Tow Truck Driver Returns 250 Cars to ICE Arrestees for Free

Juan Leon opened his Minnesota tow truck business just months ago, expecting routine roadside calls. Instead, he found himself at the center of hundreds of families' worst days.

After ICE's Operation Metro Storm swept through the area, Leon started getting calls about abandoned vehicles. Cars sat stranded on streets and in parking lots, their owners suddenly gone.

Leon quickly connected the dots. These weren't just abandoned cars. They were the last place someone stood before their life changed forever.

Most tow truck operators would have cleared the vehicles and collected the hefty fees. Leon took a different approach. For the past four months, Leo's Towing has been returning every single car to families at zero cost.

"Seeing there was a need for someone to help out, help clear the streets and get the people back their vehicles, we stepped up," Leon told CBS Minnesota. His small business has now returned roughly 250 vehicles to their rightful owners or family members.

The process isn't always straightforward. Sometimes families reach out directly. Other times, Leon and his team of observers work to identify the owners, then deliver the cars to a safe location near their homes.

Operating a tow truck costs hundreds of thousands in insurance alone, which explains why towing fees run so high. But Leon found another way. Private donations from across the country now fund his compassionate mission, allowing him to continue the work full time.

Why This Inspires

Leon's story shows how one person with the right skills can step into a crisis and turn chaos into comfort. He didn't wait for a government program or nonprofit to organize. He just started showing up.

These returns carry deep emotional weight. Leon describes the moments when families see their cars again as "more than sad." Yet those difficult encounters haven't slowed him down.

In a landscape of harsh headlines and heated debates, Leon focuses on something simpler: making sure families don't lose everything at once. His tow truck has become an unexpected bridge between upheaval and stability for hundreds of Minnesota families.

One small business owner decided that clearing streets could also mean clearing a path forward for people in crisis.