The tech giant removes US immigration official tracking applications

The company has pulled applications that enabled users to report sightings of personnel from the immigration enforcement agency.

Apple declared it had removed ICEBlock from its App Store after law enforcement informed them about concerning "security concerns" linked to the application and "similar apps".

According to a announcement provided to media organizations, the Attorney General the official had "demanded" the app's elimination stating it was "designed to place ICE officers at danger".

The programmer responded that such assertions were "patently false" and accused Apple of "surrendering to an authoritarian regime".

Context of the Disputed Application

ICEBlock is one of numerous apps launched this year in answer to increased border control operations across the United States.

Critics - such as the creator of ICEBlock - accuse the authorities of misusing its influence and "bringing fear" to US streets.

The free software functions by revealing the locations of ICE personnel. It has been acquired over a million times in the US.

Risk Factors

Nevertheless, officials argued it was being employed to focus on enforcement personnel, with the federal investigators indicating that the individual who attacked an enforcement office in Texas in recently - fatally shooting two individuals - had employed comparable applications to monitor the locations of officers and their vehicles.

According to their announcement, Apple commented: "We established the App Store to be a protected and dependable place to locate software.

"According to data we've gathered from authorities about the potential dangers associated with ICEBlock, we have removed it and comparable applications from the digital platform."

Developer's Response

But its developer, the developer, disputed it presented a threat.

"The software is no different from crowdsourcing traffic enforcement, which all major navigation app, including their internal Maps app," he commented.

"This constitutes constitutionally protected expression under the First Amendment of the US Constitution."

Mr Aaron - who has worked in the technology sector for a long time - earlier stated he designed the software out of worry over a spike in enforcement operations.

"I certainly observed very carefully during the former government and then I listened to the discourse during the political contest for the second," he explained.

"I started considering what was going to happen and what I could accomplish to keep people safe."

Government Reaction

The White House and FBI had criticized the app after it debuted in recent months and installations increased.