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She hired workers to fix her roof, then allegedly reported crew to ICE
The Maryland resident called ICE on a crew of Guatemalan immigrants who were fixing her roof. Six workers aged between 18 and 40 were detained.
A woman in Maryland allegedly called Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on six workers of Guatemalan origin while they were busy fixing her roof. Footage of the men getting detained by the ICE agents surfaced on social media after one of their co-workers, Bryan Polanco, livestreamed the incident. Though the video, originally posted by Polanco on his Instagram account, has been deleted, it has been reshared across several social media platforms. The event has sparked widespread outrage.
“We practically had a project to start today... when they started the work, the homeowner kind of called immigration,” Polanco told Spanish language broadcaster Univision.
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“What she did tell me, and what I told one of the other guys, is that if immigrants come back again to finish the project, she will always call ICE.”
The men who reportedly travelled from Glen Burnie to work on the woman’s house were aged between 18 and 40.
What does the video show?
The clip captures a few workers on a roof being confronted by ICE agents who demand they climb down. As the video continues, a woman - presumably the homeowner - is seen looking at the interaction between the crew and the ICE agents.
What did social media say?
The event ignited a surge of public fury and debate. Critics demanded legal action against the woman, alleging she recruited the workers while fully aware of their status.
An individual commented, “This is pure wickedness.” Another added, “I would love it if they could charge her for knowingly hiring immigrant workers.”
A third expressed, “Smh, I would’ve removed every single thing that was installed. That is pure wickedness." A fourth wrote, “Isn’t she supposed to be arrested too for hiring them? I hope she gets karma.”
Some also questioned the timing of her call to ICE. Reportedly, she repoted the crew to the agents just as the work neared completion, allegedly to avoid a $10,000 payment.
The roofing company that the workers were employed with have not addressed the incident publicly.
“We leave our homes and…”
"Seeing it is not the same as experiencing it. I've seen many videos, and sadly today I had to experience it, and I feel that it's something that really moves you," Polanco told the Spanish language outlet.
He added, “I'm very saddened by the situation... many Hispanics here in the United States have felt persecuted. We leave our homes and don't know if we'll ever return.”
Relatives of the detained crew express concern:
“I feel so sad, desperate for my husband… we're here to get ahead, not to do evil,” the wife of one of the detained workers told the outlet. She added that she was five months pregnant and also had two children at home.
