
CNN’s promotion of an app that tracks ICE agents in real-time has sparked outrage from Trump border czar Tom Homan, who warns the technology could lead to deadly ambushes of federal officers.
Key Takeaways
- Tom Homan has called for a Department of Justice investigation into CNN for featuring the ICEBlock app, which tracks ICE operations in real-time.
- The app allows users to anonymously report ICE sightings and sends alerts to other users within a five-mile radius.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned CNN’s coverage, stating it could encourage violence against federal officers.
- Homan cited a 500% increase in assaults against ICE officers, emphasizing that the app further endangers law enforcement.
- The app’s developer, Joshua Aaron, claims it serves as an “early warning system” for people to avoid ICE agents.
Border Czar Demands Investigation Into CNN’s Promotion of ICE Tracking App
President Trump’s border czar Tom Homan has launched a scathing critique of CNN for promoting an application that tracks Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in real-time. The app, called ICEBlock, allows users to anonymously report ICE sightings and sends alerts to other users within a five-mile radius. Homan has called for the Department of Justice to investigate whether CNN crossed legal boundaries by highlighting technology that could potentially endanger federal law enforcement officers carrying out their duties.
During CNN’s segment, anchor John Berman introduced the app as “controversial, to say the least,” while reporter Clare Duffy interviewed the app’s creator, Joshua Aaron. The coverage has sparked significant backlash from conservative commentators and government officials who view it as potentially dangerous to law enforcement. Homan expressed particular concern about the timing of such coverage during the Trump administration’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement.
🚨BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Border Czar Tom Homan demands an immediate DOJ investigation into CNN for promoting an app that tracks ICE operations to help criminal aliens evade deportation.
"A national media outlet forecasting law enforcement operations. DOJ needs to look at this. Send… pic.twitter.com/1WeNp3ILe8
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 30, 2025
White House Condemns Technology as Threat to Officer Safety
The White House has joined Homan in condemning CNN’s coverage of the ICEBlock app. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a strong rebuke, emphasizing the danger such technology poses to federal agents. The administration views the app as potentially inciting violence against officers who are simply enforcing the law and protecting American communities from criminal illegal aliens who have been allowed to enter the country during the previous administration’s border crisis.
“It’s unacceptable that a major network would promote such an app that is encouraging violence against officers who are trying to keep our country safe,” said Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary.
Homan pointed out that ICE officers already face significant dangers in the field, with assaults against them having increased by 500% in recent years. The promotion of an app that tracks their movements in real-time adds another layer of risk to an already dangerous job. Despite the app including a disclaimer that it is for information purposes only and not for inciting violence, critics argue that such technology inherently creates opportunities for those seeking to harm law enforcement.
App Developer Claims It’s an “Early Warning System”
Joshua Aaron, the developer behind ICEBlock, has defended his creation by framing it as a response to current political events. According to CNN’s reporting, Aaron described the app as an “early warning system” designed to help people avoid encounters with ICE agents. This characterization has done little to alleviate concerns from law enforcement advocates who see the technology as specifically designed to undermine immigration enforcement.
“This is horrendous that a national media outlet would be out there trying to forecast law enforcement operations throughout the country. It’s incredible where we’re at as a country and I think DOJ needs to look at this and see if they crossed that line,” said Tom Homan.
Pro-Trump commentator Benny Johnson was among the first to draw attention to CNN’s coverage, claiming the network was “pushing an app to track ICE agents to help criminal aliens evade being detained.” Homan has emphasized that ICE officers focus primarily on public safety and national security threats, and that apps like ICEBlock fundamentally undermine their work to keep American communities safe from criminal aliens who have violated immigration laws and often committed additional crimes.