ICEBlock, an app that allows users to report sightings of law enforcement officials as part of President Trump's nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration, has topped the free app rankings on the US App Store



In the United States, crackdowns on illegal immigrants are getting tougher, and fears of deportation are on the rise. Amid this, the app '

ICEBlock ,' which allows users to anonymously report sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who crack down on immigrants, has become increasingly popular. Following criticism from the Trump administration, the app has soared to the top of the App Store's free app rankings.

ICEBlock: This iPhone app alerts users to nearby ICE sightings | CNN Business
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/30/tech/iceblock-app-trump-immigration-crackdown

ICE-tracking app tops App Store | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/696584/iceblock-tracking-app-white-house-criticism

White House condemnation sends ICEBlock to the top of the App Store charts
https://9to5mac.com/2025/07/02/white-house-condemnation-sends-iceblock-to-the-top-of-the-app-store-charts/

ICEBlock climbs to the top of the App Store charts after officials slam it
https://www.engadget.com/social-media/iceblock-climbs-to-the-top-of-the-app-store-charts-after-officials-slam-it-004319963.html

In the wake of the White House's massive immigration crackdown, an app that allows people to report sightings of ICE agents in their area has become increasingly popular. ICE is supposed to be conducting investigations to crack down on illegal immigrants, but there have been reports of legal residents and even U.S. citizens being detained by ICE agents.

'App that warns of immigration crackdowns by authorities' becomes popular among American immigrants as fears of deportation grow - GIGAZINE



ICEBlock is a popular app for reporting sightings of ICE officers. ICEBlock's developer, Joshua Aaron, developed the app at a time when ICE's immigration crackdown was becoming more severe. When CNN reported on ICEBlock on June 30, 2025 local time, the app had 20,000 users.

'I saw what was going on in America and I wanted to do something to fight back,' Aaron said. 'We're literally witnessing history repeating itself,' he said, adding that the deportation movement is reminiscent of Nazi Germany. ICEBlock is designed to act as an 'early warning system' for users when ICE is operating nearby, allowing users to pin locations on a map where they have seen ICE officers. Users can also add notes, such as what the ICE officer was wearing or the type of car they were driving, if desired. In addition, users within a 5-mile radius of a reported ICE officer can receive push notifications about the sighting.

After CNN's coverage, ICEBlock's popularity skyrocketed, and it even reached number one in the free app rankings on the US App Store.



In response, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem criticized ICEBlock, saying, 'ICEBlock's actions actively encourage people to avoid law enforcement and investigations, and we are working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute them.' Secretary of Homeland Security Noem also criticized ICEBlock on her own X (formerly Twitter) account, saying , 'ICEBlock is clearly obstruction of justice. Assaults against brave ICE officers have increased by 500%. If you obstruct or assault our law enforcement, we will pursue you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.'




U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi also criticized ICEBlock, saying, 'It could injure not only ICE agents, but also federal agents and Department of Justice agents working with them. ICEBlock is sending a message to criminals about where federal agents are. The developer can't do that. We're watching the developer's speech, and he'd better be careful because his speech is not something that should be protected. ICEBlock is threatening the lives of U.S. law enforcement officers.'

TechCrunch analyzed ICEBlock's network traffic and confirmed that the app does not collect or store any user data.

Also, ICEBlock does not have an Android app. The official statement on this is, 'User privacy and security are our number one priority. This application is designed to provide as much anonymity as possible without storing user data or creating accounts. We understand the demand for an Android version of ICEBlock, but due to the unique requirements of the push notification service, it is difficult to achieve the level of anonymity of the iOS version on Android.'

However, some point out that 'Apple stores which devices or users have installed which apps. Apple also holds the device IDs. With court permission, the US government could obtain a list of who has installed an app. Apple has not clarified what it means by needing to store device IDs. These IDs are not accessible to Android apps.'

bsky.app/profile/iceb...

Apple stores which devices/users install which apps. They have the device IDs. US government could obtain a list of people who installed the app if a court authorized it. Not clear what they mean by having to storing device IDs. Those IDs aren't accessible to Android apps.

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— GrapheneOS ( @grapheneos.org ) July 2, 2025 8:36



In addition, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Noem has threatened legal action against CNN for its reporting on the ICEBlock, and President Trump has also said that CNN could be prosecuted for its false reporting about an attack on Iran.

President Trump has long accused CNN of reporting fake news. Most recently, he blasted CNN and The New York Times for reporting that the U.S. strikes on Iran did not completely destroy Iran's nuclear program, despite the Trump administration's claims that the U.S. bombing of three Iranian nuclear facilities had completely destroyed the country's nuclear program.

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in Mobile,   Software,   Video, Posted by logu_ii