Six workers detained after homeowner reports them to Immigration and Customs Enforcement
A viral livestream showing six Guatemalan workers detained by U.S. immigration authorities in Cambridge, Maryland, has sparked outrage over alleged abuse by a homeowner.
The workers, hired to repair the woman’s home, were reportedly targeted after the homeowner allegedly owed them $10,000.
The footage, shared widely on social media on March 26, 2026, has reignited debates about the misuse of immigration enforcement against labourers.
Workers accuse homeowner of deliberate ICE call
Bryan Polanco, a Dominican national and member of the roofing crew, filmed the incident and described how agents arrived while the men were still on the roof.
“We were starting a job and immigration showed up. The truth is they’re hurting working people — people who do good for the country. That’s the same woman. We came to fix this lady’s house, and she’s the one who turned us in. Fixing up her house and still with hatred in her heart,” he said.
Legal experts weigh in on possible felony
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, noted that Maryland law may criminalise such actions.
Similar cases in 2019 saw homeowners face charges for threatening deportation to avoid paying workers.
Reichlin-Melnick said if the allegations are true, “it seems that this would be a felony under Maryland law,” referencing statutes that prohibit obtaining services through threats of reporting immigration status.
As of Thursday, ICE has not commented, and the homeowner has not been publicly identified or charged.
The incident continues to circulate widely online, highlighting tensions between immigration enforcement and workers’ rights.
Watch the video below…
Homeowner waits until construction job is nearly finished, then calls ICE on 6 workers she allegedly owes $10,000 to, she even helps agents detain them. pic.twitter.com/jEM9Xw2ZCL
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) March 26, 2026