Apple Deletes US Immigration Enforcement Tracking App from App Store

Apple on Thursday pulled several apps from its App Store that were used to anonymously track the movements of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, reportedly after pressure from the Trump administration.

The apps had gained popularity as the administration intensified nationwide deportation operations. Officials, however, criticised them as a threat to officer safety, particularly after a deadly shooting at an ICE facility in Texas last month. Investigators said the gunman had accessed one of the apps in the days before his attack, which left two detainees dead and another injured. Authorities believe the shooter was targeting ICE personnel.

Protests have also erupted outside ICE facilities and during enforcement operations across the country, as agents carry out large-scale deportations. By late Thursday, ICE-tracking apps, including the widely used ICEBlock, were no longer available on Apple’s App Store.

Fox Business reported that the Justice Department had contacted Apple earlier in the day, with Attorney General Pam Bondi confirming that officials urged the company to remove ICEBlock. “Apple did so,” she said.

Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, in a statement to NBC News, the company said: “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.”