South Korea will bring home 300 workers detained in massive Hyundai plant raid in Georgia

NEW INFORMATION IS COMING IN ABOUT THE ICE RAID AT THE HYUNDAI MEGA SITE. THE FEDERAL OPERATION HAPPENED YESTERDAY AT THE HELGA BATTERY PLANT CONSTRUCTION SITE. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE. LET’S GO AHEAD AND LISTEN IN. THE ICE REMOVAL AND ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS. WE HAVE GREG ALVAREZ, THE FIELD OFFICE DIRECTOR WITH THE US, UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL. BRAD SNYDER, THE SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS, JOSEPH WALLER, THE RESIDENT IN CHARGE WITH THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS. BRIAN VILLA WITH THE ASSISTANT SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE WITH THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION. AND THEN WE HAVE BRETT HALL, UNITED STATES MARSHAL’S OFFICE WITH THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA. FIRST, I WANT TO EXTEND MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE AGENCIES THAT PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THIS EFFORT WAS LED BY HOMELAND THE HELM. ALSO WITH THE VITAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL OPERATIONS, THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE UNITED STATES MARSHAL SERVICE, THE GEORGIA STATE PATROL, AND ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS. TONYA GROOVER. RYAN BANDURA, KELSEY SCANLON, AND GREG GILLOOLY. THIS OUTCOME IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF THEIR HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT. SUCH AN UNDERTAKING CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH COMBINED EFFORTS, RESOURCES, AND DEDICATION OF THESE AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER WITH A SHARED GOAL. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE MISSION IS TO REDUCE ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT AND PREVENT EMPLOYERS FROM GAINING AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE BY HIRING UNAUTHORIZED WORKERS AND EXPLOITING THOSE WORKERS. THIS IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, AND WE ARE LIMITED AS TO WHAT WE CAN DISCUSS AT THIS POINT. I’M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO STEVE SCHRENK TO GIVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE MATTER. THANK YOU STEVE. THANK YOU GREG. GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. MY NAME IS STEVEN SCHRENK. I’M THE SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE OF HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE STATES OF GEORGIA AND ALABAMA. YESTERDAY, HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS, IN COORDINATION WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, EXECUTED A JUDICIAL SEARCH WARRANT AS PART OF AN ONGOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AND SERIOUS FEDERAL CRIMES. THIS OPERATION UNDERSCORES OUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING JOBS FOR GEORGIANS AND AMERICANS, ENSURING A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR BUSINESSES THAT COMPLY WITH THE LAW, SAFEGUARDING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR ECONOMY AND PROTECTING WORKERS FROM EXPLOITATION. THE INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF 475 INDIVIDUALS AND IS FOCUSED ON ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THOSE WHO VIOLATE THE LAW AND UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW. COMPLEX CASES LIKE THIS REQUIRE STRONG COLLABORATION AND EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS, AND WE EXTEND OUR GRATITUDE TO ICE ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL OPERATIONS. THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, FBI, DEA, CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, ATF, IRS, U.S. MARSHALS, AND THE GEORGIA STATE PATROL FOR THEIR INVALUABLE SUPPORT. EACH AGENCY CONTRIBUTED SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE THAT WAS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS LENGTHY OPERATION. TOGETHER, 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. I’D LIKE TO ADD THAT THIS WAS NOT A IMMIGRATION OPERATION WHERE AGENTS WENT INTO THE PREMISES, ROUNDED UP FOLKS AND PUT THEM ON BUSSES. THIS HAS BEEN A MULTI-MONTH CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION WHERE WE HAVE DEVELOPED EVIDENCE, CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS, GATHERED DOCUMENTS AND PRESENTED THAT EVIDENCE TO THE COURT IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A JUDICIAL SEARCH WARRANT. YESTERDAY WE EXECUTED THAT SEARCH WARRANT AND GATHERED ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT WILL SUPPORT THIS INVESTIGATION. THERE ARE NO CRIMINAL CHARGES BEING ANNOUNCED TODAY, BUT THIS IS AN ONGOING MATTER. WHILE WE WERE ON THE PREMISES. WE DID ENCOUNTER MANY HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS. OF THOSE, AS I’VE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, 475 WERE ILLEGALLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES OR IN VIOLATION OF THEIR PRESENCE IN THE UNITED STATES, WORKING UNLAWFULLY, WHO HAVE ENTERED THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT MEANS INTO THE UNITED STATES. SOME THAT ILLEGALLY CROSSED THE BORDER INTO THE UNITED STATES. SOME THAT CAME IN THROUGH VISA WAIVER AND WERE PROHIBITED FROM WORKING. SOME THAT HAD VISAS AND OVERSTAYED THEIR VISAS. AND EACH INDIVIDUAL WAS QUESTIONED ON THEIR STATUS. THEIR DOCUMENTS WERE CHECKED, THEIR BACKGROUNDS WERE CHECKED, AND ULTIMATELY, THROUGH COORDINATION OF OUR EXPERTS AND ATTORNEYS IN THE BACKGROUND, THOSE THAT WERE FOUND TO BE ILLEGALLY PRESENT WERE THEN DETAINED AND TURNED OVER TO ICE. ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL OPERATIONS. CUSTODY. BUT THIS IS ALL IN FURTHERANCE OF THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES. WE MADE SEIZURES YESTERDAY AS PART OF THAT TO GATHER ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE AND CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS AND ARE CONTINUING THIS ONGOING INVESTIGATION. WE WILL TAKE SOME LIMITED QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. OF THE 475, HOW MANY WERE KOREAN NATIONALS? THE KOREAN MEDIA ARE REPORTING AS MANY AS 300. THERE WAS A MAJORITY OF KOREAN NATIONALS FROM THE 475. I DON’T HAVE THE EXACT NATIONALITY BREAKDOWN FOR YOU, BUT WE CAN LIKELY GET THAT AFTER THE FACT. WERE THESE EMPLOYEES OF HELGA BATTERY? WERE THEY EMPLOYEES OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS THAT WERE DOING CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE SITE? WHO THEY WORK FOR? AS WE HAD DETERMINED THROUGH OUR INVESTIGATION IN ADVANCE AND CERTAINLY EXPERIENCED YESTERDAY, THERE WAS A NETWORK OF SUBCONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS FOR THE SUBCONTRACTORS THERE. SO THE EMPLOYEES WORKED FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT WERE ON THE SITE. IT WAS NOT JUST THE PARENT COMPANY, BUT ALSO SUBCONTRACTORS. AND WE’RE UNVEILING THAT, THAT WHOLE NETWORK. SOME OF THEM WERE FOR THE PARENT COMPANIES. THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE INVESTIGATION OF, WHO EXACTLY WORKED FOR WHAT COMPANIES? WHERE ARE THESE 475 PEOPLE NOW? THEY ARE IN THE CUSTODY OF ICE ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL OPERATIONS. MOST WERE BROUGHT TO THE FOLKSTON. FACILITY LAST NIGHT, AND THEY WILL BE MOVED BASED ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THAT. YES, MA’AM. WTOC HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING AND REPORTING ON THE PRESENCE OF UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS ON THE SITE FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW, AND SO THIS IS KIND OF BEEN SOMETHING THAT’S BEEN KNOWN TO SOME EXTENT IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. WHAT IS IT THAT PROMPTED HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS TO LOOK INTO THIS? YEAH, WE ARE AWARE AND WE HAVE MONITORED THAT REPORTING AS WELL. WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED MANY LEADS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FROM PRIOR WORKERS. WE HAVE CONDUCTED MANY ARRESTS THROUGH THE IMMIGRATION OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF GEORGIA THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT, WHEN ENCOUNTERED, INFORMED US THAT THEY WORKED THERE. WE HAVE INTERVIEWED FOLKS AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED EVIDENCE OVER THE COURSE OF MANY MONTHS IN SUPPORT OF THE INVESTIGATION. WHAT ARE SOME POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES THAT THE COMPANY COULD FACE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN SPEAK TO? I DON’T WANT TO SPECULATE ON ULTIMATE. THIS IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION. NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED. SO THAT MEANS THAT NO WRONGDOING IS BEING ACCUSED AT THIS TIME. YES, MA’AM. I HAD A QUESTION. WAS ANYONE INJURED DURING THE PROCESS? DID ANYONE DIE DURING THE PROCESS OF THIS RAID? THERE WERE NO THERE WERE NO SUBSTANTIAL USES OF FORCE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED OTHER THAN ONE INDIVIDUAL WAS OVERHEATING A LITTLE BIT AND WAS TREATED ON SCENE. AND ONE AGENT SUFFERED A MINOR LACERATION WHILE CONDUCTING IT, BUT NO SIGNIFICANT INJURIES. OKAY. AND THEN DURING THE PROCESS, YOU SAID THIS WAS A MULTI-MONTH PROCESS ABOUT CAN YOU KIND OF, I GUESS, GIVE A HOW MANY MONTHS DID IT TAKE, I GUESS IS MY QUESTION. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR. SO CAN WE SAY JANUARY? I DON’T HAVE THE EXACT START DATE OF THE INVESTIGATION. HOW DOES THIS OPERATION COMPARE TO OTHER OPERATIONS IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND ACROSS THE NATION? WAS THIS ONE OF THE LARGEST ONES, OR CAN YOU KIND OF GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW BIG THIS WAS? THIS, IN FACT, WAS THE LARGEST SINGLE SITE ENFORCEMENT OPERATION IN THE HISTORY OF HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS. OKAY. ANY LAST QUESTIONS? ACROSS THE COUNTRY? YES. LAST QUESTION. YEAH. DID HELGA BATTERY, DID THEY USE E-VERIFY IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES? I DON’T WANT TO ANSWER FOR THEM. ONE QUICK ONE. IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE OF LABOR TRAFFICKING AT THIS POINT? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ALWAYS PART OF OUR INVESTIGATIONS WHEN WE’RE DOING EMPLOYMENT INVESTIGATIONS. AS I’VE INDICATED, THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHARGES FILING, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR. OKAY. THANK YOU FOLKS. APPRECIATE IT. WE WE WE CAN HANDLE ANY FOLLOW ONS AFTER THE FACT. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. YOU JUST HEARD FROM HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS. THEY WERE CONFIRMING DETAILS ABOUT THEIR OPERATION AT THE HYUNDAI MEGA BATTERY PLANT. 475 ARRESTS WERE MADE AS PART OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES. WE’RE TOLD A MAJORITY OF THOSE WERE KOREAN NATIONALS. WE’RE TOLD THIS WAS THE LARGEST SINGLE ENFORCEMENT OPERATION IN THE HISTORY OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACROSS THE U.S. YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE AND GET THE LATEST UPDATES RIGHT NOW ON. WJCL.COM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. I’M BROOKE BUTLER. WE’RE GOING T