FIRST ON FOX: Apple dropped ICEBlock, a widely used tracking tool, from its App Store Thursday after the Department of Justice raised concerns with the big tech giant that the app put law enforcement officers at risk.

DOJ officials, at the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi, asked Apple to take down ICEBlock, a move that comes as Trump administration officials have claimed the tool, which allows users to anonymously report ICE agents’ presence, puts agents in danger and helps shield illegal immigrants.

“We reached out to Apple today demanding they remove the ICEBlock app from their App Store — and Apple did so,” Bondi said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“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,” Bondi added. “This Department of Justice will continue making every effort to protect our brave federal law enforcement officers, who risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe.”

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Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a news conference at DEA headquarters July 15, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (Alex Wong/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Controversy surrounding ICE tracking apps intensified after last month’s deadly shooting at an ICE field office in Dallas, Texas, the latest in a series of attacks that appeared to be targeting immigration enforcement officers.

Authorities said the suspect, Joshua Jahn, searched his phone for tracking apps, including ICEBlock, before opening fire on the facility from a rooftop. Authorities said Jahn killed one detainee and left two critically injured but that the personnel were his intended targets, not the immigrants. One of the injured, a 32-year-old husband and father of four, died this week.

Marcos Charles, an acting director for ICE’s removal operations, said during a press conference that Jahn had intended to murder ICE employees and that attacks on them have skyrocketed.

“The evidence is clear that this was intended as an assault on ICE personnel who come to work everyday to do their job,” Charles said. “Violent rhetoric has led to an over 1000% increase in assaults on ICE officers, and it has to stop.”

Joshua Jahn allegedly shot at an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 24, 2025, and the FBI said a bullet with “ANTI-ICE” on it was found at the scene. (FBI; Contributed to Fox News)

Fox News Digital reached out to Apple and ICEBlock for comment.

Apple said in a statement it removed ICEBlock and other apps like it.

“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,” Apple said.

Joshua Aaron, ICEBlock’s creator, said he was “incredibly disappointed by Apple’s actions today.”

“Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never the right move,” Aaron said. “Apple has claimed they received information from law enforcement that ICEBlock served to harm law enforcement officers. This is patently false.”

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Aaron said ICEBlock, which has more than 1.1 million users, functions like other mapping applications that use crowd sourcing for speed traps, citing Apple’s own map service as an example.

“We are determined to fight this with everything we have,” Aaron said. “Our mission has always been to protect our neighbors from the terror this administration continues to reign down on the people of this nation.”