2005 Fuel Filter

It's been some time since I've been here, but I have a fuel filter question.

So just this afternoon, I've noticed that my fuel filter started leaking gas. The other day I caught a whiff gas in the garage, but didn't see any obvious puddles underneath the car. Now, I'm capable of replacing the filter myself as I've done so in the past with other vehicles. The part that scares me is the very rusty bracket holding the fuel filter in place. I mean, it's so rusty that I'm sure that it's fused onto the filter, and wiggling the filter out would likely break the clamp. Furthermore, the clamp appears to be welded onto the frame of the car, so replacing it would not be possible. Any suggestions or insight would be helpful. Thanks!