Khaberni - A shocking incident in the state of Maryland caused a widespread outrage, after a woman reported undocumented migrant workers right after they finished repairing her home’s roof; to avoid paying them $10,000.
A live broadcast documented the widely disseminated incident across social media platforms before its deletion, which showed US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detaining six Guatemalan workers while they were still on the roof, just before finishing the task.
The incident was filmed by their coworker, Brayen Polanco, a permanent resident in the United States, where the broadcast lasted about 30 minutes, before being later deleted; however, it continued to spread online causing a wide controversy," according to the Times of India."
In the video, immigration officials are seen asking the workers to come down from the roof, while a woman believed to be the homeowner was seen watching the scene.
According to Polanco's account, the homeowner contacted the authorities after the work began, and even indicated that she would report again if the workers returned to the project.
Detention of Workers
The six workers, aged between 18 and 40 years, were detained while their equipment remained on site, inside an open truck containing tools valued at thousands of dollars.
Estimates circulated that the timing of the report happened just before the work was completed, to avoid a bill that could reach about $10,000, which added to the intensity of the public outrage.
Legally speaking, the incident raised serious questions, as experts suggested that the homeowner's actions-- if proven true-- could fall under Maryland state laws that criminalize the use of immigration reporting threats to obtain services or evade wage payments, which might amount to a felony.
To date, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not issued an official comment, nor has the identity of the homeowner been revealed, and no charges have been announced.
Widespread Anger
The video garnered millions of views and sparked a wave of criticism on social media sites, where many called for holding the homeowner accountable, deeming what happened to be “blatant exploitation” and a “lack of conscience and humanity.”
On the other hand, others raised questions about the responsibility of employing undocumented workers in the first place, in a case reflecting the complexities of immigration and labor issues in the United States.
