Trump administration alleges CNN 'sabotaged' ICE with tracking app
Stephen Miller (pictured) led several members of the Trump administration slamming CNN for helping illegal migrants 'sabotage' ICE by promoting an app that allows people to track the movement of agents. The left-leaning network aired a story on Monday on a new app called ICEBlock, which aims to help people facing detention from the agency.
'ICEBlock is an innovative, completely anonymous crowdsourced platform that allows users to report Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity with just two taps on their phone,' the app's website says. The app describes itself as 'Waze but for ICE sightings' and cites what it calls 'alleged civil rights abuses and failures to adhere to constitutional principles and due process' as the reason for its existence. 'ICEBlock empowers communities to stay informed about ICE presence within a 5-mile radius while maintaining their anonymity through real-time updates and automatic deletion of sightings after four hours.'
CNN running the story caused outrage from the Trump administration, as in addition to Miller, 'border czar' Tom Homan said federal law enforcement should look into the network for 'promoting' the app. 'I'm hoping DOJ steps in here and sees if they crossed that line, impeding federal law enforcement officers,' he said. Karoline Leavitt also attacked the network at the White House press briefing on Monday. 'Surely, it sounds like this would be an incitement of further violence against our ICE officers,' she said, though she admitted to not having seen the segment. 'We'll take a look at it, but certainly it's unacceptable that a major network would promote such an app that is encouraging violence against law enforcement officers who are trying to keep our country safe.'
Acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons called the network 'reckless and irresponsible' for platforming ICEBlock. 'Advertising an app that basically paints a target on federal law enforcement officers' backs is sickening.' Lyons adds that ICE agents already have faced a 500% increase in assaults. 'CNN is willfully endangering the lives of officers who put their lives on the line every day and enabling dangerous criminal aliens to evade U.S. law. Is this simply reckless 'journalism' or overt activism?'
Aaron told the network that ICE's efforts remind him of Nazi Germany. 'When I saw what was happening in this country, I wanted to do something to fight back. We're literally watching history repeat itself.' Aaron does not want to see further violence and the app comes with a warning. Please note that the use of this app is for information and notification purposes only. It is not to be used for the purposes of inciting violence or interfering with law enforcement.' 'We don't want anybody's device ID, IP address, location,' Aaron said. 'We don't want anything being discoverable. And so, this is 100% anonymous and free for anybody who wants to use it.'
A spokesperson for the network defended their reporting on the app. 'CNN reported on a publicly available app, which is generating attention across the United States, and reached out to ICE for comment prior to publication. After CNN published its reporting, ICE posted a response, which is now included in the story.' ICE looks set to see backup from the federal government upon passage of Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill.' The bill would allow the federal government to hire 10,000 new ICE officers as part of a doubling down on Trump's commitment to securing the border.
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