ICE arrest at Maryland home sparks student protests in the city

Josh Davis, The Baltimore Sun on Feb 20, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BALTIMORE – A Salisbury woman said federal immigration agents forced their way into her home and arrested her husband in front of their children last week, an incident that has sparked student protests across the Eastern Shore city.

Erika Vargas said more than a dozen U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrived at the family’s home Feb. 11 as her husband, Carlos Vargas-Velazquez, 37, prepared to leave for work at roughly 7:40 a.m.

“He got into his truck and started to back up when he noticed a bunch of cars storming into our driveway,” Vargas said. “He immediately got out of his truck and ran inside our house because he was scared.”

Vargas said an agent kicked open the front door and followed her husband upstairs. Their children — ages 7, 10 and 15 — and her mother were inside the home.

“I woke up to a loud bang and my husband screaming,” she said. “The officer kicked our bedroom door open, tackled him onto the bed and held him down.”

The family has seven children in a blended household. Vargas, a U.S. citizen, said agents did not show a warrant or paperwork and refused her husband’s request to say goodbye before taking him away in handcuffs.

“Nothing compares to the trauma my kids are dealing with,” Vargas said. “They never once offered to show me a warrant or any type of paperwork. And they wouldn’t tell me anything. They just took him out, put him in the car and left.”

No criminal history

Vargas said her husband, who is from Mexico, has no criminal history and has a pending I-130 petition — a family-based immigration application filed through their marriage that can be a step toward legal residency. She said she has not been told what charges, if any, he faces.

Since his arrest Feb. 11, she said, he has been transferred among detention facilities in Salisbury, Baltimore, Louisiana and Texas. She has not spoken with him in several days.

“I really want the officer’s body cam reviewed, because the officer did not tell the truth and he entered without a warrant. He had no right to enter our house,” Vargas said.

ICE officials acknowledged an email from The Baltimore Sun on Friday, but did not immediately respond to questions.

Protests held in Salisbury

Meanwhile, several protests were held Friday in Salisbury, including at a number of local high schools. Tracy Sahler, public information officer for Wicomico County Public Schools, acknowledged the demonstrations.

“We are aware that a number of students left James M. Bennett High School and Parkside High School this afternoon without authorization,” Sahler said. “We have informed students and families that leaving campus without permission violates the Student Code of Conduct and will result in consequences consistent with district policy and procedure. Student safety is always our top priority and we are reviewing this situation to ensure it is addressed appropriately.”

Tsegu Aurand, 17, a student from Bennett Senior High School in Salisbury, said the protests were met with a mix of cheers and boos. Demonstrators stood outside of two area high schools and later gathered in front of Salisbury University, flashing signs along the heavily trafficked Route 13.

“I’m protesting because there’s just so much hate in this world right now,” she said. “It sucks that as someone who’s on 17 has to come out here and teach adults that it doesn’t matter what you look like, doesn’t matter what you believe in – that we should all love each other and care about each other no matter what.”

“There’ a lot of love, but it’s disappointing that I see some people who are hating for no reason,” she added.

Speaking to The Sun earlier in the day, Karen McCabe, a teacher at Wicomico High School in Salisbury, said she’s seen the impact of ICE activities on her students.

“This is terrorizing the kids, and then not supporting them once they’ve been terrorized,” McCabe said. “People just need to know what’s happening. I’m really scared about suicides – I feel like that’s the next step. I’m watching these kids crash and burn, and some of them don’t even have family members.”

-----------