Brian Kemp talks business climate after Hyundai raid

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and state leaders broke ground Tuesday on Rivian’s long-anticipated electric vehicle plant in Walton County.

(CNN)- Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and state leaders broke ground Tuesday on Rivian’s long-anticipated electric vehicle plant in Walton County, a project first announced in 2021 but delayed by financial and regulatory setbacks. Rivian expects to begin rolling cars off its production line by 2028.

The groundbreaking event included test drives for state officials, including the governor himself. But beyond celebrating the project’s progress, Kemp also addressed for the first time the recent immigration raid at Hyundai’s plant near Savannah.

Federal agents detained nearly 500 workers during the raid, many of them South Korean contractors brought in to help build parts of the factory requiring specialized training. Kemp said the situation highlights the need for reforms to the U.S. visa system.

“I think there’s a lot of confusion about what really happened down there,” Kemp said. “This is one of those times where something good will come out of this in the end to help address the problem that a lot more companies than Hyundai are having.”

When asked if he was concerned the raid might discourage foreign companies from investing in Georgia, Kemp acknowledged the risks but stressed that conversations with both existing and prospective investors remain positive.

“I’m not going to be naïve to the fact that they didn’t pay attention to what happened last week,” Kemp said. “But we’ve had good conversations with companies that are here, and with companies that are unnamed that are looking to do business here.”

Chris Clark, president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, echoed Kemp’s call for visa reform, arguing that such workers bring critical expertise that ultimately benefits local employees.

“These are temporary workers who come here, they train up Americans, they bring unique expertise and knowledge to this state,” Clark said. “We need a visa system that allows them to do their jobs because long term, Georgia workers benefit from that.”