FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 3, 2026
Contact:
Jimena De Haro Celorio
jimenad@cdmigrante.org
Migrant Workers Reach $11.5M Settlement with Hyundai Mobis and Kia Georgia for Claims of Fraud and Unpaid Wages.
Atlanta, Georgia – A group of Mexican engineers recruited and hired to work with TN visas in Georgia’s automotive supply chain achieved an historic $11.5 million settlement in a class action lawsuit against Hyundai Mobis, Kia Georgia, staffing agency SPJ Connect, and recruiting firm Allswell for alleged fraud and unpaid wages. The settlement will cover more than 600 migrant workers with TN visas.
Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. (CDM); Radford Scott LLP; Beal, Sutherland, Berlin & Brown, LLC and Hall & Lampros LLP represented the migrant workers, who filed the lawsuit in the United States Northern District of Georgia, Newnan Division.
The plaintiffs—engineers and technical professionals from Mexico working with a TN visa—alleged that the defendants engaged in a “bait-and-switch” scheme that defrauded both the Mexican workers and the U.S. government. Plaintiffs claim that after recruiting qualified individuals for technical positions, the defendants dramatically altered their job responsibilities once they arrived in the United States. The workers allege that when they complained about their working conditions or sought alternate employment, their supervisors retaliated against them, threatening them with deportation. Defendants deny all allegations of wrongdoing.
“This class settlement restores a measure of justice to the workers who stood up against alleged fraud and wage theft in the automotive manufacturing industry. It represents a victory for all workers.” said Julia Solórzano, CDM’s Legal and Policy Director. “It should also serve as a call to action to address the structural flaws in work visa programs that enable abuse to occur in the first place”.
“I want all workers, especially TN workers, to know that it is possible to take action against employers and win justice. All workers have rights, no matter which country we are from. We are human beings and deserve to be treated with respect. I hope this case and this settlement inspires others to speak out against labor violations.” shared Isidro Arellano, named plaintiff in the class action lawsuit against Hyundai Mobis, Kia Georgia and SPJ Connect.
“The frequency of fraud by employers and recruiters in the TN and other guest worker visa programs is astonishing,” said Daniel Werner, Partner at Radford Scott, LLP. “We hope this case alerts other employers about the real risk of selling false promises to guest workers, as our clients alleged happened.”
Chris Hall, Partner at Hall & Lampros, LLC, added: “This case shows that, even under the current political climate, foreign workers have enforceable rights in the U.S. that the lawyers on this case are ready to protect.”
Brian Sutherland, Partner at Beal Sutherland Berlin & Brown, LLC, stated: “Foreign and immigrant workers must unfortunately be vigilant to abuses in the immigration system, and we’re grateful to have championed their effort to address an allegedly fraudulent recruitment scheme here.”
The TN visa was created in 1994, following the enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement, allowing Mexican and Canadian professionals to work temporarily in the United States within specified industries, including the automotive industry. The number of visas issued increased dramatically in the past decade from 9,548 in 2013 to 33,361 in 2022, when this class action was filed.
CDM has documented widespread abuse of TN workers for years. The report Coerced Under NAFTA outlines the visa’s structural flaws and the most common violations faced by migrant TN workers.
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Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc (CDM) envisions a world where migrant workers’ rights are respected, and laws and policies reflect their voices. Through education, outreach, and leadership development; intake, evaluation, and referral services; litigation support and direct representation; and policy advocacy; CDM empowers migrant workers to defend and protect their rights as they move between their home communities in Mexico and their workplaces in the United States. cdmigrante.org