Maryland woman faces backlash after allegedly calling ICE on roofers to avoid payment

Maryland, USA. A major controversy has erupted in Maryland after a video went viral showing a woman calling Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on workers who were hired to repair her roof. The woman is facing widespread criticism following the viral social media footage.

The woman is accused of calling immigration officials on Hispanic workers at a home in Cambridge instead of paying them for their services. In a video recorded by one of the workers, Brian Polanco, federal agents can be seen waiting in front of the house for the workers to descend from the roof. 

According to Polanco, they were there to work on the house, but the homeowner, driven by prejudice, called ICE agents to have them arrested.

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

• A scheme to avoid paying $10,000?

It is alleged that the homeowner took this step to avoid paying the $10,000 owed to the Guatemalan workers as they were nearing the completion of the roof repairs. While some sources suggest agents arrived shortly after work began, the video recorded by Polanco notes that the homeowner threatened to call ICE again if the immigrants returned to finish the job.

The accused woman, referred to as Karen T on social media, has claimed that neither she nor her father contacted the immigration department. Following the public disclosure of her identity and the subsequent backlash, she has expressed fear for her and her family's safety.

According to Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, if these allegations are proven, the woman could face severe legal consequences. Maryland law prohibits using immigration-related threats to exploit labor or avoid payment.