While American citizens struggle to find jobs, as evidenced by today's report from the Bureau of Labor statistics, some international corporations with operations in the U.S. continue to employ illegal alien labor.

That's not the case any longer in Bryan County, Georgia, where South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai is building a huge factory that will manufacture batteries for electric cars. 

The Atlanta branch of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (AFT) announced on X.com today that it participated in a multi-agency "immigration enforcement operation" at the Hyundai facility that led to the arrest of hundreds of illegal alien workers.

"Today, @ATFAtlanta joined HSI, FBI, DEA, ICE, GSP and other agencies in a major immigration enforcement operation," the Atlanta AFT said. The raid led "to the apprehension of ~450 unlawful aliens, emphasizing our commitment to community safety."

The local Bryan County News reported that "Unmarked government buses [were] seen entering the facility at around 10:30 a.m. alongside state troopers" on Thursday, September 4.

The raided facility is a joint venture between LG Energy Solution and Hyundai Motor Group. The plant is the result of a total investment of $4.3 billion, according to a 2023 press release from LG Energy Solution. The plant was expected to begin battery production at the end of this year, producing enough batteries to power 300,000 electric cars.

According to the press release, batteries made at the new facility would be supplied to Hyundai's "U.S. manufacturing facilities for production of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis EV models."

In response to the raid, a DHS spokesperson issued a statement to local news channel WJCL 22 News. 

“Today, ICE 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 other serious federal crimes," the DHS statement said. "This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding the integrity of our economy, and protecting workers from exploitation."

According to reports, the company said that it is cooperating with the authorities and that construction at the site has been paused.