The White House is looking into possible criminal charges against CNN after it published a report about an app allowing users to track Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in their area.
President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem discussed the matter with reporters at the grand opening of a Florida detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” A reporter brought up border czar Tom Homan’s assertion that CNN should be prosecuted for essentially promoting the app to its readers.
“We're working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute them for that, because what they're doing is actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement activities, operations,” Noem said. “We're going to actually go after them and prosecute them with the partnership of [Attorney General Pam Bondi] if we can, because what they're doing, we believe, is illegal.”
President Trump also chimed in, suggesting that CNN “may be prosecuted also for having given false reports on the attack in Iran.” The president was referring to reports from CNN, The New York Times, and other media outlets that published reports suggesting that US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities did little damage.
Trump on CNN: "They may be prosecuted also for having given false reports on the attack in Iran." pic.twitter.com/c7H2aD1P18
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 1, 2025
CNN’s report discussed an app called ICEBlock, which was created by an individual named Joshua Aaron.
Aaron launched the platform, called ICEBlock, in early April after watching President Donald Trump’s administration begin its immigration crackdown. The White House’s immigration policies have sparked mass protests across the United States; a CNN poll in April showed 52% of Americans polled said Trump has gone too far in deporting undocumented immigrants.
ICEBlock currently has more than 20,000 users, many of whom are in Los Angeles, where controversial, large-scale deportation efforts have taken place.
“When I saw what was happening in this country, I wanted to do something to fight back,” Aaron told CNN, adding that the deportation efforts feel, to him, reminiscent of Nazi Germany. “We’re literally watching history repeat itself.”
ICEBlock is designed to be an “early warning system” for users when ICE is operating nearby, Aaron said. Users can add a pin on a map showing where they spotted agents — along with optional notes, like what officers were wearing or what kind of car they were driving. Other users within a five-mile radius will then receive a push alert notifying them of the sighting.
The report garnered sharp criticism from ICE and supporters of Trump’s immigration policies. ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons issued a statement characterizing CNN’s coverage as “reckless and irresponsible” and saying that it “paints a target on the backs of our officers.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the news outlet of “encouraging violence” against ICE agents.
CNN defended the report, pointing out that the app is publicly available and that it reached out to ICE for comment before publishing the article.
Prosecuting CNN over the ICEBlock report and its coverage of the Iran airstrikes won’t be easy. First Amendment protections for free speech and free press would likely present a hurdle that is impossible to overcome.
Going after a news outlet for covering a publicly accessible app would almost certainly be viewed by a judge as a violation of the First Amendment. Still, it is worth noting that the administration might have a better chance of prosecuting Aaron, the app’s creator. They could argue that it endangers law enforcement while hampering ICE’s ability to do its job.
But even this would be a challenge since the app includes disclaimers that it is for “information and notification purposes only” and urges users not to engage in violence. Either way, this app is one of several ways people are pushing back against mass deportations — and there will certainly be more to come.
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