Joshua Aaron designed the ICEBlock app because he felt like he was “watching history repeat itself,” he told NBC News. The app that rats out locations, within five miles of the user’s location, if ICE has been reported in the area.
“When I saw what was happening in this country, I really just wanted to do something to help fight back,” said Aaron. “I grew up in a Jewish household, and being part of the Jewish community, I had the chance to meet Holocaust survivors and learn the history of what happened in Nazi Germany, and the parallels that we can draw between what’s happening right now in our country and Hitler’s rise to power are undeniable.”
The app hit the mainstream when CNN did a report on the app, to which the Trump Administration got big mad.
Trump’s resident DEI hire believes that CNN is promoting a way to allow normal people where ICE locations to avoid. “We’re gonna actually go after them and prosecute them with the partnership of Pam if we can” — Kristi Noem says “we’re working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute” CNN for allegedly promoting the ICEBlock app.
“The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line every day to arrest violent criminal illegal aliens to protect and defend the lives of American citizens,” Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Twitter. “The baseless attacks and demonization of our law enforcement from FAKE NEWS CNN is contributing to our brave ICE officers now facing a 500% increase in assaults.”
ICEBlock App got a lot of attention
Attacks on ICE increased by 500 percent? I guess that’s what happens when masked men, with weapons, run up on you without announcing who they are. I’ve live in a big city long enough to know when masked people with guns run at you, you run the opposite direction.
“This is an app that is publicly available to any iPhone user who wants to download it,” CNN said in a statement on Twitter. “There is nothing illegal about reporting the existence of this or any other app, nor does such reporting constitute promotion or other endorsement of the app by CNN.”
Aaron, the creator of the app, has faced online harassment, such as people posting antisemitic comments about him on social media, which is on brand for a traditional MAGA cultist. “I think if you can save one person’s life or help one person avoid a horrible situation, I’ve done my job.”
One of the things that surprises me about this entire situation is where are the various religious leaders condemning ICE’s actions? I am mostly looking at the Jewish community. I have seen more support from Muslim and Black religious organizations than the Jewish community. Don’t at me if YOU are doing something, I am talking about at large. Anecdotal experience is not a worldview.
To me, if anyone should be fearful of masked patrols asking people for papers it should be them. Let’s be honest about one thing, while half the MAGA base loves Israel, they don’t necessarily like Jewish people. The other half are antisemitic. So if you don’t think they won’t come after you, don’t be too comfortable in your privilege.