Guatemalan Workers Detained at Maryland Renovation Site
A video from a home renovation site in Maryland has gained significant attention after several Guatemalan workers were detained.
On Monday morning, a group of men arrived in Cambridge, Maryland, to work on a family’s home. What started as a simple renovation quickly escalated into a federal investigation, according to one worker’s account.
“It feels like the homeowner called immigration,” one worker remarked.
The men, who had traveled about an hour and a half from Glen Burnie, were there to perform various tasks, including roofing.
While working on the roof, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) showed up and asked the workers to come down.
The incident, captured on video by one of the workers, Brian Polanco, revealed that the homeowner allegedly contacted authorities. “We kicked off this project today, but then, as they started, it seems like the homeowners called about us,” Polanco explained.
Six Guatemalan workers, aged between 18 and 40, were detained by ICE. Polanco was not among those detained, reportedly because he is a permanent resident.
The video has nearly reached five million views, featuring Polanco’s comments that ICE agents are “positively contributing” to the nation but “just hurting working people.” He expressed feelings of animosity from homeowners toward laborers.
“Instead of out there looking for real criminals or addressing issues with drug addicts, they come here to target those just trying to earn a living. It was the same woman… We were helping fix her house, but she still harbored such animosity,” he shared.
Polanco went on to inform Univision that the homeowners had been warned that they would report them to ICE if the workers returned to finish the project.
He also expressed confusion between legal workers and those without documentation, stating, “Many Hispanics here feel targeted. We left our homes, not knowing if we could return.”
“Experiencing this firsthand is completely different. I’ve watched many videos, but it hit differently today. It was really moving,” he recalled.
According to a Spanish translation, Polanco was also heard referring to ICE agents as “animals” during the incident. “Neighbors and bystanders tried to support us, but there was little that could be done,” he stated.
Polanco’s wife, who chose to remain anonymous, shared her feelings of sadness and hopelessness regarding her husband’s situation. “We’re just here to make a better life, not to cause harm,” she expressed.
Though no official statements have surfaced, Univision reported that family members said the detained workers lacked the necessary documentation to stay in the U.S.
