Tom Homan demands immediate Justice Department investigation into a CNN-promoted app that tracks and endangers ICE officers, potentially setting them up for deadly ambushes across America.
Key Takeaways
- Former ICE Director Tom Homan has called for a DOJ investigation into CNN for promoting the “ICEBlock” app that tracks ICE agents in real-time.
- The controversial app allows users to anonymously report ICE officer locations, sending alerts to others within a five-mile radius.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned CNN’s promotion of the app, calling it “unacceptable” and suggesting it encourages violence against officers.
- Homan highlighted a 500% increase in assaults against ICE officers, arguing the app further endangers agents who focus on public safety and national security threats.
- The app’s developer, Joshua Aaron, claims it serves as an “early warning system” for people to avoid ICE agents, despite concerns about officer safety.
Border Czar Condemns CNN and ICEBlock App
President Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan has issued a blistering condemnation of CNN for promoting an app designed to track Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in real-time. The app, called “ICEBlock,” allows users to anonymously report ICE officer sightings, sending instant alerts to other users within a five-mile radius. Homan expressed outrage over the national news network’s decision to spotlight technology that could potentially endanger law enforcement officers carrying out their duties to protect American communities and enforce immigration laws.
“It’s disgusting,” said Tom Homan, former Acting ICE Director. “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 the DOJ needs to look at this and see if they crossed that line.”
White House Blasts Network for Promoting App
The Trump administration has officially weighed in on the controversy, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticizing CNN’s decision to highlight the ICEBlock app. The administration views the promotion of such technology as potentially inciting violence against federal law enforcement officers who are simply doing their jobs. The escalating rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement has created an increasingly hostile environment for ICE agents, who now face not only verbal attacks but also the prospect of being targeted through technology specifically designed to monitor their movements.
“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.
The CNN segment that sparked this controversy featured anchor John Berman and reporter Clare Duffy interviewing Joshua Aaron, the developer behind the ICEBlock app. During the segment, Berman introduced the app as “controversial, to say the least,” while Duffy explained that Aaron created it as an “early warning system” for people to avoid ICE officers. Despite the app including disclaimers stating it’s for information purposes only and not intended to incite violence, critics argue that the very nature of tracking law enforcement creates inherent dangers.
Growing Threats to ICE Officer Safety
Homan’s concerns aren’t merely theoretical. He pointed to alarming statistics showing a 500% increase in assaults against ICE officers, underscoring the real-world dangers these agents already face without the additional risk posed by real-time tracking apps. The former ICE director emphasized that most ICE operations focus on individuals who pose legitimate public safety and national security threats, not random enforcement actions. By potentially interfering with these operations, the app could ultimately undermine crucial efforts to remove dangerous criminals from American communities.
Pro-Trump commentator Benny Johnson amplified these concerns on social media,” said bluntly. “CNN is pushing an app to track ICE agents to help criminal aliens evade being detained.”
This characterization frames the app not as a civil liberties tool but as a mechanism specifically designed to obstruct legitimate law enforcement operations. The controversy highlights the growing divide between immigration enforcement advocates and those who oppose the Trump administration’s border security policies.
Calls for Justice Department Investigation
Homan has explicitly called for the Department of Justice to investigate whether CNN’s promotion of the ICEBlock app crosses legal boundaries. The former ICE director questioned whether broadcasting information about an app designed to monitor law enforcement could potentially constitute obstruction of justice or endangerment of federal officers. While the app itself includes disclaimers stating it’s for informational purposes only, critics argue that its practical effect is to help individuals evade lawful enforcement actions and potentially set up officers for confrontations or ambushes.
The controversy reflects broader tensions around immigration enforcement under President Trump, who has made border security a cornerstone of his administration. As federal agencies work to implement stronger immigration policies, they increasingly face resistance from activist groups and certain media outlets. For supporters of enhanced border security, the promotion of apps like ICEBlock represents not just opposition to policy but potentially dangerous interference with law enforcement that undermines public safety and national security efforts.
