House Passes Rep. Calvert’s Federal Working Animal Protection Act

March 19, 2026 Press Release Today, the House of Representatives passed (228 to 190) H.R. 4638, the Federal Working Animal Protection Act. Congressman Ken Calvert introduced the bill to protect animals used by federal law enforcement agencies. The bill was introduced after Freddie, a Customs and Border Patrol agriculture detector dog, was assaulted last June by a non-citizen from Egypt. The Federal Working Animal Protection Act would make the assault of an animal used by federal law enforcement a deportable offense under Section 237(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It would also make applicants with such offenses on their record inadmissible to the U.S. under Section 212(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. “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. “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.” ### Issues : Homeland Security and Illegal Immigration