New Iphone App Helps Migrants Track Ice Agent Sightings

As protests proceed crossed nan U.S. complete nan Trump administration’s migration crackdown, 1 app is offering a much discreet measurement to resist. Developers created “ICEBlock,” a caller iPhone app that alerts users astir adjacent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.

How does ICEBlock work?

The app’s creator, Joshua Aaron, said ICEBlock serves arsenic an “early informing system.”

Users tin driblet a pin connected a integer representation that shows wherever they past saw ICE agents. The users tin besides see a statement describing specifications astir nan officers aliases their vehicles. Anyone other pinch nan app and successful a five-mile radius will past get a notification astir nan sighting.

Aaron told CNN nan extremity isn’t to interfere pinch ICE operations, but alternatively to thief group debar agents. 

How does nan app protect users?

Aaron said nan app doesn’t cod individual information and keeps users anonymous. Currently, nan app is only disposable connected iPhones because Apple’s strategy doesn’t require nan benignant of personification information Android apps typically collect. 

He said location are presently astir 20,000 users, galore of them successful Los Angeles, wherever protesters person been nan astir active.

Can users spot nan reports?

While location is nary measurement yet to verify reports made connected nan app, Aaron said location are immoderate safeguards successful spot to support group from spamming it pinch clone reports.

Users tin only study sightings wrong 5 miles of their existent location and tin only make 1 study each 5 minutes. All reports are automatically deleted aft 4 hours. 

These rules purpose to equilibrium accessibility pinch accountability.

How overmuch does it cost?

ICEBLock is wholly free. Aaron told CNN he has nary plans to monetize nan platform, saying it’s a organization service.

Even arsenic galore tech leaders person embraced President Donald Trump’s push for much home manufacturing, Aaron said nan bottommost statement isn’t nan only point to consider.

“I deliberation I would opportunity turn a backbone. You can’t conscionable beryllium astir nan money,” Aaron said erstwhile CNN asked him what he would opportunity to those tech leaders.

Not nan only option

ICEBlock is portion of a increasing activity of grassroots tech devices developed successful consequence to accrued migration enforcement

SignalSafe is different mapping app that collects anonymous alerts astir ICE supplier sightings. Users tin taxable photos, videos and matter notes pinch their submissions.

The TurnLeft PAC is besides moving to motorboat what it calls “ResistMap.” It will activity likewise to ICEBlock, requiring users to taxable sightings via a form, past displaying them connected a map. Users tin besides opt successful for matter alerts.

ICE detentions at record high

According to CBS News, nan Trump management is presently detaining astir 59,000 group nationwide, exceeding nan 41,500-bed headdress approved by Congress.

Trump has said his intentions are to attraction connected detaining immigrants pinch criminal records, but information shows that’s not what’s happening. According to CBS News, 47% of those presently detained person nary criminal grounds astatine all, and 30% person not been convicted of a crime.

The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse reported that, arsenic of June 15, ICE was holding 56,397 immigrants, and astir 72% of them had nary criminal record.

On June 3, NBC News reported a record-setting ICE ambush that detained 2,200 group successful a azygous day.