Apple removed ICEBlock after federal pressure, prompting its developer to accuse the company of suppressing lawful resistance tools.
Apple has removed “ICEBlock,” a popular app used to crowdsource reports of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, following what its developer described as “pressure from the Trump administration.” The app, which amassed over 1 million downloads, allowed users to warn others of ICE activity within a five-mile radius.
Developer Joshua Aaron told NBC News he created the tool to “help fight back” against what he saw as unjust deportation tactics.
Apple cited its policy against “objectionable content,” saying law enforcement claimed the app could be used to harm officers. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the Justice Department demanded its removal, arguing it endangered agents. Aaron denied the accusations, comparing ICEBlock to “crowd-sourcing speed traps” used in mainstream navigation apps.
Civil liberties advocates note that recording law enforcement is protected under the First Amendment. Aaron vowed to challenge the decision, accusing Apple of “capitulating to an authoritarian regime.”