On Monday, White House Border Czar Tom Homan criticized CNN for endorsing an application that enables users to monitor ICE agents, calling for the Justice Department to investigate the app.
Named ICEBlock, the application allows users to report the real-time locations of ICE agents. The Daily Wire brought attention to both the app and CNN’s promotion of it during a segment with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“This appears to incite further violence against our ICE officers,” Leavitt stated. “It is unacceptable for a prominent network to endorse an application that encourages violence against law enforcement officials who are working to ensure the safety of our nation.”
On Monday, Homan described the app as “simply disgusting,” asserting that “any network that covers that is disgusting as well.”
“It’s only a matter of time before ICE officers are ambushed by some individual, similar to the incident in L.A., where a Molotov cocktail was thrown, and bricks were hurled at these officers,” Homan stated. “This is appalling at every level, and I hope the DOJ investigates this thoroughly, as ICE is focused on threats to public safety and national security.”
CNN’s Clare Duffy brought attention to the app on Monday morning, mentioning that the app developer “claims he does not wish for people to interfere with the activities of those officers, but he does want individuals to have the option to avoid them entirely if they choose.”
“When you open the app — it resembles a map — users can tap the map to report an ICE sighting in their vicinity. Subsequently, everyone using the platform within five miles of that sighting will receive a push notification,” Duffy elaborated.
Homan replied, “This should not be a partisan issue,” emphasizing that assaults on ICE agents have surged by 500%. “This should not be a matter that anyone opposes.” He remarked that ICE agents are “already in a perilous position, pursuing the worst offenders.”
“These individuals risk their lives daily in pursuit of the most dangerous criminals and national security threats, and this app significantly heightens the danger,” the border czar continued. “It is astonishing that those who uphold the law are suddenly viewed as the villains, while those who violate the law are seen as victims. It’s appalling.”
