A Apple said on Thursday that he removed the iceblock and other similar ICE tracking apps from your app store after being contacted by the government of President Donald Trump, in a rare case of removal of apps at the request of the Federal Government of USA.
The app warned users about the presence of immigration and customs (ICE) in its areas, which, according to the Justice Department, could increase the risk of against agents.
ICE has been a central piece of Trump’s rigid immigration policy. Its agents have regularly carried out beating and prisons of migrants, and human rights advocates state that freedom of expression and due process are often violated in the government’s effort to deport immigrants.
Apple’s decision may increase scrutiny over increasing ties between technology companies and the Trump government. Many companies, including the iPhone manufacturer, have sought to avoid shocks with the White House, which do not hesitate to make threats – especially about tariffs – against specific companies.
“Based on the information we have received from police authorities about the safety risks associated with Iceblock, we removed this and other similar apps from the App Store,” Apple said in a statement sent by email.
Fox Business was the first to report the removal of the app on Thursday. The Justice Department later confirmed that it had asked Apple to withdraw from the application and that the company complied with the request.
“Iceblock is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their work, and violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line that cannot be crossed,” US Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
Joshua Aaron, creator of Iceblock in Texas, contested this characterization and criticized Apple’s decision.
“I am incredibly disappointed with Apple’s actions today. Giving in to an authoritarian regime is never the correct decision,” Aaron told Reuters in an email response.
Bondi had already argued that Aaron “is not protected” by the Constitution and are evaluating to sue him, warning him to “be careful.”
The Civil Surveillance of Federal Immigration Agents has become more assertive since Trump’s return to power, with activists stating that its goal is to protect communities against ICE’s aggressive performance.
In cities like Washington, residents also use encrypted chats to share inspection information, although it is still unclear how often apps like Iceblock actually warned neighbors.
Six legal experts told Reuters that ICE surveillance is widely protected by the US Constitution – since activists do not interfere with work. The courts have long recognized that registering actions by authorities in public areas is legal.
China is the country that makes the most requests
Since Trump took office, ICE has carried out several operations on facilities with irregular immigrants in the US and intensified the surveillance, with $ 75 billion in new financing by 2029. The agency also arrested visa carriers and permanent residents in the US who was targeted by its Palestinian cause.
Legal experts have reiterated Reuters that ICE surveillance is largely constitutional as long as there is no attempt to obstruction.
Apple removed more than 1,700 apps from its App Store in 2024 in response to government requests, but the overwhelming majority – over 1,300 – was made by China, followed by Russia (171) and South Korea (79).
Over the past three years, the United States has not been among the countries where apps have been removed by governmental requirements, according to the company’s own transparency reports.
Most Apple iPhones are manufactured in China, which makes the company particularly sensitive to tariff policies. The White House has already considered tax imports of chips on devices, which would significantly affect Apple’s remittances from China and other countries.
Each year, Apple removes thousands of apps from its store for other reasons – including over 82,500 in 2024 alone – related to design, fraud or violation of intellectual property. Apple’s actions fell lightly on Friday.
