Homeowner Accused of Exploiting Workers, Called ICE to Dodge $10K Pay

Homeowner Accused of Exploiting Workers, Called ICE to Dodge $10K Pay

By Paul V. Young – TheNATIONWEEK.com | March 31, 2026

Cambridge, Maryland – A Maryland homeowner faces severe scrutiny and potential felony charges after allegedly summoning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to detain a crew of Guatemalan workers.

The incident, widely circulated online via a live stream, occurred just as the workers were reportedly completing a three-day roofing project, leaving them unpaid for an estimated $10,000 in labor.

According to a coworker who filmed the events, six Guatemalan men were on the roof of the Cambridge home when ICE agents arrived. The homeowner reportedly provided the agents with a ladder to access and detain the workers. In the live stream, the men can be heard shouting in Spanish, “She called the damn law on us, and now we’re totally screwed! They surrounded us!”

Bryan Polanco, the coworker who broadcast the arrests, captured agents handcuffing the men. He also showed their work van left behind, doors open, containing thousands of dollars’ worth of tools. Polanco later pointed his camera at the homeowner, stating, “It is the same woman, tidying up the house, and still with hatred in her heart.”

Polanco further divulged that the homeowner had allegedly warned the workers at the project’s outset that she would contact ICE if undocumented individuals were employed. Critically, this action reportedly took place only after the work was substantially completed.

The incident highlights a troubling intersection of labor exploitation and immigration enforcement. One of the detained workers is reportedly a husband and father of two, with a wife who is five months pregnant, having sought work in the U.S. to support his family.

Maryland law explicitly criminalizes obtaining labor by threatening to report an individual’s immigration status, classifying it as a felony. The homeowner, whose name has not been released, could face legal repercussions.

The event has ignited widespread condemnation online, with many commenters expressing outrage and calls for justice. The incident underscores critical questions regarding worker protections, immigration policies, and accountability for alleged exploitation.