By Isabella Torregiani
2:41pm PDT, Jul 1, 2025
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After the launch of a new app that tracks and alerts users to the locations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, White House Press Secretary
Karoline Leavitt called out CNN for its coverage of the platform. Leavitt suggested the network is "encouraging violence" by reporting on the app.
Keep reading for more on her response…MORE:
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On Monday, June 30, Karoline Leavitt addressed CNN's report on the ICEBlock app. According to the Department of Homeland Security, there has been a 500% increase in assaults against ICE agents — a statistic Leavitt says makes the app especially dangerous. "Surely, it sounds like this would be an incitement of further violence against our ICE officers," she said. "As you know, as you stated, there's been a 500% increase in violence against ICE agents, law enforcement officers across the country who are just simply trying to do their jobs and remove public safety threats from our communities."
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Karoline Leavitt went on to say that both Americans and CNN journalists should be "grateful" for the work ICE officers do. Although she admitted she hadn't seen the full CNN segment, Leavitt said the administration would be reviewing it. Still, she called it "unacceptable that a major network would promote such an app that is encouraging violence against law enforcement officers who are trying to keep our country safe."
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In response, a CNN spokesperson defended the network's reporting on ICEBlock. "CNN reported on a publicly available app, which is generating attention across the United States, and reached out to ICE for comment prior to publication," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "After CNN published its reporting, ICE posted a response, which is now included in the story." That response came from ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, who claimed the app "basically paints a target on federal law enforcement officers' backs." He added that "officers and agents are already facing a 500% increase in assaults."
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CNN also aired segments featuring ICEBlock's creator, Joshua Aaron, who said he developed the app as a form of resistance to what he sees as unjust deportation practices. "We're literally watching history repeat itself," Aaron said, comparing current immigration enforcement to Nazi Germany. While Aaron acknowledged the challenge of verifying every user report, he said the app includes safeguards to prevent misuse and spamming. He emphasized that the tool is meant purely as a warning system, not a call to action, and advised users not to engage with law enforcement.
