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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Republican congressional candidate Tori Branum said she alerted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about alleged unauthorized workers at a Hyundai-LG battery construction site in Georgia before federal agents detained or arrested more than 475 people there.
That account is Branum’s claim—not an official finding that her tip caused the operation. The September 4, 2025 raid targeted the under-construction HL-GA Battery Company facility in Ellabell, near Savannah. The site is part of Hyundai Motor Group’s Metaplant campus, but it is outside Georgia’s 12th Congressional District, the seat Branum sought.
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What Branum said she reported
According to reporting based on Branum’s statements, a union member told her that people without proper work authorization were working at the battery project. Branum said she submitted information through ICE’s website and that an ICE agent later contacted her.
She subsequently endorsed the federal operation and told an interviewer, “How do I feel about it? Good.” News reports described her as taking credit for the raid, but the careful wording is that Branum said she reported the site to ICE or claimed credit for tipping off ICE.
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The Justice Department’s announcement did not credit Branum’s report. It described the case as an ongoing investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations. No public official record establishes that her submission triggered the search warrant executed on September 4.
What happened at the Hyundai-LG site
More than 400 federal, state and local officers took part in what the Justice Department called “Operation Low Voltage.” The participating agencies included:
- Homeland Security Investigations
- ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations
- The FBI
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- The Drug Enforcement Administration
- IRS Criminal Investigation
- The Labor Department’s inspector general
- The U.S. Marshals Service
- Georgia State Patrol
Authorities said they identified more than 475 people allegedly working unlawfully at the facility. Contemporary coverage commonly referred to the group as detained or arrested, and most were reported to be South Korean nationals.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe Justice Department said the investigation concerned alleged unlawful employment of noncitizens under 8 U.S.C. § 1324. That statute covers several immigration-related offenses, including harboring or employing people in circumstances prohibited by federal law.
“Unauthorized work” did not mean every person was undocumented
A key distinction was lost in some early descriptions of the raid. It is not accurate to describe all 475 people as undocumented immigrants.
Officials said the people involved included individuals accused of crossing the border unlawfully, overstaying visas, or entering under visa-waiver or business-visitor rules that did not authorize employment. Later reporting also found that at least one detained worker held a valid visa. An immigration attorney said many of his clients appeared to have entered lawfully or may have been working legally, although questions remained about whether their particular visa classifications allowed the jobs they performed.
In other words, the central question for many workers was their authorization to perform specific work, not simply whether they had entered the United States legally. A person can have a valid visa and still lack permission to take a particular job.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The plant was not in Branum’s congressional district
The battery facility is in Ellabell, in Bryan County, outside Savannah. It is part of Hyundai’s large Georgia Metaplant campus and was being developed by HL-GA Battery Company, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution.
Branum was a Republican candidate for Georgia’s 12th Congressional District. She filed her federal statement of candidacy on May 13, 2025, but the plant site was not located in that district.
That geographic detail matters when interpreting the political context. Branum could publicize her position statewide or nationally, but she was not the congressional representative for the community where the operation occurred.
What the raid did to Hyundai’s project
The operation interrupted work at the battery project. Hyundai CEO José Muñoz said the plant’s startup would be delayed by at least two to three months.
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However, the raid did not cancel Hyundai’s Georgia investment. Hyundai later confirmed that it would proceed with a previously announced $2.7 billion expansion, and 2026 reporting described the battery facility as moving toward opening.
That makes claims that the operation permanently destroyed the plant, canceled Hyundai’s investment, or eliminated tens of thousands of jobs misleading. The immediate effect was a serious disruption and delay, not the permanent collapse of the Georgia project.
Branum’s election outcome
Branum is no longer the Republican nominee for the 12th District. In the May 19, 2026 Republican primary, incumbent Rick W. Allen received 59,576 votes, while Branum received 11,884, according to Georgia Secretary of State results.
Her public statements about the Hyundai raid therefore came from a candidate who was campaigning for Congress, rather than from an elected member of Congress with formal oversight authority over the federal investigation.
What can be stated confidently
| Claim | What the public record supports |
|---|---|
| Branum contacted ICE | Branum said she submitted information through ICE’s website after hearing concerns from a union member. |
| She caused the raid | Not established. The Justice Department did not say her report led to the search warrant. |
| 475 undocumented immigrants were arrested | Too broad. Authorities reported more than 475 people detained or arrested over alleged unlawful employment, with varying immigration and visa circumstances. |
| Hyundai abandoned Georgia | False based on subsequent project updates. Hyundai continued its expansion and the battery plant moved toward opening. |
| The facility was in Branum’s district | False. The site was in Bryan County, outside Georgia’s 12th District. |
FAQ
Did Tori Branum cause the ICE raid at the Hyundai plant?
There is no public official confirmation that Branum caused the raid. She said she reported concerns about workers to ICE and later claimed credit, but the Justice Department described the operation as an HSI-led investigation without crediting her.
Were all 475 people undocumented immigrants?
No. Authorities alleged that people had different immigration and work-authorization situations, including unlawful entry, visa overstays, and visas that did not authorize employment. Later reports also identified detainees with valid visas.
Where was the Hyundai-LG battery site located?
The HL-GA Battery Company site was in Ellabell, Bryan County, Georgia, near Savannah. It was outside the 12th Congressional District that Branum sought to represent.
Did Hyundai cancel its Georgia battery plant after the raid?
No. The raid delayed the project, with Hyundai’s CEO estimating a delay of at least two to three months, but Hyundai continued its $2.7 billion expansion and later updates indicated that the plant was progressing toward opening.
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The Bottom Line
Tori Branum said she tipped off ICE before the September 4, 2025 operation at Hyundai’s HL-GA Battery Company site, and she publicly approved of the raid. But there is no official confirmation that her tip caused it. The operation involved more than 475 people accused of immigration or work-authorization violations—not necessarily undocumented immigrants—and it delayed, rather than canceled, Hyundai’s Georgia battery project.
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