It has come to light that over 300 Koreans detained by U.S. immigration authorities at the construction site of the Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution joint factory in Georgia are being held in facilities notorious for their poor conditions. This facility was noted in a past Department of Homeland Security (DHS) audit for seriously threatening the health and safety of detainees. Concerns are growing regarding the health of Korean detainees as the duration of detention increases.
Most of the Koreans arrested on the 4th by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are being held at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in Georgia. This facility is the place where ICE detains undocumented immigrants until final processing policies, such as deportation, are determined. It is operated by the private correctional company The GEO Group.
The Folkston facility has already been pointed out for overall deficiencies in audits by the U.S. government. According to a report released by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Homeland Security in June 2022, inspectors found numerous violations that "compromise the health, safety, and rights of detainees" after conducting an unannounced inspection of the facility in November 2021.
The issues highlighted in the report indicate that the detention facility was in such poor condition that basic human rights were not guaranteed. The audit office specifically pointed out "torn mattresses, leaks and standing water, mold growth and damage from water, outdated shower facilities, mold and debris in the ventilation system, pervasive insects, showers without hot water, non-functioning toilets, broken temperature gauges in kitchen freezers, and absence of warm meals." Photographic materials included images of a shower room and ceiling stained black with mold and a torn mattress.
The deficiencies in the medical system have also led to fatalities. In April 2024, Indian national Jaspal Singh (57) died at the facility. He complained of chest pain but died after a doctor delayed treatment. An internal review report from ICE concluded that "the medical services at the facility exceeded safety limits and directly contributed to the death." However, ICE has not imposed any fines on the operator regarding Singh's death.
Human rights organizations criticize that the ICE oversight system is virtually useless. Although the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security uncovered numerous issues with the Folkston facility in November 2021, just three months later, ICE's onsite inspection team awarded this facility a "superior" rating. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) assessed in its 2024 report that "the ICE oversight process failed to hold detention facilities meaningfully accountable."
Despite repeated criticism and pointing out deficiencies, The GEO Group has signed a new contract with ICE. In June, ICE awarded The GEO Group a contract worth $47 million (approximately 6.5 billion won). This involves expanding the Folkston facility into the largest immigration detention facility in the U.S., with nearly 3,000 detainee capacity by merging it with nearby correctional facilities.
The Asian American Advancing Justice (AAAJ), a human rights organization in Atlanta, Georgia, criticized ICE's recent crackdown in a statement, pointing out the "inhumane conditions and violations" at the Folkston detention facility. Meredith Yoon, the litigation director of the organization, said regarding the death of Jaspal Singh, "It is a completely preventable death that shows The GEO Group's systematic violation of contractual obligations."