The U.S. House passed a bill on Thursday that would allow the deportation of noncitizens for harming police dogs or horses. It would also prevent noncitizens from reentering the United States if they harmed a police animal.
The measure, known as the Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act, or BOWOW Act, would amend immigration law to make harming police animals a deportable offense and grounds for barring entry to the United States.
The bill cleared the chamber in a 228-190 vote, according to congressional records and legislative tracking data. All voting Republicans backed the bill, along with 15 Democrats. The legislation now moves to the Senate. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.).
The bill targets noncitizens who harm, or admit to harming, animals used by law enforcement, including law enforcement animals at any level of federal, state, or local government.
Calvert introduced the bill after a June 2025 incident when Freddie, a Customs and Border Protection agriculture detector dog, was assaulted by a noncitizen from Egypt, Calvert said in a post about meeting the dog at the time.
There are about 50,000 dogs working in law enforcement across the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Justice estimates from 2024. Law enforcement dogs are trained for purposes such as detecting drugs and explosives, tracking missing persons, and assisting in apprehending suspects.
“I appreciate my House colleagues passing the Federal Working Animal Protection Act and joining me in standing up for our law enforcement animals who help keep Americans safe,” said Rep. Calvert on March 19.
“Coming to America is a privilege, not a right. Anyone who assaults a law enforcement animal, like Freddie, simply has no place in our country. Animals like Freddie work to keep us safe, so it’s only right for us to take steps to protect them,” he said.
Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) criticized the bill’s focus, saying Americans are more concerned about issues such as the war in Iran, rising gas prices, ICE reform, and unpaid federal workers during the DHS shutdown.
“What are MAGA Republicans in Congress talking about this week? They’re talking about the BOWOW Act,” he said.
The 15 Democrats who voted yes on the BOWOW Act were: Congressman Don Davis (D-N.C.), Congressman Jared Golden (D-Maine), Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), Congressman Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), Congressman Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), Congresswoman Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), Congressman Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.), Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-Pa.), and Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-Minn.).
