Make Me Smart The aftermath of the Hyundai plant raid
Sep 19, 2025
Join Marlon Hyde, a business and economics reporter for WABE in Atlanta, as he delves into the shocking ICE raid at a Hyundai facility that has strained U.S.-South Korea relations. They discuss local immigrant reactions and the economic fallout, including the concerns of Atlanta small business owners grappling with rising tariffs and cost challenges. Plus, the conversation takes a light turn with a game of Half Full/Half Empty, tackling everything from declining movie attendance to the future of in-flight Wi-Fi!
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Family Food Truck Roots
- Marlon described his mother's homemade reggae punch and her new food truck business in Loganville, Georgia.
- He helps support her venture and highlighted its cultural recipes rooted in Jamaican Sunday dinners.
Raid Delays Plant But Investment Continues
- The ICE raid at Hyundai's Georgia battery plant detained about 450 workers, over 300 of them South Korean nationals.
- Hyundai pledged $2.7 billion more and the plant opening was delayed by 2–3 months into 2026.
Reputational Risk May Chill Future Assignments
- South Korean firms may rethink sending nationals to the U.S. because images from the raid damaged perceptions of treatment and safety.
- Still, official investment commitments appear to be moving forward for now.