Overview

• ICE detained roughly 475 workers at Hyundai–LG’s Ellabell, Georgia, battery site in the largest single‑location enforcement in recent memory.
• Around 300 South Koreans were flown home after about a week in custody, with detainees reporting shackling and harsh conditions as Seoul opened a human-rights probe.
• Officials in Washington and Seoul are discussing a visa working group and a potential new category, and Hyundai’s CEO urged a mutually beneficial fix for short-term technical travel.
• Hyundai has warned of a two‑to‑three month startup delay, and contractors report crews staying home or pausing site visits as companies reassess workforce plans.
• Georgia economic leaders and the U.S. Chamber network push for safe pathways for Korean specialists, a Congressional Research Service brief flags investment risks, and President Trump says foreign experts are welcome if their status is lawful.