Don’t miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.
The ICEBlock app designed as Waze for crowdsourcing sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has been removed from Apple’s App Store. Apple took the app’s listing down after a report of “safety risks.”
Earlier this year, the app drew criticism from the Department of Justice (DOJ) with Attorney General Pam Bondi telling the app’s developer to “watch out.”
First reported by Business Insider, Apple said, “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.”
It’s unclear which other reporting apps were removed as Apple has yet to name them. Apple also didn’t confirm where the information came from, but Bondi has since said the DOJ made the request.
Bondi told Fox News, “We reached out to Apple today demanding they remove the ICEBlock app from their App Store — and Apple did so.”
“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. 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.”
The developer of the app, Joshua Aaron, told 404 Media, “ICEBlock is no different from crowd sourcing speed traps, which every notable mapping application, including Apple’s own Maps app, implements as part of its core services. This is protected speech under the first amendment of the United States Constitution.”
“We are determined to fight this with everything we 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.”
Recommended by Our Editors
There’s no Android version of the ICEBlock app. The developers previously said, “While we understand the desire for an Android version of ICEBlock, achieving this level of anonymity on Android is not feasible due to the inherent requirements of push notification services.”
ICEBlock is free to use and it keeps users anonymous whether they’re viewing locations or submitting their own sightings. It lets users input the address of a sighting, and it would also notify users if there was a report of agents within a 5-mile radius of them.
The latest user data for ICEBlock is from June when CNN reported the app had around 20,000 users.
Get Our Best Stories!
Love All Things Apple?
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
About Our Expert
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over a decade after getting my start in tech reporting back in 2013. I joined PCMag in 2025, where I cover the latest developments across the tech sphere, writing about the gadgets and services you use every day. Be sure to send me any tips you think PCMag would be interested in.
Read Full Bio
