(KTLA) — As President Trump’s immigration operations continue nationwide, a new app that allows users to report sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in their area is gaining attention and controversy.
The platform, called ICEBlock, was launched in April in response to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration and the mass protests that followed, according to the app’s creator, Joshua Aaron.
The app allows users to report sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in what Aaron said is an effort to protect bystanders from physical confrontations.
“That’s what this whole thing is about, is getting it into as many people’s hands as possible so that everybody can protect themselves and their communities from what is going on in this country,” Aaron told Nexstar’s KTLA.
Aaron said reports submitted to the app are anonymous and users can report ICE sightings within five miles of their current location. They can also receive push notifications of activity in their area.
To keep the app 100 percent anonymous, Aaron said it is only available on iOS because he claimed that offering the app on Android would’ve required them to collect user data, which he wanted to avoid for user safety.
He emphasized that he is not trying to obstruct law enforcement operations, but instead, protect civilians from possibly violent encounters in their communities.
“This app does not dox anybody,” he said. “There are no photos or videos. This app is to inform, not obstruct. We do not condone violence against officers of the law or against federal officials of any kind. This is simply to help people avoid the confrontation in the first place.”
The app has around 20,000 users, most of them based in Los Angeles, and has garnered criticism and pushback from the White House and federal officials, with some concerned about potential safety issues for agents.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the app in a recent briefing, saying, “Surely, it sounds like this would be an incitement of further violence against our ICE officers who are just simply trying to do their jobs.”
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In a statement, acting ICE director Todd Lyons said, “An app that basically paints a target on federal law enforcement officers’ backs is sickening.”
Aaron, however, stands by the app’s purpose to inform residents of immigration enforcement activity.
“In recent years, ICE has faced criticism for alleged civil rights abuses and failures to adhere to constitutional principles and due process, making it crucial for communities to stay informed about its operations,” read a statement on the app’s website.
Aaron said that despite the pushback and threats he’s received, he hopes more people will download and use the app to report sightings.
“You’re going to get blowback, you’re gonna get threats,” he acknowledged. “I got three death threats last night through email. I can’t live in fear, and this is way more important because if we can save one person’s life, if we can just help one person avoid an encounter or some horrible situation, that’s all that matters.”
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