Apple Removed ICEBlock From App Store Under DOJ Pressure

“This is protected speech,” said the app’s creator. “We are determined to fight this with everything we have."

Under pressure from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Apple removed crowdsourcing apps used to alert users about federal immigration activity in their area from the company's app store on Thursday. The developer of ICEBlock—one of the apps removed—is determined to fight for the app, which he says is protected speech under the First Amendment. 

At the direction of United States Attorney General Pam Bondi, the DOJ asked Apple to remove ICEBlock, which the Trump administration claims puts Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in danger by allowing users to anonymously report officers' presence. "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," Bondi told Fox News in a statement. 

Joshua Aaron, ICEblock's software developer, told CNN that he launched the platform to fight back against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and help users avoid interactions with ICE. But controversy was stoked in early July after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her agency was "working with the Department of Justice" to potentially prosecute CNN for reporting on the app and "actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement." 

Controversy flared again after FBI Director Kash Patel released details in September that Joshua Jahn, who is suspected of opening fire at an ICE facility in Dallas last month, used apps that "tracked the presence of ICE agents." Although Patel didn't name ICEBlock, the well-known app was painted as a danger to federal agents. 

But Aaron has steadfastly defended the app as protected speech, akin to flagging police speed traps. "ICEBlock is no different from crowd sourcing speed traps, which every notable mapping application, including Apple's own Maps app, implements as part of its core services," he told 404 Media following the app's removal. "This is protected speech…we are determined to fight this with everything we have." It is unclear at this time how Aaron plans to challenge Apple's ruling. 

In the email Aaron received announcing the app's removal, reviewed by 404, Apple said that upon re-evaluation, the ICEBlock violated guidelines "because its purpose is to provide location information about law enforcement officers that can be used to harm such officers individually or as a group"—based on "information provided to Apple by law enforcement." 

The First Amendment protects ICEBlock in the same way it protects apps like Google Maps and Waze, and prohibits the federal government from infringing on the app's development and use. However, Apple is a private company and not limited in the same way. Needless to say, the DOJ's indirect interference on ICEBlock—and its 1.1 million users—through private companies like Apple is deeply troubling. 

"I am incredibly disappointed by Apple's actions today," Aaron told 404. "Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never the right move."

Comments

[Chumby]

If it was used to facilitate or direct violence against ICE agents, I can see that. If just to report activities, then not so much.

Besides, folks could fake report just to fuck up the pro illegal alien rapefugees intel.

Forgot to drop this story:

Armed border patrol agents in SUV with Mexican flag patrol Downtown Chicago, sparking outrage.

U.S. Border Patrol agents, armed with rifles and wearing bulletproof vests, are patrolling downtown Chicago in an Explorer bearing a Mexican flag decal on its hood and back window.

Mayor Brandon Johnson slammed the “masked agents with weapons” as a provocative intimidation tactic, while Gov. J.B. Pritzker called it an unlawful “militarization” harming communities and businesses.

- Live Leak

Maybe it was just too loco.

[mad.casual]

If just to report activities, then not so much.

At the same time, I'm not going to jump out of my chair to defend someone saying, "Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never the right move." about Trump and ICE enforcement without knowing how many boosters he's gotten and Che Guevara t-shirts he owns.

Especially for an app that is/was popular and featured on CNN during the immigration riots in LA. Feels very "Totally independent and not at all biased journalists declare that Antifa is just an idea."

Pretty content to say, yeah, it's free speech but so is the DOJ going to Apple and saying, "Here's the evidence that your telecom ecosystem is supporting lawlessness, violence, and destruction via this app." and letting Apple, who's been pretty hostile to the FBI/DOJ in the past and isn't exactly aligned with the administration at all make the call on their systems.

[con_fuse9]

And I use Waze to avoid police interactions....
Literally the same thing.

[Neutral not Neutered]

I'd say this app is quite a bit different than a speed trap app...

[Rise of the Impedance]

I wouldn't

[SCOTUS gave JeffSarc a big sad]

Well that’s just super.

[Restoring the Dream]

Speed trap app allows people to obey the law where it is being very actively enforced, thereby not being cited. Not killing officers at a speed trap, the equivalent of what the ICE trackers are for.

[Rossami]

Wow, that's wrong on both counts. Yes, it allows law-abiding drivers to avoid a speed trap or alcohol checkpoint. It also allows non-law-abiding drivers to continue breaking the law and not get caught. And it could, in theory, be used to know where cops are to target them.

The claim that the ICE trackers are for "killing officers" is entirely unsubstantiated hyperbole being used as a pretext by law enforcement spokespeople who don't like their questionable tactics being thwarted.

[n00bdragon]

But but but but 1000000000000% more officers have bruised their knuckles on victims!

[Fu Manchu]

ICE trackers are useful for *citizens* to avoid checkpoints where they need to show their papers, or get tear gassed for just walking down the sidewalk, or have guns shoved in their face because they look brown.

[con_fuse9]

Yeah.... I use the speed trap app to avoid breaking the law...
You think Trump is an honorable, husband and god fearing Christian? That's cute.

[Rossami]

In what legally relevant way is it different?

[MasterThief]

What is a criminal conspiracy? What is aiding and abetting? What is obstruction?
They can take down the app or have users charged for these crimes.

[Rossami]

In fact, they cannot under the same legal logic that prevents users of google maps, waymo or any of the other traffic apps from being prosecuted for avoiding traffic stops.

[con_fuse9]

Criminal conspiracy is when more than one person agrees to commit a crime and one of the persons does an overt act in furtherance of the crime.
What is the underlying crime that I might or might not be agreeing to?
I'm letting my fellow American citizens avoid ICE.

[Daddyhill]

Does anyone seriously believe that no one has already figured out other ways to track ICE? Apple has caved wrt it's store, and it's possible that Google/Android will too. But so what? I'm sure the Chinese will be only too happy to create software that does this, and USers will quickly learn how to photograph ICE with phones and then send the info out to people's phones and laptops as texts and email. In any case, ICE should worry about what it's doing and how; if it's all up and up and by the book, these guys wouldn't feel it necessary to wear masks, stage public ambushes, and shut down dissenters.

[Incunabulum]

1. It can be up and up while criminals will still choose to target them.

2. How do you think people are arrested? You come up to them in public and arrest them.

[SCOTUS gave JeffSarc a big sad]

ICE is doing just fine. Anyone publicly targeting them should be prosecuted accordingly.

[Incunabulum]

Ah, its just a private company, exercising its rights of association, right?

[SCOTUS gave JeffSarc a big sad]

I’m sure the Democrats would be just fine if I published an app that allowed crowdsourcing the I’d entities and residences of antifa terrorists. And another app that helps coordinate activities in Portland for surly rednecks just looking to kick the shit out of antifa terrorists.

Democrats always love this kind of shit, until it’s turned against them.

[Fu Manchu]

Well, Democrats don't support free speech either so we shoudn't turn to them for virtue.

[Idaho-Bob]

I'm old enough to remember when entire social media platforms were removed. It wasn't free speech back then, it was private businesses.

[Michael Ejercito]

When was that?

[sarcasmic]

Pretty sure Democrats did something similar first, and that makes it ok.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

Like in this case, just some gentle jawboning.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Poor stupid sarcbot.

[Rick James]

“This is protected speech,” said the app’s creator. “We are determined to fight this with everything we have."

Sure, meanwhile, go sit in the corner with Parler, GAB, Giggle and a couple hundred thousand youtubers and discuss your situation.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

They should all get together and build there own app store, internet infrastructure, and banking system, amiright?

[Uomo Del Ghiaccio]

Any app that has a specific purpose to interfere a legal action or to assist in breaking a law should be removed. If they disagree with ICE arresting people who are in the country illegally, they should work to change the law, but not by breaking the law by interfering with any lawful actions.

I'm not against protesting and I'm not against changing laws, but the aim of the apps are to aid and abet. Apple is correct in removing the apps from the Apple App Store. This is not a free speech issue.

[windycityattorney]

You are on the wrong site for this bullshit reasoning. The app doesn't have a criminal purpose. It's purpose is benign. It lets people alert other people where ICE are operating. Users adding updates are not breaking the law. The ICE agents are tax payer funded operating in public and have no right to absolute secrecy of their location. Just like if a news helicopter was showing live film of ICE operating in a neighborhood and reporting on the location and number of agents etc...

[Gaear Grimsrud]

I think that arguably gmaps and it's equivalents actually increase safety and probably save lives. If people know where they're going and drive the speed limit when cops are around they're less likely to do dumb shit because they missed an exit etc. I don't see the equivalence here. It's clear that these ICE apps only serve to alert individuals to the presence of federal cops. Hard to see a motivation other than to avoid, protest or in the extreme organize a violent confrontation. But having said that, I have to disagree with banning them or jawboning them out of existence. These cops are public employees and we have every right to know what they're doing and where they are. That's first principles to me even if I don't like the motivation. If I have to surrender my notarized MAGA hat so be it.

[Marc St. Stephen]

I'm pretty sure Libertarians would be against any app that allowed the public to track and locate anyone who had been convicted of a crime, served their sentence and were free, with the obvious intent of harassment or worse for a crime they paid for. So why is Reason supporting an app that allows the public to track and locate law enforcement personnel just doing their jobs, with the obvious intent of harassment or worse. Is Reason's derangement of anything opposing open borders that horrid that Reason's reason is missing?

[Fu Manchu]

Being against an app, and thinking it's okay for the Government to pressure a private company to ban an app, are two very different things. But, after all, it's not jawboning when *we* do it.

[Mickey Rat]

i believe obstructing a law enforcement officer engaging in his lawful duties is a crime. The question is whether is the app supports speech or obstruction of justice?

[AT]

I honestly think we should support this app.

And hijack it.

Give them false positives. Constantly pull the fire alarm. Make the illegals terrified to take a step outside. When they run out of food, make them think that ICE is waiting outside their closest grocery stores.

You come into this nation illegally, you shouldn't have even an iota of comfort when you do. If you need a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk, I say we false positive ICEblock with thousands of fake reports to keep them from getting it.

Yes, for the record, I am creating SO MANY false reports of ICE activity in SoCal using this app.

It's twice as much fun as yelling "La Migra!" in a Home Depot parking lot.

[n00bdragon]

You're a shithead, but you have a godgiven inalienable right to do that.

[mad.casual]

SSDD with Reason. Unlike the actual, *preemptive* JAWBONING of *everyone* on the internet asking questions like "Has the vaccine been tested?" and "Where did the virus come from?", this "jawboning" is *predicate* to a crime and/or violent civil disruption and only targeted at the one specific app.

Once again, I know the internet and Reason itself has made a lot of people "Section 230 stupid", but the 1A doesn't protect anyone and everyone from being investigated for a crime simply by virtue of being able to form words. *If* Congress and the government has an obligation to uphold free speech, it has an equal obligation to uphold peaceable assembly.

[Deep Lurker]

I remember when the Reason staff was all in for "It's totally a private company's private decision. No freedom of speech or First Amendment concerns involved, and it's a silly icky-poo conspiracy theory to claim government is involved in crushing access to information that those in Authority consider Bad."

The opposite of principle, this judging based on "who" rather than "what."

[Mr. JD]

If speed trap apps were being used to attempt to murder traffic cops rather than to simply avoid speeding in front of them, we'd have a case for pulling speed trap apps as well.

The simple fact is that freedom doesn't work if people are awful. John Adams was correct to say that we need a "moral and religious people". If libertarianism ever wants to escape the 1% fringe, it must incorporate a personal responsibility component.