Employment eligibility verification documents seized from Hyundai megasite’s general contractor in ICE raid

Editor’s note: The video above is from previous coverage of this story.

BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Employment eligibility verification documents were seized from Hyundai’s general contractor during last Thursday’s ICE raid.

A returned search warrant, filed in federal court, shows Homeland Security seized property from six different companies on the megasite during the operation, which the agency has called the largest single-site enforcement in its history.

Joong Won Company, Wellins Company, K-Ensol Company, Beyond Iron Construction, and Steel Brothers Development had a variety of documents, computers, and storage drives seized.

Two computers were taken from Hyundai Engineering America, which has been the general contractor for construction on the entire megasite. Six bags of documents, including I-9 employment eligibility verification forms, were also seized.

WTOC Investigates has previously covered the presence of undocumented workers on the megasite, the exploitation of those workers, and local contractors that have felt left behind in favor of illegal labor.

Homeland Security says they have been investigating the megasite for months for illegal employment practices. While no charges have been filed, the agency says labor trafficking charges are not off the table.

Read: Illegal labor, exploitation of workers at center of Hyundai megasite raid

In the raid, 475 people were also detained. Homeland Security says all those people were either undocumented or working on improper documentation. The majority of those detained were South Korean nationals.

The returned search warrant also contains the names of the 475 people that were detained, but that part of the warrant is sealed from the public.

The 300 South Korean nationals that were detained are scheduled to return home on Thursday. They have been bussed to the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and their flight is scheduled to leave at noon.