AsianFin -- A battery manufacturing plant in Georgia jointly owned by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution will face at least a two- to three-month startup delay following a sweeping immigration raid last week, Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz said on Thursday.

The facility, a key project in Hyundai’s U.S. electrification strategy, was the target of what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described as the largest single-site enforcement operation in its history. Federal agents detained hundreds of workers alleged to be in violation of immigration laws.

Munoz told reporters the disruption would push back the plant’s operational timeline, though he reaffirmed Hyundai’s long-term commitment to U.S. electric vehicle (EV) production. “We remain fully committed to this investment, but we have to work through the consequences of the enforcement action,” he said.

The Georgia plant is part of Hyundai’s multi-billion-dollar investment in EV and battery production in North America, aimed at qualifying for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives and strengthening supply chains. Once operational, the facility is expected to supply batteries for Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis EVs.