Trump-Era Immigration Crackdown is Forcing Families to Leave Their Pets Behind

The Trump administration’s renewed immigration crackdown since returning to the White House has had far-reaching consequences across the United States, including an often-overlooked impact: families forced to leave behind homes, property and even pets after loved ones are taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.

When ICE agents make arrests in coordination with local law enforcement, personal belongings are typically held temporarily by local authorities. However, property left behind — including vehicles, homes and animals — often goes unclaimed, especially in cities that do not cooperate with ICE.

Currently, 14 states prohibit asset forfeiture before criminal charges are filed. But because many immigration-related arrests are civil, not criminal cases, families risk losing access to their belongings without due process.

Earlier this month, KTLA-TV in Los Angeles captured an emotional farewell as a family said goodbye to their dog after receiving deportation orders.

“It’s a very emotional time,” Sgt. Julie Villegas of the Carson Animal Care Center told KTLA-TV. “Families are crying and having a really hard time letting go.”

The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control told Newsweek it has taken in 19 pets from families detained by ICE since June 10. Likewise, Axios reports that the abandonment of property, and particularly pets, has become a growing concern for animal shelters nationwide.

In Texas, a spokesperson for Harris County Public Health told Axios that Houston-area shelters have seen an increase in stray pet intakes this year, though it’s unclear how many are directly linked to ICE arrests.

In Florida, Janet Steele, director of Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, told the Miami New Times that at least 19 pets have been surrendered this year “as a specific result of immigration detention.”

“Unless people take the initiative to rescue these pets, they risk starving to death in those backyards or homes,” Yvette Berke, outreach manager for Cats at the Studios in California, told the Los Angeles Times earlier this month.

The Times also noted that the number of dogs accepted at L.A. County’s Palmdale shelter has more than doubled, with a 50 percent increase compared to June of last year.

In New Mexico, the issue of abandoned property and pets tied to immigration detentions has become a significant topic in Albuquerque’s mayoral race.

Incumbent Democrat Tim Keller faces a challenge from fellow Democrat and former U.S. attorney Alex Uballez, who has made the city’s response to immigration enforcement a key campaign issue.

Uballez’s platform calls for directing city resources to help families recover belongings and pets left behind when loved ones enter ICE custody.

“Pets are like the collateral damage of the current political climate,” Jennifer Naitaki, vice president of programs and strategic initiatives at the Michelson Found Animals Foundation, told the Los Angeles Times.