WASHINGTON, D.C. — The creator of ICEBlock, an app that anonymously alerts users to nearby ICE activity, has filed a federal lawsuit claiming the Trump administration illegally pressured Apple to remove the app from its App Store. Developer Joshua Aaron alleges Attorney General Pam Bondi and other officials threatened prosecution, violating his First Amendment rights, according to reporting from NPR.
ICEBlock had amassed more than one million downloads before Apple removed it in October. The app relied on crowdsourced reports of ICE sightings within a five-mile radius, with alerts expiring after four hours. After Apple’s decision, Bondi publicly stated she had urged the company to take it down, remarks Aaron’s attorney says point to unlawful coercion.
The lawsuit argues that ICEBlock simply provided location awareness similar to traffic-monitoring apps and did not encourage confrontation. The administration has claimed the service endangered agents, but no evidence has surfaced showing violence linked to the app.
Legal experts cited by NPR say the case centers on whether officials crossed the line from persuasion into coercion — a practice known as “jawboning,” where government pressure leads private companies to suppress speech. Apple is not named as a defendant, but its removal of the app prevents updates for existing users.
Aaron said he launched ICEBlock to empower communities targeted by heightened immigration enforcement. He hopes the lawsuit results in the app’s reinstatement and a ruling that protects developers from political retaliation.
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