☕ The fallout from ICE in Georgia

Good morning.

President Trump is set to decide in the coming days whether he will send troops to Chicago, following the launch of a new federal immigration enforcement operation in Boston over the weekend. In today’s newsletter, we break down the raid at a Georgia manufacturing facility, where almost 500 people were detained.

I’ve got 30 seconds

Some headlines from this morning:

• Two gunmen have killed six people and wounded 11 others at a Jerusalem bus stop before being shot dead by Israeli security forces. While Hamas has not formally claimed responsibility for the attack, the group praised it. Earlier this week, Israel bombed three high-rise residential buildings in Gaza City, killing at least 14 people, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. Israel said it targeted the buildings because they contained Hamas infrastructure, which Hamas has denied. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, calling on Hamas to accept the terms for a hostage deal approved by Israel, stating it was his "last warning" to Hamas. Hamas said it was discussing ideas with mediators about ending the war and releasing hostages taken on October 7, 2023.

• Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on Sunday, less than a year after taking power. The decision follows major election losses for his Liberal Democratic Party in both houses of parliament and concludes negotiations over a U.S.-Japan trade deal. "With Japan having signed the trade agreement and the president having signed the executive order, we have passed a key hurdle," Ishiba said. Japanese markets fell on Monday as investors expressed concerns about political instability, while former defense minister Sanae Takaichi and environment minister Shinjiro Koizumi are considered frontrunners to replace him.

• An Australian judge has handed Erin Patterson three life sentences after she was found guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder after she served her estranged husband’s relatives a beef Wellington lunch that included death cap mushrooms. Prosecutors alleged she put them in the meal intentionally, while the defence argued it was a mistake. Patterson was also sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempted murder. Her sentences will be served concurrently. The prosecution had argued Patterson should be jailed for life without parole, however it agreed with the defense that her prison conditions are “harsher than usual”.

• Spain's Carlos Alcaraz defeated Italy's Jannik Sinner 6-3, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 to win the U.S. Open on Sunday, reclaiming the world's number one tennis ranking. The 21-year-old Spaniard earned his fifth Grand Slam title and $3.6 million in prize money after the three-hour, 20-minute final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory caps a remarkable comeback for Alcaraz, who had lost three of his previous four matches against Sinner this year. Alcaraz becomes the youngest man to hold the top ranking since Rafael Nadal in 2005.

I’ve got 1 minute

Russia has launched its largest-ever air assault on Ukraine overnight, deploying a record number of drones and missiles. Ukrainian officials said Russia fired more than 800 drones and 13 missiles, predominantly targeting residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.

The attacks

Overnight, Russia launched a series of attacks across Ukraine’s north, south, and east. In the capital of Kyiv, strikes on residential buildings killed at least two people and injured dozens more.

Further south-east, more than 20 homes and a kindergarten were destroyed. Two additional deaths have been reported in the country’s north.

In a video posted to social media, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko delivered a statement from inside the damaged Government building.

She urged other countries to impose further sanctions on Russia, saying its attack shows it “does not want peace.”

“I urge the world to turn outrage over Russian crimes into concrete support for Ukraine. Not for the walls of this building, but to protect our people and communities across the country,” Svyrydenko said.

Sanctions

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed the calls for sanctions, accusing Russia of committing “a deliberate crime, and a prolongation of the war.”

“The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop the killings — all that is needed is political will,” Zelenskyy said. Russia has not publicly responded.

Failed talks

Recent attempts by the U.S. to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine have not been successful.

Following the attack, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the U.S. is prepared to impose more sanctions on Russia, possibly coordinated with the European Union.

EU President Ursula von der Leyen accused Russia of “mocking diplomacy, trampling international law, and killing indiscriminately.”

I’ve got 2 minutes

South Korea is sending a chartered plane to retrieve more than 300 of its citizens detained in a federal immigration raid on a major electric vehicle plant in Georgia. The raid targeted the largest economic development project in Georgia's history and has sparked diplomatic tensions as President Trump pushes for increased foreign investment. Here's what you need to know.

What happened?

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided the Hyundai-LG Energy Solution manufacturing facility on Thursday, detaining nearly 500 people. The $7.6 billion plant represents a joint venture between South Korean companies Hyundai and LG Energy Solution and began operations last year. ICE officials said the raid followed a months-long investigation into allegations of illegal hiring practices.

Visa dispute

The legal status of the detained Korean workers remains unclear. Hyundai and LG officials said most of their 300 detained employees were in the U.S. on business trip visas or visa waiver programs, with 250 hired through a subcontractor. However, ICE officials claimed some workers had illegally crossed the border, while others were working with expired visas. "My client is a permanent resident," one defense attorney said, disputing the government's claims.

Diplomatic fallout

South Korean officials expressed "regret" over the raids, while Korean media warned of broader consequences. "This could have a chilling effect on the activities of our businesses in the United States," the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper reported. The incident comes just one week after U.S. and South Korean officials met to finalize details of a trade deal announced in July.

What’s next

The detained Korean workers are expected to board the chartered flight on Wednesday after ICE processing. "Foreign Companies investing in the United States should please respect our Nation's Immigration Laws," Trump posted on Sunday, expressing support for the operation. Border Czar Tom Homan said ICE would be "ramping up raids on workplaces" nationwide as part of the administration's expanded immigration enforcement.

TDU asks