- Google and Apple must respond to request to remove apps like ICEBlock
- The app, which is not available for new download, helped in a shooting
- ICEBlock says the app is no different than Apple Maps
The US House Homeland Security Committee is pressuring Google and Apple to remove apps that allow users to track federal immigration agents.
The letters to CEOs Sundar Pichai and Tim Cook specifically point to the ‘ICEBlock’ app, an app previously used to monitor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and which is now “endangered.”[ng] the safety of DHS personnel.”
As a result, Google and Apple have been asked to provide reports by December 12 on how they are handling preventing these types of apps on their platforms.
DHS Concerned About ICE Agent Tracking Apps
The US government is concerned that users could anonymously track ICE and CBP agents to warn communities about police activity. Although no longer available, ICEBlock amassed over a million users before being used.
“One of these apps, ICEBlock, was used by a gunman to track the movement of ICE agents before a deadly shooting in September at an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas,” the letter reads.
Apple removed the app from its App Store over fears that its content could harm individuals or groups, and Google claims the app was never available in its Play Store. Both have also removed other similar apps.
A post on ICEBlock’s website notifying users that the app was removed from the App Store says: “ICEBlock is no different from crowdsourcing speed traps, which all notable map apps, including Apple’s own Maps app, implement as part of their core services. This is protected speech under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.”
“In recent years, ICE has faced criticism for alleged civil rights abuses and failure to respect constitutional principles and due process, making it crucial that communities stay informed about its operations,” the website and app developers continue.
Although the app is no longer available for download, as of December 8, 2025, it still works on devices that already have it installed.
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