Apple has removed ICEBlock after pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration.
On Thursday, the tech giant confirmed that their most popular ICE-tracking app and other similar software are no longer available in the App Store. The move came after Trump’s administration reportedly contacted Apple and urged it to take action.
Fox News Digital reported that the Department of Justice officials, at the direction of Attorney General Pam Bond, asked Apple to remove ICEBlock over claims that it alerts users when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are nearby.
Apple said on Thursday that it had removed ICEBlock, the most popular ICE-tracking app, and other similar apps from its App Store after it was contacted by President Donald Trump’s administration.#ICE #US #Apple #privacy https://t.co/X5pZ2WQ1XG
— Cybernews (@CyberNews) October 3, 2025
Over the years, ICE has been a vital part of Trump’s hardline immigration agenda, with agents regularly raiding and arresting migrants.
DOJ officials maintain that apps like ICEBlock could increase the risk of assault on U.S. Agents and help shield illegal immigrants.
“We reached out to Apple today demanding they remove the ICEBlock app from their App Store — and Apple did so,” Bondi said in a statement.
“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 added. “This Department of Justice will continue making every effort to protect our brave federal law enforcement officers, who risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe.”
Apple confirmed that they have taken down ICEBlock after learning of the risks associated with it.
“We created the App Store to be a safe and trusted place to discover apps. 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,” the tech giant said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the creator of ICEBlock, Joshua Aaron, expressed his disappointment over Apple’s decision to take down the app.
“Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never the right move,” he told the outlet.
“Apple has claimed they received information from law enforcement that ICEBlock served to harm law enforcement officers. This is patently false.”
As for their next move, Aaron said they’re “determined to fight this” with everything they have.
“Our mission has always been to protect our neighbors from the terror this administration continues to reign down on the people of this nation,” he added.
This isn’t the first time Apple has taken down an app closely similar to ICEBlock. In 2019, it removed HKMap from the App Store.
The app allowed Hong Kong protesters to trace the movements of police. At the time, it is said that the app was being used maliciously.
“Many concerned customers in Hong Kong have contacted us about this app and we immediately began investigating it. The app displays police locations and we have verified with the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau that the app has been used to target and ambush police, threaten public safety, and criminals have used it to victimize residents in areas where they know there is no law enforcement. This app violates our guidelines and local laws, and we have removed it from the App Store,” Apple said in a statement.
