MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — A Twin Cities tow truck driver says he has been recovering and returning abandoned vehicles left around the metro after ICE arrests, delivering the cars back to families at no cost.

Juan Leon, who runs Leo’s Towing, said he began noticing a repeated pattern: cars left behind across the area — parked on streets, in lots, and sometimes sitting for days — with owners suddenly gone. In many cases, Leon said, the vehicle owners had been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Leon said he and his small crew started stepping in around late December, often responding after community observers called in and reported vehicles that appeared abandoned. He said families sometimes contact the company directly, and when they can, the team works to identify the owner and connect with relatives so the vehicle can be returned to a safe location.

“If the family isn’t reaching out, we’ll find a way to get inside the vehicle and we’ll bring it back to their house and put it in a safe spot,” Leon said.

Leon estimated that since late December, the team has returned about 250 vehicles. He said the effort is supported by donations, and the crew also uses social media to help locate family members connected to vehicles they recover.

Leon said the returns can be emotional for families, and the team plans to continue the work moving forward, taking it day by day. The business is also planning a charity event Sunday at Lito’s Burritos in Minneapolis.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.