Apple has removed ICEBlock and other apps from its App Store that allow users to anonymously report sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, following pressure from the Trump administration.
The app, which went viral earlier this year, allowed users to lawfully share information about where they’ve seen ICE agents within a 5-mile radius of their location, and also share details of the clothing agents are wearing.
According to various media reports, Apple said it removed the apps after it was contacted by “law enforcement” about “safety risks” associated with ICEBlock and similar apps.
“We reached out to Apple today demanding they remove the ICEBlock app from their App Store — and Apple did so,” said U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi in an emailed statement. The Justice Department did not respond to questions regarding details of the apps ordered to be taken down, and how many were on its list.
It’s worth noting that ICEBlock does not collect or store any user data, which TechCrunch has confirmed by analyzing the app’s network traffic as part of a test.
