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1h ago

Apple Pulls ICEBlock From App Store After DOJ Pressure

DOJ pressure over officer safety prompted Apple's takedown.

Federal agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection walk along West Wacker Drive in the Loop, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Chicago. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP){p}{/p}
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FILE - U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents detain a man outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs building during a protest in Portland, Ore., June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
View of an Apple logo at an Apple store in Paris, France, April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor/File Photo

Overview

  • Attorney General Pam Bondi said the department contacted Apple on Thursday to demand removal, and the company complied.
  • Apple said it removed ICEBlock and similar apps based on law-enforcement information about safety risks to immigration officers.
  • ICEBlock allowed users to monitor and report the locations of U.S. immigration enforcement agents.
  • Authorities investigating the Sept. 24 Dallas ICE shooting said the suspect searched for tracking apps, including ICEBlock, before the attack.
  • Developer Joshua Aaron criticized the decision and said he will fight the removal, as debates over government influence on platform moderation continue.