White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted CNN for promoting ICEblock, a new app that tells illegal immigrants when ICE agents are nearby, calling it "unacceptable" for a news organization to "encourage violence against law enforcement officers."
During a White House Press Briefing on Monday, a reporter asked Leavitt about the creation of an app that notifies people of the presence of agents nearby, given the massive rise in attacks and assaults on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Leavitt first admitted she hadn't seen the CNN clip promoting the app, but said that it sounds like "this would be an incitement of further violence against our ICE officers, as you just stated."
BREAKING 🚨 Karoline Leavitt left STUNNED after learning CNN is possibly “inciting vioIence” against ICE Agents by promoting an app that tracks them
— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) June 30, 2025
THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY pic.twitter.com/CCTCYkTb0v
"There's been a 500 percent increase in violence against ICE agents, law enforcement officers across the country who are just simply trying to do their jobs," she added. "And remove public safety threats from our communities, and that's something we as Americans, including journalists at CNN who live in many of these cities, where illegal aliens are hiding and were let in from the previous administrations, should be very grateful for."
"We haven't seen the clip. We will take a look at it," Leavitt continued. "But certainly, it's unacceptable that a major network would promote such an app that would encourage violence against law enforcement officers who are trying to keep our country safe."
RedState's Rusty Weiss reported on the CNN report about the app currently being used by some 20,000 users, mostly in the Los Angeles area.
Joshua Aaron, the app's developer, told the outlet he felt compelled to design something after seeing illegal alien arrests that reminded him of Nazi Germany. Because of course.
"When I saw what was happening in this country, I wanted to do something to fight back," Aaron said.
ICEBlock allows users to add a pin on a map showing where they spotted agents. They're also capable of adding details about the agent's appearance, such as what they're wearing and what they're driving.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons called CNN's report "reckless and irresponsible," the report noted.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons releases a statement in response to CNN interview on an app that allows users to alert people about ICE agent sightings.
— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) June 30, 2025
“Advertising an app that basically paints a target on federal law enforcement officers’ backs is sickening,” Lyons said. “My… pic.twitter.com/TvrCG1EUkg
"Advertising an app that basically paints a target on federal law enforcement officers' backs is sickening," Lyons said. "My officers and agents are already facing a 500% increase in assaults, and going on live television to announce an app that lets anyone zero in on their locations is like inviting violence against them with a national megaphone."
"CNN is willfully endangering the lives of officers who put their lives on the line every day and enabling dangerous criminal aliens to evade U.S. law," he added. "Is this simply reckless 'journalism' or overt activism?"
As Weiss wrote:
Tricia McLaughlin, the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), also slammed CNN for their poor judgment.
"Don't go after our ICE law enforcement. It's disgusting. It's wrong and is un-American!" she said, while also pointing out that apps like ICEBlock are "absolutely obstructing justice."
🔥NEW — @TriciaOhio FIRES BACK on this dangerous anti-ICE app being pushed by CNN:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 30, 2025
"Our ICE enforcement officers are seeing a 500% increase in assaults against them."
She says that apps like this are "absolutely obstructing justice."
"Don't go after our ICE law enforcement.… https://t.co/8cNnZhHicL pic.twitter.com/HaDzurJlnO
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