Woman allegedly used ICE on workers before roofing work was finished to avoid paying $10,000 bill | World News –

A roofing operation in Maryland sparked widespread outrage after a homeowner reported six Guatemalan-origin workers to immigration authorities while their stay here was about to expire, with footage of the arrests widely circulated online.The incident, which was broadcast live and later deleted, has come under scrutiny not only for what appears to be shown in the video, but also for the conditions under which the workers were reportedly detained.

The live stream shows ICE agents detaining the workers on the roof

The incident was captured on a live stream by co-worker Brian Polanco, identified in multiple reports as a Dominican citizen with permanent residency in the United States and part of the same roofing crew. The video, which was originally posted on Instagram and is approximately 30 minutes long, has been deleted but is still spreading across social media platforms.

The footage shows Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arriving at the property and ordering workers on the roof to come down. A woman, believed to be the owner of the house, is seen in parts of the video watching the situation.Polanco can be heard calmly asserting his right to film while cooperating with officers. “I have every right to sign up,” he told one agent. “I’m not doing anything wrong either.”

He also narrates current events during the live broadcast. “We started a business and immigration came out,” he says. “The truth is they are hurting workers, people who do good for the country.”He adds: “Instead of going after street criminals and drug addicts, they go after people who work.”

Six workers, aged between 18 and 40, were arrested and said to have traveled from Glen Burnie to work.

Polanco was not taken into custody.When the agents left with the workers, the crew truck remained at the scene, with its doors reportedly open and thousands of dollars worth of tools still inside.

Claims the call was made in the middle of the project

According to Polanco, the homeowner contacted immigration authorities after starting work.“We practically had a project to start today… When they started the work, the owner of the house called it immigration,” he told Spanish-language radio. Univision.He also claimed that the homeowner had made her position clear regarding future work. “What she told me, and what I told someone else, is that if the migrants came back to finish the project, she would always call ICE.”

Toward the end of the live stream, Polanco turned the camera toward the house and pointed to the woman outside.“This is the same woman,” he says. “We came to fix this lady’s house, and she delivered to us.

She fixes her house and hate is still in her heart.Some online reports and comments suggested the call may have been timed near the completion of work, allegedly to avoid paying a bill of about $10,000.

Families are speaking out as the clip spreads online

Polanco later described the experience in an interview with the outlet, saying it had a strong emotional impact.“Seeing it is not the same as experiencing it. I’ve seen many videos, and unfortunately today I had to experience it, and I feel like it’s something that really moves you,” he said.He added: “I am very saddened by this situation… Many Hispanics here in the United States have felt persecuted. We leave our homes and do not know whether we will return to them or not.”Family members of the detainees also spoke about their ordeal. The wife of one of the workers said: “I feel very sad and hopeless for my husband… We are here to move forward, not to do evil,” adding that she was five months pregnant and had two children at home.

Legal questions raised about the homeowner’s actions

The incident has sparked legal scrutiny. If the allegations are accurate, the homeowner’s actions could fall under Maryland law that prohibits using immigration threats to obtain work or avoid payment, said Aaron Reichlin-Melnyk, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council.He cited Maryland Criminal Code Section 3-701, which prohibits obtaining services through threats involving immigration enforcement. If proven, such actions could rise to the level of a felony.

As of Thursday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had not commented publicly on the incident. The homeowner has not been identified and no charges have been announced.

Online reaction and unanswered questions

The video has been viewed millions of times across platforms, sparking outrage and debate.Some social media users called for legal action to be taken against the homeowner. “This is pure evil,” one user wrote. Another added: “I would like them to accuse her of deliberately hiring migrant workers.” Others wondered whether she would face consequences for hiring the workers in the first place.The roofing company involved has not commented publicly.