Joshua Aaron, the inventor of ICEBlock, has sued Trump administration officials. He claims they misused their power and violated his free speech rights by pressuring Apple to remove his app from the App Store.
ICEBlock lets users post real-time reports about ICE agent activity. Aaron describes it as an early warning service. When the app was removed, it had over 1 million users. People who already downloaded ICEBlock can still use it, but new downloads have not been possible since October.
The lawsuit names Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and White House border advisor Tom Homan. The Justice Department says the app was removed because it put federal agents at risk and could lead to violence. Aaron strongly disagrees, saying the app included warnings not to interfere with police or promote violence.
Apple removed ICEBlock after the Justice Department and law enforcement agencies warned it could pose risks to officers. Aaron says the decision was made under government pressure, not as part of an independent review. He also claims authorities tried to intimidate him publicly by threatening prosecution to silence him.
The lawsuit asks a federal court to declare the government’s actions unconstitutional and to stop officials from making similar threats in the future. It also seeks to reveal records of communication between the administration and Apple about the app’s removal.
