Apple reportedly removed a location tracking app that informs users of the whereabouts of US immigration and customs agents from its App Store, following pressure from the Donald Trump administration.
Reuters reported the US Justice Department had contacted Apple to remove the ICEBlock app, claiming it increased the risk of attacks on its agents, and the company has complied with the request.
ICE is a federal enforcement agency and its agents are tasked with enforcing Trump’s hard-line immigration laws. The app is designed to alert users if ICE agents are in their area.
In an statement seen by the news outlet, Apple stated: “Based on the 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.”
ICEBlock launched in April and shot up to the top of Apple’s App Store rankings in July. It then faced heat from the White House, with the administration claiming agents were facing a 500 per cent increase in assaults.
Following Apple’s removal, US attorney general Pam Bondi welcomed the decision, telling CNN “ICEBlock is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs, and violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line that cannot be crossed”.
Apple and other technology companies have sought to improve relations with Trump during his second term. The iPhone maker has pledged to invest $600 billion in the US over the next four years.
Source: Mobile World Live
