The immigration raid conducted on September 4th at a Hyundai manufacturing facility in southeastern Georgia shook the local community as nearly 500 workers were detained. Following the incident, Rosie Harrison, who leads the non-profit Grow Initiative, reported a flood of calls from families in distress seeking assistance.
Harrison stated, Families are experiencing a new level of crisis, as many affected by the raid were primary earners and their families now struggle to access basic needs like food and housing.
Out of the 475 detained, most of the workers were Korean, while a significant number of non-Korean immigrants remain unaccounted for. Lawyers and advocates are raising concerns about workers who were legally authorized to work in the U.S. yet still found themselves caught in the enforcement actions.
Migrant Equity Southeast, another local organization, received calls from workers from various Latin American countries panicked about the fate of their colleagues. Many were reportedly hiding to avoid arrest, some even found refuge in unusual places such as sewage ponds.
As reports emerged of federal agents seizing cell phones from employees, families outside the facility were left without information on their loved ones, prompting a desperate search for accountability.
Those detained included individuals working under protection programs such as DACA, highlighting the confusion surrounding who constitutes a 'criminal' in immigration enforcement terms, as noted by attorney Charles Kuck.
Advocates expressed outrage regarding the arbitrary nature of detentions, especially as some detained individuals were not undocumented. This has compounded the difficulties faced by families, many of whom now have limited access to transportation and resources.
As the financial strain grows with another major employer in the area also closing, the crisis posed by the raid continues to ripple through the community, raising urgent questions about the treatment of immigrant workers and their rights.
