(NewsNation) — Immigration activists spoke out Monday about the ICE raid at a Georgia Hyundai-LG plant, calling on elected leaders to hold employers accountable.
Leaders of immigration organizations said it’s the workers who are paying the price for actions taken by large corporations.
The Hyundai-LG plant required highly specialized subcontractors and technicians to move the project forward. Visas were needed, but they were not granted at the scale required,” said Sarah Park, president of the Korean-American Colation. “Everyone from the companies to government leaders understood this reality.”
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Activists referred to the situation as a “bait and switch scam” where workers were brought over on incorrect visas by their employer.
Nearly 500 workers were arrested in the raid, many of them from South Korea, and many of whom were working for subcontractors.
Activists also called out Hyundai for relying on subcontractors, noting the company has a history of workplace violations and saying the use of subcontractors was meant to evade responsibility.
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The groups are asking for accountability for Hyundai and its subcontractors, as well as due process for the individual workers.
“America has the right to enforce its laws, but our Constitution also demands due process and human dignity for every person,” Park said.
