchy Frog]

6. FAFO.

[TheBlackAdder]

13. I heard a report that HB-1 VISAs were not issued because Trump fired many workers causing a backlog in processing.

That's the reason why B-1 VISAs were used instead, so that construction could continue.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. According to this govt website, a B1 visa does allow equipment installation, but not construction as well

Engineer(s) install, service or repair commercial or industrial equipment
or machinery sold by a non-U.S. company to a U.S. buyer, when
specifically required by the purchase contract. Installation cannot
include construction work, except for supervision or training of U.S.
workers to perform construction.

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/BusinessVisa%20Purpose%20Listings%20March%202014%20flier.pdf

Which I think shows how complicated this area is, and shouldn't be policed by chaining employees and taking them off to jail.