Georgia ICE Raid Part of Escalating Pattern of Attacks on Immigrant Communities
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA — Immigrant rights, labor, and community based groups called for transparency, accountability and immediate support for those impacted following last week’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid where 475 workers from the Hyundai Supplier and LG Energy Solution plant in Ellabell, Georgia on September 4.
At a press conference held today at the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia in Savannah, Migrant Equity Southeast (MESE) and partner organizations denounced the raid as a militarized assault on immigrant workers that left families separated and communities traumatized.
"All workers regardless of status were intimidated, including pregnant women,” said Daniela Rodríguez, Executive Director of MESE. “Their labor makes coastal Georgia thrive. We cannot call ourselves a civilized society if the very people who build our homes, our cars, and our future are treated this way."
ICE agents, armed with military-grade weapons, sealed off the site, blocked roads, and surrounded the area with helicopters, drones, and armored vehicles. Witnesses reported that workers were loaded onto buses, had their phones confiscated, and many were pressured to sign documents without legal counsel. Accounts also describe the use of physical force, tear gas, and intimidation tactics. Advocates stressed that these were not workplace checks but military-style operations carried out against civilian workers.
Community leaders speak at a press conference in Savannah, Georgia, denouncing the September 4 ICE raid that detained 475 workers at the Hyundai Supplier and LG Energy Solution plant.
This raid doesn’t expose a problem with immigrant workers. It exposes a system where multinational corporations like Hyundai cut corners on safety, exploit vulnerable migrant labor, and then shift the blame when the consequences hit.
“We must understand that these raids did not happen in isolation. Hyundai has a documented history of labor violations. Just this spring, two workers were killed in preventable accidents at this same plant.” said Jenny Miron, Labor Rights Organizer with MESE. “Their deaths should have been a wake-up call for change — instead, workers continue to pay the price with their safety, their freedom, and now, their families.”
“Militarized enforcement actions disguised as workplace investigations raise serious legal and moral concerns,” Meredyth Yoon, Litigation Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta. “This raid is among the largest worksite actions in U.S. history, and it cannot come at the expense of individual rights. We have concerns for the impacted individuals, families, and their rights and are committed to understanding the extent to which the U.S. Government and employers have violated rights.”
The raid underscores an exploitative labor system in which companies like Hyundai profit through layers of subcontractors while distancing themselves from responsibility when workers are harmed. Community leaders rejected claims that detained workers were not Hyundai’s employees, stressing that companies must take responsibility for all workers in their supply chain.
“These raids terrorize migrant workers while letting corporations like Hyundai off the hook for repeated labor violations. Instead of arresting workers, our government should hold abusive employers accountable,” said Julia Solorzano, Legal and Policy Director at Centro de Los Derechos del Migrante.
As immediate support is being organized on the ground, state and federal legislators must investigate these militarized raids, hold corporations accountable for labor abuses, and advance protections that keep families together and workers safe. ICE’s actions have left families without stability or security. No worker should face militarized raids on the job and no family should face the threat of sudden separation.
Support for impacted families
Migrant Equity Southeast (MESE), is on the ground providing critical support to families impacted by the raids. Advocates are coordinating mutual aid, and connecting loved ones with resources to help them navigate this crisis. Partners are also working to organize legal services and host legal clinics to ensure those detained and their families have access to legal guidance and support. The number to request help is 912-429-7951.
Ways the public can help:
Report ICE activity or request help: 912-429-7951
Donate to support impacted families: https://bit.ly/MESEdonate
Volunteer for legal aid, language support, fundraising, or community care and mutual aid: https://bit.ly/MeseVolunteer
A full recording of today’s press briefing is available at: https://bit.ly/MESEPressConference
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Migrant Equity Southeast is a Latinx and immigrant-led 501(c)(3) in South Georgia serving migrant and refugee communities across the Southeast. MESE advances immigrant rights through advocacy, mutual aid, education, and outreach.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), and other marginalized communities in Georgia and the Southeast.
