Apple finally did the right thing – though only after a nudge from Uncle Sam. In a recent statement, the company said it pulled ICE-tracking apps like ICEBlock from the App Store, citing the shockingly obvious fact that broadcasting law enforcement locations is a safety risk. The move came after more than a million users had signed up and downloaded the app – and, reportedly, after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) came knocking.

Police1 noted that the app – which let users flag and get alerts about ICE agents in their area – was in clear violation of Apple’s App Store rules, though it took Apple a while to catch on. The ICEBlock app was made available to iPhone users back in April.

Joshua Aaron, the creator of the app, doesn’t seem too concerned that his app puts ICE officers in danger. He blasted Apple’s decision as “incredibly disappointing,” insisting the platform wasn’t built to provoke violence and called it protected speech under the First Amendment. Aaron even likened it to community-driven apps that flag speed traps for drivers.

Let’s be clear about Apple though: this is not the company doing some grand, sweeping moral platform pivot. It’s more like Apple doing the right thing before getting investigated or sued by the Trump administration. And there’s much more to be done because those who have already downloaded the ICE tracking apps can still use them. Apple must make them non-functional:

This is just the beginning.

Removing @ICEGov tracking/doxing apps from @Apple and @GooglePlay was a great first step, but they still function on phones that already downloaded them.

Whoever still has these apps on their phones is a threat, actively endangering federal law… https://t.co/bYhnrW1kpA

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) October 3, 2025