Apple removes app that allows people to track, report ICE agent sightings
FILE-Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detain an immigrant after a court hearing at the Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford, Connecticut. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
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Apple removed an app that allows users to report and track U.S. immigration agents activity.
The tech giant told the Associated Press it removed the online map service app after law enforcement raised concerns about safety risks.
Apple released a statement obtained by the AP that read: "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."
What is ICEBlock?
Why you should care:
ICEBlock is a free iPhone-only app that allows users to report and view activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The app was launched in April by developerr Joshua Aaron.
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Aaron told the AP in September that the app amassed over 1 million users.
According to the AP, downloads of crowdsourcing apps like ICEblock have skyrocketed as the Trump administration increased its immigration enforcement with surprise raids. These apps have also faced criticism from authorities after immigration agents were targeted.
In September, officials told the AP that a shooter who opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas searched for apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents.
What is ICE?
The backstory:
ICE is the main government agency responsible for removing people from the country illegally. The agency was formed under the Homeland Security Act, stemming from the acts of 9/11.
RELATED: What is ICE? Immigration agents' role explained
According to the agency's website, ICE has over 20,000 law enforcement and support personnel in more than 400 offices in the United States and around the world. The agency also has an annual budget of approximately $8 billion.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press, which obtained a statement from Apple, and previous LIVENOW from FOX reporting. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.