Juan Leon sends a "chase" car to check out where abandoned vehicles are located and arranges discreet drop-offs. Since late December, he est
Juan Leon had only been running his Twin Cities tow truck business, Leo's Towing, for a few months when he noticed a pattern that kept repeating itself.
Cars were being left behind across the metro area – parked on streets, in parking lots, sometimes for days at a time. The owners were gone, and in many cases, they had been arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"Seeing there was a need for someone to help out, help clear the streets and get the people back their vehicles. So we stepped up and started doing it," Leon said.
By late December, Leon and his small towing crew decided to do something about it, all thanks to observers calling in and reporting these vehicles.
"Families reach out to us. 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.
They began picking up vehicles and returning them to the families of those arrested, free of charge.
"We're able to do this 24/7, so we don't have to go back to our other jobs," Leon said.
Donations began pouring in all across the country, supporting Leon's cause, but not without a cost to their personal safety.
"When they doxxed me, they put all my information out there," Leon said. "For the last three weeks, we have been getting nothing but death threats."
Leon sends a "chase" car to check out where these abandoned vehicles are located and arranges discreet drop-offs. Since late December, he estimated they have dropped off 250 cars.
The drop-offs are often emotional for the families and Leon's crew.
"All I can do is give them a hug and tell them hopefully things will get better," said Gonzalo Villegas. "Sad isn't even the word to use. It's so much stronger than that."
Despite the emotional strain, the team continues.
"We are going to figure it out day by day if we have to," Leon said.
Leo's Tow actively tries to locate family members on their Facebook page and hosts podcasts recapping their weeks returning vehicles.
Leo's Tow will be hosting a charity event on Sunday at Lito's Burritos in Minneapolis.
