Apple has pulled ICEBlock and similar apps from its App Store after a warning from the FBI linked one of them to a deadly shooting at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas.
The decision came after growing pressure from law enforcement and U.S. officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The FBI said the shooter, Joshua Jahn, used ICE-tracking apps before killing two detainees and injuring a third on September 24. Jahn later took his own life.
“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,” Apple said in a statement Thursday night.
ICEBlock, launched earlier this year, allowed users to anonymously report and track the locations of ICE agents in real time.
The app quickly gained popularity, peaking at over 114,000 downloads in one day following media attention. In total, it had been downloaded over 1 million times, CNBC reported.
Critics said the app put federal officers in danger. “ICEBlock is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs,” said Bondi. “Violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line that cannot be crossed.”
ICEBlock Creator Fights Back After Ban
ICE’s acting director Todd Lyons also criticized the app, saying it encouraged attacks. “Announcing an app that lets anyone track our officers is like inviting violence with a national megaphone,” he said.
The Department of Justice reportedly asked Apple to remove the app before the company acted.
The app’s creator, Joshua Aaron, defended his work. He said the app was intended to help immigrant communities feel safer and more informed.
“Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never the right move,” Aaron said. “We are determined to fight this with everything we have.”
According to the NY Post, he also denied claims that the app posed real harm. “Apple has claimed they received information from law enforcement that ICEBlock served to harm law enforcement officers. This is patently false,” he said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed last week that the Dallas gunman had used an ICE-tracking app before the shooting. The incident, along with recent violent protests at ICE facilities, raised national concern over the role of such apps in public safety.
Apple stated its goal is to keep the App Store “a safe and trusted place.” For now, ICEBlock and similar apps are no longer available for download.
Originally published on vcpost.com
