00:02Apple has pulled a popular immigration enforcement tracking app from its App Store following pressure from the Trump administration.
00:10IceBlock, a free app for iPhones that utilized crowdsourced reports to flag sightings of U.S. immigration and customs enforcement officers,
00:17was removed from the App Store as of Friday, according to the Associated Press.
00:22The developer confirmed on Thursday evening that it had been removed.
00:25We just received a message from Apple's App Review that IceBlock has been removed from the App Store due to objectionable content the app's developers posted on social media.
00:36The only thing we can imagine is this is due to pressure from the Trump administration.
00:40We have responded, and we'll fight this.
00:43The app had more than 1 million users last month, according to its developers.
00:47Though new downloads are blocked, existing users can still access it.
00:51Apple defended its decision, saying it was based on law enforcement warnings.
00:56Based on information we've received from law enforcement about the safety risks associated with IceBlock,
01:01we have removed it, and similar apps from the App Store.
01:04Officials have previously raised concerns that apps like IceBlock could be used to target law enforcement.
01:10We are looking at him, and he better watch out because that's not protected speech, Pam Bondi said.
01:16But immigration advocates argue that such tools are protected under the First Amendment
01:20and help vulnerable communities prepare for raids or avoid potential harassment from officials.
01:26Navigation tools like Waze and Google Maps, which allow users to flag speed traps and other police activity,
01:32have not faced the same scrutiny from U.S. officials.
01:36Despite the takedown, downloads of apps like IceBlock had surged amid the Trump administration's stepped-up immigration enforcement efforts.
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