Fact Check: Did ICE detain a Chihuahua named Pedro in Minneapolis?

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Amid the massive anti-ICE protest in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a hilarious claim has been going viral on social media that a dog has been detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The rumor has sparked speculations about the authenticity of the claim. Let us fact-check the claim.

Claim: ICE detained a Chihuahua in Minneapolis

The rumor surfaced in a post on X that included a photo of a Chihuahua wearing a hat with the ICE logo. The post was accompanied by a caption that read, “ICE has detained a Chihuahua named Pedro in Minneapolis.”

The post published on Saturday, January 24, has garnered more than a lakh views, and many users appeared to believe it to be true.

Fact Check: The post is a satire

The claim, however, is false, as it was posted by a parody account named Hoops Crave for entertainment purposes. The page’s bio states, 'parody account not affiliated with @PopCrave.'

Also, no credible media outlets have reported on the news, and a Google search for relevant key words produce no credible results that support the claim.

If the claim were true, it would have been widely covered by news outlets.

A fact check by Grok, the AI assistant of X, also debunked the claim, writing, “This claim appears to be satirical from a parody account. No credible news sources report ICE detaining a Chihuahua named Pedro in Minneapolis."

"Recent stories mention a separate incident involving an anti-ICE message at a kennel for a CBP dog, but nothing matching this.”

ICE deportations leave pets abandoned in Minnesota

In fact, reports suggest that Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota and the recent ICE deportations have left many pets behind.

Rachel Mairose, who owns a dog and cat rescue and care facility in the Twin Cities, has discovered a sad side effect of the recent ICE surge.

"Watching these people get ripped apart from their families is really, really hard," Mairose said. "You see a lot of people that are getting detained or deported, and they have their pets that they've had their entire life."

According to her, the problem is getting worse and she is trying to help pet owners prepare.

"I'm urging people to come up with a kind of a preparedness plan, so that in the event that they are worried about being detained or deported, there is a plan in place for their beloved pet," Mairose said.