Community Response to Immigration Raids: A Crisis for Families Left Behind

Wed Oct 22 2025 11:30:58 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In the wake of a major immigration raid in Georgia, community organizations are struggling to assist families left in turmoil as many of their breadwinners are detained.

Following a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai manufacturing site in Georgia, nearly 500 workers were detained, causing panic among families. Nonprofit organizations like Grow Initiative and Migrant Equity Southeast are inundated with requests for help from those impacted. Many detainees reportedly had legal work authorization, which raises questions about the government's enforcement practices. Families are desperate for assistance as the financial impacts of the raid and concurrent layoffs loom large.

This past September, a significant immigration raid at a Hyundai manufacturing facility in Georgia resulted in nearly 500 workers being taken into custody, triggering widespread alarm within the local immigrant community. Rosie Harrison of the nonprofit Grow Initiative reported that her organization received countless calls from concerned families seeking immediate assistance.

Families are experiencing a new level of crisis, Harrison explained, highlighting the increased distress among those impacted by the raids. The majority of those detained were Korean, many of whom have since returned to South Korea, while others from various Latin American countries find themselves in legal uncertainty.

Migrant Equity Southeast, another local organization, reported receiving numerous calls from distressed family members of detained workers spanning an array of countries, including Mexico and Guatemala. As the chaos unfolded, reports emerged of federal agents rounding up workers while others tried to evade capture by hiding in remote parts of the facility.

As families search for their loved ones, advocates like attorney Charles Kuck emphasize that certain detainees had legal work authorizations, complicating claims made by enforcement agencies about their operations. Clients of his, some part of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), were among those caught in the crackdown.

Furthermore, many families reported that the detained were their primary earners, leaving others without access to vital resources such as food and transportation. The compounded effects of the raid coincide with additional job losses in the area, posing a critical threat to the community's stability.

As the fallout from this immigration enforcement action continues, nonprofit organizations like Grow Initiative are stepping up to alleviate some of the immediate hardships faced by families, but challenges remain significant given the scale of the situation.