House committee demands Google, Apple remove immigration agent tracking apps

The House Committee on Homeland Security called on Google and Apple to determine what action they are taking to remove apps that allow users to be tracked Federal immigration agents In efforts to send warnings about immigration enforcement activity.

The committee sent letters on Friday to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook, specifically ICEBlock, an app previously used to monitor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Google said in October that the ICEBlock app was never available in its Play Store, and that similar apps had been removed due to policy violations. Apple also said at the time that it had removed ICEBlock and other tracking apps from its App Store after pressure from the Trump administration.

the Representatives of the House of Representatives He argued in the letters that the applications risked “jeopardizing the safety of DHS employees” and requested a briefing by Dec. 12.

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House lawmakers argued that the apps risked “jeopardizing the safety of Department of Homeland Security employees.” (Getty Images/Getty Images)

The letters asked Google and Apple to ensure that these applications are not used to target customers or obstruct immigration enforcement operations.

The committee claimed that although freedom of expression is protected, it does not include advocacy that incites imminent unlawful action.

The letters were delivered after criticism that these apps allow users to anonymously track the movements of federal agents, including Immigration, Customs and Border Protection agents, to warn of immigration crackdowns as part of the president’s actions. Donald Trump Mass deportation agenda

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The letters asked Google and Apple to ensure that these applications are not used to target customers or obstruct immigration enforcement operations. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images/Getty Images)

Prosecutor Pam Bondi said such apps “put ICE agents at risk simply for doing their job.”

Apple cited violations of its policies against content that could harm individuals or groups.

Claims that the app served as a tool to victimize law enforcement officers are “patently false,” according to the ICEBlock website.

“IceBlock is no different from the crowd-sourced speed traps that every major mapping app, including Apple’s own, implements as part of their core services,” the website says. “This is speech protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”

ICEBlock’s website said allegations that the app served as a tool to harm law enforcement officers were “patently false.” (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images/Getty Images)

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“We are determined to fight this with everything we have,” the site added, referring to the app’s takedowns. “Our mission has always been to protect our neighbors from the terrorism that this administration continues to oppress the people of this nation. We will not be deterred. We will not stop.”

The app’s removals followed an increase in ICEBlock downloads. It had over a million users before it was removed.

“Surrendering to an authoritarian regime is never the right move,” ICEBlock’s website said.

Reuters contributed to this report.