App warns of ICE raids: ICEBlock infuriates US government officials

In the US, the iOS app ICEBlock is currently number 1 in the social media charts and the third most popular free application in the App Store. The US government isn't happy about this and is threatening to take action. Meanwhile, the developer is drawing comparisons to Nazi Germany.

Which specific apps are used most frequently in a country often says a lot about the social conditions. This is also the case with ICEBlock , which is currently ranked third among free apps in the Apple App Store and even tops the social media charts. The reason for its success is the sometimes brutal and arbitrary raids by the US agency ICE against alleged illegal immigrants. ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"When I saw what was happening in this country, I wanted to do something to fight back," developer Joshua Aaron told CNN . The events reminded him of Nazi Germany. "We're literally seeing history repeat itself."

Early warning system for ICE operations

The app is designed as an early warning system. According to CNN, at the time the interview aired, it had approximately 20,000 users, most of them in Los Angeles and the surrounding area. The principle of the app is simple: If you observe ICE activity, you can place a pin on a map and optionally describe what the agents are wearing or what vehicles they are traveling in. Other smartphones with ICEBlock installed receive a push notification when they are within a five-mile radius of a sighting.

The app's description reiterates several times that absolutely no data is collected and that use is completely anonymous. "We don't want any device ID, IP address, or location," Aaron told CNN. "We don't want anything to be traceable. That's why the app is 100 percent anonymous and free for anyone who wants to use it."

Data protection speaks against Android app

Data protection is also one reason why ICEBlock is currently only available for iOS. For an Android app to offer the same features, it would have to collect information that could ultimately put users at risk, according to the developer.

Aaron has also taken precautions to prevent the app from being rendered useless by a flood of misinformation. Users can only report sightings within a radius of eight kilometers and only every five minutes. They are automatically deleted after four hours.

Because the developer is likely also aware of ICEBlock's potential for conflict, the app warns in its reports that it is for informational and notification purposes only. It should not be used to incite violence or obstruct law enforcement. Aaron also emphasized this in an interview with CNN. "I don't want users to interfere with the work of law enforcement," he said.

Government representatives are furious

Unsurprisingly, government officials are fuming. They are threatening consequences for both the developer and CNN, which reported on him and ICEBlock. Attorney General Pam Bondi told the pro-government network Fox that Aaron is sending criminals to where federal officials operate, endangering their lives. He is being watched and should be careful, because what he is doing is not protected free speech.

Trump's border patrol chief, Tom Homan, told Fox News he was "begging" the Justice Department to look into the app and CNN's coverage of it. He said it was disgusting and only a matter of time "before someone hides, waits for an ICE agent, and tries to take them down." He added that the network's complicity in predicting law enforcement operations was appalling.

"This clearly looks like obstruction of justice," wrote Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on X. "Our brave ICE officers are facing a 500% increase in attacks. Anyone who obstructs or attacks our law enforcement will be hunted down and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Joshua Aaron, on the other hand, has a bone to pick with the major US tech companies that directly or indirectly support Trump. "I would say: Develop some backbone. It can't just be about the money," he told CNN. "I understand that you have to be accountable to shareholders. I understand that you have employees who need their paychecks. But when do you say, 'Enough is enough'?"