Apple removes ICE tracking apps after DOJ safety concerns

Apple removed ICEBlock and several similar apps from its App Store after the Department of Justice, publicly led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, urged the company to act because officials said the tools posed safety risks to ICE officers. DOJ and Department of Homeland Security officials pointed to a string of attacks on ICE personnel — including a Dallas shooting that officials say the suspect reportedly researched apps like these — as part of their rationale. ICEBlock had allowed users to anonymously drop location pins, share photos and confirm sightings within a multi‑mile radius to warn communities of ICE activity. The app’s developer, Joshua Aaron, was warned he could face prosecution, and he and civil‑liberties advocates condemned Apple’s decision as capitulating to political pressure and argued the service provided life‑saving information for vulnerable communities. Apple said it removed the apps “based on information we’ve received from law enforcement about the safety risks associated with ICEBlock,” while critics warned the move raises free‑speech and due‑process concerns.