By John 
Hyundai chief executive Jose Muñoz says a senior White House official contacted him to apologize after the high-profile Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid at the company’s Savannah, Georgia, factory triggered political scrutiny and international criticism. The operation resulted in hundreds of Korean workers being detained, prompting questions about communication between federal agencies and the administration.
The apology followed weeks of fallout as details emerged about the raid and the treatment of those detained. Muñoz noted that the official claimed the White House had no advance knowledge of the operation. The comment surfaced shortly after reports that about 200 of the detained workers are preparing legal action against ICE over how the raid was conducted.
State leaders also attempted to distance themselves from the situation. Muñoz said Georgia’s governor reached out to him, expressing confusion about how the raid unfolded and emphasizing that the state had no authority over the federal action. The CEO suggested that misinformation may have played a role, indicating that someone may have falsely portrayed the workers as undocumented.
Uncertainty remains over how many of the South Korean workers brought in to help establish the plant were on inappropriate visas. Some were reportedly in the country on short-term or recreational visas that did not permit employment, while others held proper work authorization. More than 300 workers were detained, and many described overcrowded conditions, poor sleeping arrangements and unsafe drinking water during the week they were held. One worker alleged verbal abuse from guards.
In the immediate aftermath, President Donald Trump reportedly urged the detained workers to remain in the United States to continue training American staff, though the effort never moved forward. The group was ultimately sent back to South Korea despite the president’s criticism of the raid and his stated opposition to how it was handled.
Image Via Hyundai
Shawn Henry