The creator of an iPhone app that alerted users to sightings of U.S. immigration agents sued the Trump administration on Monday, alleging officials violated his First Amendment rights by pressuring Apple to remove the program from its app store.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Texas, claims Attorney General Pam Bondi used “state power” to compel the tech giant to take down ICEBlock, an app that its maker says was designed to help immigrant communities stay aware of nearby Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.
Why It Matters
Apple removed ICEBlock and several similar apps in October after Bondi said they endangered federal agents by allowing users to track ICE movements. In statements at the time, Bondi accused the app’s developers of aiding criminals and putting officers at risk “just for doing their jobs.”
Meanwhile, House Republicans are ramping up pressure on Apple and Google over the mobile apps.
On Friday, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican, and Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability Subcommittee Chairman Josh Brecheen, an Oklahoma Republican, sent letters obtained exclusively by Newsweek to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The lawmakers said their committees were investigating apps that allow users to anonymously report and share real-time information about Department of Homeland Security (DHS) activities.
What To Know
The suit was filed by Texas software developer Joshua Aaron, whose app had amassed more than 1 million users before Apple pulled it. Aaron argues the government’s actions amount to unconstitutional retaliation aimed at silencing him. “We’re basically asking the court to set a precedent and affirm that ICEBlock is, in fact, First Amendment-protected speech and that I did nothing wrong by creating it,” Aaron said in an interview Monday. He added that he also wants officials to “stop threatening myself and my family.”
Aaron launched ICEBlock in April as a tool meant to help immigrants anticipate raids and avoid potential harassment. Immigrant-rights advocates offered mixed reviews of the app’s usefulness, but civil liberties experts said the government’s effort to suppress it echoed tactics seen abroad. They pointed to a 2019 episode in which Apple removed a crowdsourced map used by Hong Kong protesters after pressure from Chinese authorities.
The Justice Department declined to comment on the lawsuit, pointing instead to Bondi’s earlier statements criticizing ICEBlock.
Emails shared by Aaron show Apple informed him in October it would block further downloads of the app based on information “provided to Apple by law enforcement.” The company said ICEBlock violated its policies “because its purpose is to provide location information about law enforcement officers that can be used to harm such officers individually or as a group.” Aaron disputes that claim, saying ICEBlock functioned similarly to Apple’s own navigation tools that can alert drivers to nearby police speed traps.
Apple is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Google also removed several immigration-tracking apps from its online store around the same time, though ICEBlock was not available for Android phones.
Aaron said immigration enforcement operations have only grown more aggressive since his app was removed, and that restricting public information about government actions risks enabling abuses. He has repeatedly likened the secrecy surrounding ICE operations to conduct by authoritarian police forces overseas. While the lawsuit itself avoids such comparisons, it cites warnings from the nation’s founders about unchecked government authority.
What People Are Saying
Aaron said, “These are people wearing masks — which is the antithesis of everything about this country — and they are not identifying themselves, and they’re zip-tying children and throwing women into vans. Less transparency makes it easier for a paramilitary force to operate with impunity.”
Bondi has defended her stance, telling Fox News earlier this year that Aaron was “endangering law enforcement” by “giving a message to criminals where our federal officers are.” She added: “He better watch out, because that’s not protected speech.”
What Happens Next
The lawsuit seeks to bar the government from pursuing criminal charges against him, citing what Aaron describes as “unlawful threats” made by Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons and White House border adviser Tom Homan. According to the complaint, those officials suggested Aaron could be investigated or prosecuted for developing the app.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
