IPHONE APP IDENTIFIES ICE OFFICERS
ICE AGENTS
JOSHUA AARON IS THE APP DEVELOPER
BY SNN.BZ STAFF
CNN’s Promotion of ICEBlock App: A Reckless Endorsement of Aiding and Abetting Illegal ActivityIn a troubling display of journalistic overreach, CNN has been actively promoting an iPhone application called ICEBlock, developed by Joshua Aaron, which alerts users to the real-time locations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
By broadcasting details about the app and even instructing viewers on how to use it, CNN is not merely reporting news but engaging in activism that undermines federal law enforcement and endangers public safety. This promotion crosses a dangerous line, effectively aiding and abetting illegal aliens in evading lawful deportation efforts—an act that carries serious legal and ethical implications.
The ICEBlock App: A Tool for Obstructing Justice:
The ICEBlock app allows users to anonymously report sightings of ICE officers, placing a pin on a map to alert others within a five-mile radius of their presence. According to its developer, the app is intended to help individuals avoid encounters with ICE, particularly those who are in the United States illegally. While Joshua Aaron claims the app is for “informational purposes” and not meant to interfere with ICE operations, its practical effect is to enable illegal aliens, including those with criminal records, to evade law enforcement. This directly undermines the mission of ICE, which is tasked with enforcing federal immigration laws and protecting national security and public safety by apprehending and removing individuals who violate those laws.
ICE officers are not only responsible for deporting illegal aliens but also for dismantling drug trafficking rings, rescuing victims of human trafficking, and seizing illegal weapons. By broadcasting the locations of these officers, ICEBlock jeopardizes their safety and hampers their ability to perform these critical duties. The app’s anonymity and rapid data deletion (every four hours) further exacerbate the risk, as it shields users from accountability while providing real-time intelligence to those seeking to evade capture.
CNN’s Role: From Reporting to Advocacy
CNN’s coverage of ICEBlock goes beyond objective journalism. By featuring the app prominently on its business and tech website and providing step-by-step guidance on its use, CNN is effectively endorsing a tool designed to thwart federal law enforcement. ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons has called this promotion “reckless and irresponsible,” noting that it “basically paints a target on federal law enforcement officers’ backs.” Lyons highlighted a reported 500% increase in assaults against ICE agents, underscoring the real-world consequences of publicizing their locations.
This is not a neutral act of reporting. CNN’s actions amplify a platform that facilitates illegal activity, giving it a national megaphone. The network’s claim that there is “nothing illegal” about reporting on a publicly available app is disingenuous. While reporting on the existence of such an app may fall within journalistic bounds, actively promoting its use and instructing viewers on how to engage with it crosses into advocacy that undermines the rule of law.
Aiding and Abetting: A Legal and Moral FailingUnder U.S. law, aiding and abetting a criminal is itself a crime. Title 8 U.S.C. § 1324 makes it illegal to knowingly or recklessly harbor, conceal, or shield undocumented aliens from detection by law enforcement. By promoting an app that alerts illegal aliens to ICE’s presence, CNN is arguably facilitating efforts to evade lawful immigration enforcement, an act that aligns with the legal definition of aiding and abetting.
Social media posts on X have echoed this sentiment, with users arguing that CNN’s actions constitute obstruction of justice and endanger federal officers.The moral implications are equally severe. ICE’s mission extends beyond deportations to combating serious crimes like drug trafficking and human smuggling. By helping illegal aliens—some of whom may be dangerous criminals—avoid apprehension, CNN’s promotion of ICEBlock jeopardizes the safety of American communities. For example, ICE has recently arrested individuals with convictions for murder, child molestation, and gang-related crimes, demonstrating the stakes involved. Hindering these efforts prioritizes the interests of lawbreakers over the safety of law-abiding citizens.
Moreover, the app’s crowd-sourced nature invites misuse. Users could falsely report ICE sightings to create chaos or lure agents into ambushes, further escalating risks to officers already facing heightened threats. The comparison to Nazi Germany made by the app’s creator is not only inflammatory but also grossly inaccurate, as deporting individuals who violate immigration laws bears no resemblance to historical atrocities. Such rhetoric only fuels division and misrepresents the critical work of ICE agents, many of whom are themselves of Hispanic descent and committed to upholding the law.
The Broader Implications for Media Responsibility:
CNN’s actions set a dangerous precedent for media outlets. Journalism should inform, not incite or enable illegal activity. By promoting ICEBlock, CNN is not only undermining federal law enforcement but also eroding public trust in institutions tasked with maintaining order and safety. Other broadcasters must take note: endorsing tools that obstruct justice crosses an ethical boundary that no media outlet should approach. The role of the press is to hold power accountable, not to actively support efforts that disrupt lawful governance.The Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, has signaled its intent to pursue legal action against those promoting the app, including CNN. Noem has stated, “What they’re doing is actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement activities, operations, and we’re going to actually go after them and prosecute them.” This response underscores the gravity of CNN’s actions and the potential legal consequences they face.
A Call for Accountability:
CNN’s promotion of the ICEBlock app is a reckless and irresponsible act that aids and abets illegal aliens in evading federal law enforcement. By providing a platform and instructions for a tool that undermines ICE’s mission, CNN is complicit in endangering officers and jeopardizing public safety. Media outlets must recognize their responsibility to uphold the rule of law, not obstruct it. Promoting an app like ICEBlock is not journalism—it’s activism that crosses into criminal territory. The Department of Justice should investigate CNN’s actions, and the public should demand accountability from any broadcaster that prioritizes sensationalism over the safety and security of American communities.
The rule of law is not a suggestion; it is the foundation of a functioning society. CNN’s decision to promote ICEBlock undermines that foundation, and it must face the consequences of its actions.
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