Apple ices ICE agent tracker app under government heat
- Reference: 1759499388
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/10/03/apple_iceblock/
- Source link:
The tech giant confirmed it had removed ICEBlock and other similar software from its App Store at the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The app is designed to tell users if there are ICE agents in their area, which the Justice Department said could increase the risk of assaults on government personnel.
[1]
Last week, White House [2]press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the app after reports suggested the software had been used by Joshua Jahn, the man suspected of opening fire at an ICE center in Dallas, Texas. One detainee was killed in the incident while two others were wounded. Jahn then turned the gun on himself.
[3]
Bondi also told Fox Business: "ICEBlock is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs, and violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line that cannot be crossed."
[4]Trump backpedals as Hyundai factory ICE raid enrages South Korea
[5]Dems wave hands, stomp feet about ICE using mobile face recognition app
[6]Biden stopped ICE from buying Israeli spyware, but Trump admin allows it to proceed
[7]ICE enlists Palantir to develop all-seeing 'ImmigrationOS' eye to speed up deportations
Apple told NBC News that it "created the App Store to be a safe and trusted place to discover apps." It added: "Based on information we've received from law enforcement about the safety risks associated with ICEBlock, we have removed it and similar apps from the App Store."
The move comes a month after leaders of US tech giants met with President Donald Trump. The " [8]extraordinary gathering " followed the launch of the government's AI Action Plan, designed to fuel "unprecedented growth in infrastructure and innovation as the US leads this new frontier of scientific breakthrough."
Apple CEO Tim Cook told Trump: "I want to thank you for setting the tone such that we could make a major [$600 billion] investment in the United States and have some key manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, here. I think that says a lot about your focus and your leadership and your focus on innovation. I also want to thank you for helping American companies around the world. This is a very key, key thing, and I really enjoy working with your Administration." ®
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[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aN_zEV9dI9tTcaz8QVrJOwAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/09/25/ice-shooting-dallas-updates/86341252007/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aN_zEV9dI9tTcaz8QVrJOwAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/16/us_hyundai_immigration/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/15/cbp_has_deployed_billions_in/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/02/biden_stopped_ice_from_buying/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/21/ice_enlists_palantir_to_develop/
[8] https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/09/president-trump-tech-leaders-unite-american-ai-dominance/
[9] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
I'm sorry but I'm mighty sick of law enforcement safety being privileged over that of the public. If they don't like their jobs, quit. It was outrageous when they were demanding people who carry guns legally self-identify on a traffic stop and surrender their weapons but this is getting ridiculous.
A immigration raid in Chicago somehow ended up with the legal residents of the building roughed up and having their shit seized for the crime of living next to illegals. Good job they only do this to blue staters who don't legally own weapons so the worst thing they can use is bad language.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/ice-chicago-federal-agents-surround-south-shore-apartment-building-dhs-requests-military-deployment-illinois/17908911/
(lefty source discussing more of the impact on the actual citizens)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/10/01/massive-immigration-raid-on-chicago-apartment-building-leaves-residents-reeling-i-feel-defeated
So we have civil forfeiture visited on people who have no connection to the crime committed. Real cool.
Totally expected
The boot-licking continues. I understand that these companies are just trying to ride out the storm, but some of the pandering is really shameless.
Violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line
Unless they're guarding the Capitol building, presumably.
So many deluded Americans...
They still imagine their bullshit constitution is worth the paper it is written on. Truth: Americans have no more rights than in any other despotic regime.
"Bondi also told Fox Business: "ICEBlock is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs, and violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line that cannot be crossed." "
And yet ICE does violence against innocent citizens as a part of their "jobs". The real threat of ICEBlock is to let people know areas to avoid, where ICE is vandalizing property and violating the Civil Rights of the average citizen.
The public knowing where the police are means their lives are in danger. Got it. Nothing to see here comrade citizen. Move along. Now.
Time for the app to become a website
located offshore, somewhere that Hegseth's Military can't deep six them.
With Google apparently blocking searches for Trumps mental health, the current US Government is rapidly becoming BIG BROTHER in reality
I suspect the ICE agents wouldn't be under such scrutiny if their methods didn't imitate a certain other organisation.