ICEBlock
| ICEBlock | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Joshua Aaron |
| Initial release | April 2025 |
| Platform | iOS |
| Available in | 14 languages |
List of languages | |
| Type | Online map |
| License | Proprietary software |
| Website | www |
ICEBlock is an online map service of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents developed by Joshua Aaron.
History
In April 2025, in response to Donald Trump's second term as president and his immigration policy, Joshua Aaron began developing ICEBlock.[1] The app garnered attention amid protests in Los Angeles in June; by that month, Aaron said that the app had twenty thousand users, primarily in Los Angeles.[1] After receiving media attention from Trump officials following a CNN report on the app, ICEBlock became the third-most downloaded free app in the App Store[2] and the most downloaded free social networking app.[3] Aaron told NBC News that ICEBlock had approximately 95,200 users by the beginning of July.[4]
Joshua Aaron's wife, Carolyn Feinstein, worked for the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in a division that handles bankruptcy, unrelated to immigration. She was dismissed, an act which Aaron said was retaliation against him; he himself could not be attacked, and had done nothing illegal. According to Aaron she had no involvement in the development or operation of the IceBlock app. She was accused of lack of candor, but the app was not mentioned. But when journalists contacted the DoJ, it provided a prepared statement that she was endangering the lives of Ice agents and similar allegations not mentioned in her termination letter.[5]
The ICEBlock Web site warns about malicious, fake downloads and source code, and advises users always to download the latest version. Version 1.44 was current as of 13 August 2025.[6]
Features and functionality
ICEBlock allows users to report the location of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and provide optional details about the official, with a warning "Please note that the use of this app is for information and notification purposes only. It is not to be used for the purposes of inciting violence or interfering with law enforcement."[1] Reported sightings are visible within a five-mile radius but disappear after four hours. After a sighting is reported, those in a nearby radius are notified.[7] ICEBlock does not collect personal data; it is only available on iOS, as Android would require an app to collect information that could put users at risk.[1] The app is available in fourteen languages, including Arabic, Nepali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.[8][7]
Responses
In June 2025, CNN reported on ICEBlock. In response, secretary of homeland security Kristi Noem stated that she was in communication with the Department of Justice to investigate the possibility of prosecuting CNN over its article.[9] Tom Homan, the executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations, and Todd Lyons, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, broadly criticized CNN for reporting on the app.[10][11] Attorney general Pam Bondi warned Aaron to "watch out", and alleged that it could cause federal agents to be injured,[12] although ICEBlock warns users against using the app for "inciting violence or interfering with law enforcement".[1] According to Aaron, ICEBlock's legality has been attested to by several lawyers.[7] Aaron's full legal name and home address were published by right-wing figures on X over the app.[11]
See also
- Waze – an app that provides real-time information on traffic conditions, technically similar to ICEBlock but for different purposes.
References
- ^ a b c d e Duffy 2025.
- ^ Roth 2025.
- ^ Moon 2025.
- ^ Rosenblatt 2025.
- ^ Aaron, Joshua (August 13, 2025). "The Ice alert app founder sparking fury in Trump officials: 'Pam Bondi said I better watch out? Please.'". The Guardian (Interview). Interviewed by Sam Wolfson.
- ^ "See Something, Tap Something". ICEBlock. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
- ^ a b c Pahwa 2025.
- ^ Sutherland 2025.
- ^ Grynbaum 2025.
- ^ Mastrangelo 2025.
- ^ a b Jiménez 2025.
- ^ Forlini 2025.
Works cited
- Duffy, Clare (June 30, 2025). "'I wanted to do something to fight back': This iPhone app alerts users to nearby ICE sightings". CNN. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- Forlini, Emily (July 1, 2025). "What Is the ICEBlock App? Attorney General Tells Its Creator to 'Watch Out'". PCMag. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- Grynbaum, Michael (July 1, 2025). "Kristi Noem raises prospect of prosecuting CNN over ICE app story". The New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- Jiménez, Marisol (July 1, 2025). "ICEBlock: The app that alerts users about immigration raids". El País. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- Mastrangelo, Dominick (July 1, 2025). "Homan: DOJ needs to 'look' at CNN's ICE reporting". The Hill. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- Moon, Mariella (July 1, 2025). "ICEBlock climbs to the top of the App Store charts after officials slam it". Engadget. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- Pahwa, Nitish (May 16, 2025). "Immigration Crackdowns Are Booming. So Is the Digital Resistance Fighting Them". Slate. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- Rosenblatt, Kalhan (July 2, 2025). "App that allows people to share ICE sightings gets boost in downloads after White House backlash". NBC News. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
- Roth, Emma (July 2, 2025). "ICE-tracking app tops App Store". The Verge. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
- Sutherland, Callum (June 30, 2025). "ICEBlock, an iPhone App Intended to Alert Users of Nearby ICE Sightings, Comes Under Fire". Time. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
