The Hyundai electric car battery plant construction site in Ellabell, Georgia that was the scene of a massive immigration raid on Thursday by the Trump administration was created as part of a deal announced by Joe Biden during a trip to South Korea in 2022.
Biden promised the Hyundai plant would create “more than 8,000 new American jobs.” The ICE raid Thursday resulted in the arrest of hundreds of illegal aliens from South Korea among the 475 illegals arrested, according to Homeland Security.
Excerpt from a May 2022 AP report on Biden’s Hyundai deal announcement made in South Korea:
President Joe Biden tended to both business and security interests Sunday as he wraps up a three-day visit to South Korea, showcasing Hyundai’s pledge to invest at least $10 billion in electric vehicles and related technologies in the United States.
…Hyundai’s investment includes $5.5 billion for an electric vehicle and battery factory in Georgia.
Appearing with Biden, Hyundai CEO Euisun Chung said Sunday his company would spend another $5 billion on artificial intelligence for autonomous vehicles and other technologies.
“Electric vehicles are good for our climate goals, but they’re also good for jobs,” Biden said. “And they’re good for business.”
…Hyundai’s Georgia factory is expected to employ 8,100 workers and produce up to 300,000 vehicles annually, with plans for construction to begin early next year and production to start in 2025 near the unincorporated town of Ellabell.
White House transcript of Biden’s remarks in South Korea (excerpt):
…It’s great to be here to announce the more than $10 billion in new investment in American manufacturing. This new commitment of $5 billion for advanced automotive technology and $5.5 billion investment to open a new factory near Savannah, Georgia, is going to create more than 8,000 new American jobs.
The plan is to break ground as soon as January of 2023. And the new facility should be rolling out the latest electric vehicles and batteries to power them by 2025.
And the workers in Georgia who will build these pla- — these plants and manufacture this new electric battery technology, it means economic opportunity for an awful lot of Americans.
And I want to commend my friends and the two senators in Georgia, Rafael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, for how they’ve been fighting for Georgia to be the magnet for this clean energy investment.
And these investments are part of a trend my administration — in my administration. Manufacturing jobs are coming back to America.
Even before these new investments, my administration, since coming to office, created 545,000 new manufacturing jobs since we took office.
And thanks to Hyundai, we are being part of this transformative automobile sector and accelerating us on the road where we’re going to be handling [heading] to — the United States — an all-electric future. And that’s what we’re shooting for.
The White House released a statement by Biden on October 22, 2022 boasting about progress on the Georgia plant:
Statement by President Joe Biden on Hyundai Investments in Georgia
My economic agenda passed by Democrats in Congress to rebuild our manufacturing and infrastructure here at home continues to pay off for the American people, this time in Georgia. This plant was announced during my trip to the Republic of Korea in May, and I am excited the groundbreaking is happening months ahead of schedule. Hyundai’s commitment to invest more than $5 billion and create more than 8,000 jobs making electric vehicles and batteries will help boost the entire community around Bryan County with good jobs people can raise a family on, and ultimately help lower costs for the American people. This has been at the heart of the historic legislation we have passed over the past two years, and the last thing we should do is repeal it as Republicans in Congress want to do.
Flash forward to Friday:
“The Trump administration detained 475 illegal aliens at a Hyundai site in Georgia: “We are sending a clear and unequivocal message that those who exploit our workforce, undermine our economy, and violate federal laws will be held accountable.”
The Trump administration detained 475 illegal aliens at a Hyundai site in Georgia: “We are sending a clear and unequivocal message that those who exploit our workforce, undermine our economy, and violate federal laws will be held accountable.” pic.twitter.com/EZs6jCtPgD
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 5, 2025
Read the full article here