ICEBlock: Viral App for Anonymous ICE Sighting Reports Sparks Controversy in Bondi

ICEBlock, an iPhone application that allows users to anonymously report sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, has rapidly ascended to the upper echelon of the Apple U.S. App Store rankings. This surge has been notably influenced by critiques from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Most of ICEBlock’s user base — around 20,000 individuals — resides in Los Angeles, where ICE activities have increased recently, according to CNN. Following Bondi’s remarks late on Monday, the app gained significant traction overnight. By Tuesday afternoon, it had emerged as one of the most downloaded free iPhone applications in the country.

With ICEBlock, users can legally report sightings of ICE agents within a 5-mile radius of their current location. The application also sends alerts when ICE agents are detected in the vicinity.

The app does not collect or store any user data, a detail verified by TechCrunch through an evaluation of the app’s network activity during testing.