A South Korean worker detained in a large-scale US immigration raid earlier this month has alleged mistreatment by American authorities, describing several days spent in degrading conditions under psychological duress at a federal detention centre in Georgia.
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The man, who declined to be identified, was among more than 300 South Korean nationals arrested during a surprise raid on September 4 at HL-GA Battery Company, a joint venture of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution, near Savannah, Georgia.
In a handwritten log shared with Yonhap News Agency, the worker alleged that US agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) failed to inform detainees of their rights, placed them in overcrowded, unsanitary cells and mocked their nationality.
“When asked about where the worker was from, the person replied South Korea, to which the agents smiled and talked among themselves, making remarks about ‘North Korea’ and ‘rocket man’, apparently referring to US President Donald Trump’s past moniker for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un,” Yonhap reported on Monday, citing the personal log.
“I was angry but kept my temper because I was worried about what could happen to my documents,” the worker wrote.
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Widespread anti-immigrant operations spark fear in Asian communities across the US
Widespread anti-immigrant operations spark fear in Asian communities across the US
The detainees had entered the United States under business (B-1) or visa waiver programmes but were accused by federal officials of performing unauthorised labour, specifically installation work at the battery plant construction site.
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