Seoul: A South Korean worker who returned home after days of detention in a U.S. immigration raid has recounted details of human rights violations, saying U.S. agents laughed at the worker in a scornful manner during interrogation, among other inhumane treatment.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the worker, who declined to be identified, shared a personal log of the ordeal after returning home along with 329 others, including 14 foreigners, who had been arrested in the raid at the site jointly run by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution on September 4.
The worker managed to record the ordeal during detention by secretly taking pen and paper provided to them to fill out documents. The worker, who arrived in the United States on a B-1 visa, recounted that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided the site at 10 a.m., searched them, and handed them a "Warrant for Arrest for Alien."
The worker stated they were not informed of their Miranda rights and could not properly examine the documents due to the intimidating atmosphere. "We handed in the papers thinking that we would be released after filling them out," the worker said, noting the agents then forced them to put their mobile phones and other belongings in a bag.
The worker managed to secretly send phone messages to his family and company, indicating difficulty in maintaining contact. After more than a nine-hour wait, the workers boarded a convoy handcuffed with zip ties, while some others were shackled around their waist, legs, and wrists.
Upon arrival at their destination, they were cramped into five 72-person detention rooms. Bunk beds with moldy mattresses, limited toilets, and no clocks or windows characterized the conditions. The worker noted the difficulty of using the crowded toilet, refraining from its use.
The room's cold temperature led workers to drape themselves with towels, sometimes microwaving them for warmth. The water provided had an unpleasant smell, and they later received basic supplies like toothpaste, toothbrushes, blankets, and deodorant.
On the third day, the workers were handed documents on their "voluntary leave," which they signed despite concerns. ICE agents interviewed the worker, who explained the visit's purpose aligned with the B-1 visa for temporary business visitors. Agents made remarks about "North Korea" and "rocket man," recalling former President Trump's moniker for Kim Jong-un, which the worker found scornful.
The worker questioned the detention's legality, citing the B-1 visa. An ICE agent admitted ignorance, attributing the decision to higher-ups, while others acknowledged potential mistakes.
The next day, South Korean consulate and foreign ministry officials visited, urging document signing to avoid prolonged detention. The worker expressed frustration over the officials' lack of understanding regarding the B-1 visa's legality, perceiving their focus solely on repatriation.
Later, the worker was assigned a two-person room, though many remained in crowded quarters. Finally, in the early hours of Thursday, the workers boarded a bus, leaving the facility and returning to South Korea on a chartered Korean Air flight the following day.