ELLABELL, Georgia. — More than 300 South Korean workers captured in a sweeping U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai-LG battery factory in Georgia have finally been returned home on a chartered flight on Friday, now sparking outrage in Seoul over the treatment they received.

This raid occurred on September 4, and around 500 workers were swept up, including 316 South Koreans. U.S. officials claimed that many were working on improper visas, but footage of the workers being deprived of any sort of freedom caused a rise of anger and renewed calls for visa reform. Witnesses described long hours in crowded holding areas where access to food, sleep, and communication with family was limited.

Courtesy of NBC NEWS

After negotiations, South Korea chartered a Korean flight to bring home the workers. At Incheon Airport, their families and officials greeted them, as tears fell from their eyes. Some described the detention as being awfully harsh and uncomfortable. “I’m back! I’m free!” a worker shouted, summing up the relief many felt as they finally arrived back home. Others held signs demanding accountability from both governments, pointing to the rapid expansion of Korean investment in U.S. factories and the vulnerability of employees caught in the middle of labor and immigration disputes.

The return ends their immediate ordeal but raises a lot of questions about U.S. labor policy, South Korean investment, and how both nations will manage and provide better for their workers in the future. Officials in Seoul have already called for a joint review of visa regulations, warning that unresolved tensions could complicate future industrial projects between the allies.