US Lawmakers Push Apple, Google to Remove Apps Tracking ICE Agents

• US lawmakers urged Apple and Google to remove apps tracking federal immigration officers, citing safety concerns for DHS personnel.
• The House Committee on Homeland Security sent letters to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple head Tim Cook, requesting a briefing by December 12.
• Both Google and Apple confirmed the removal of the ICEBlock app and similar tracking applications from their respective app stores.
• Concerns were raised that such apps, like ICEBlock which had over a million users, endangered officers and could obstruct lawful immigration enforcement.
• Trump administration officials linked these apps to a deadly shooting at an ICE facility in Texas, arguing they put agents at risk.

Why It Matters: It highlights tech companies' role in federal agent safety and law enforcement operations.