Overview

• Hyundai confirmed a $2.7 billion expansion at the Ellabell complex, with plans for roughly 3,000 additional permanent jobs and an eventual lift in annual vehicle capacity to 500,000.
• U.S. immigration agents detained about 475 people at the site on September 4, mostly South Korean nationals, with many later released and repatriated after widely publicized shackling images drew criticism in Seoul.
• Hyundai CEO José Muñoz said the enforcement action will push start-up back by roughly two to three months but emphasized the project remains on course.
• Local economic officials said those detained were temporary construction personnel, not the newly announced long-term hires tied to the expansion.
• Industry experts warned the raid could chill foreign investment and strain suppliers operating on thin margins, as company and civic leaders press for short-term visa fixes to bring needed specialists back.