Overview
- ICE detained roughly 425 to 475 workers, mostly from South Korea, at the Ellabell, Georgia battery construction site, and many were returned on charter flights within about a week.
- Returned workers allege degrading detention conditions, including overcrowded cells, constant restraints, poor hygiene and a lack of clear rights briefings.
- South Korea’s presidential office said it is conducting a thorough review of possible human-rights violations following the detainees’ accounts.
- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau expressed regret over the episode and said the State Department would help secure proper visas to comply with U.S. law.
- President Trump posted that foreign specialists are welcome and needed for “extremely complex products,” signaling an effort to reassure investors after the enforcement action.