Trump Weighs DOJ Case Against CNN Over Report on ICE-Tracking App

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Updated Jul 1, 2025, 09:28 PM

President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Tuesday they are consulting the Justice Department on whether CNN can be prosecuted for reporting on “ICEBlock,” an iPhone application that warns users when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are nearby. Speaking during a tour of the new “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center in Florida, Noem argued the network’s coverage “actively encourag[es] people to avoid law-enforcement operations,” while Trump added that CNN “may very well be prosecuted.” Noem indicated Attorney General Pam Bondi is examining potential charges, although no specific statute was cited.

CNN defended its segment, noting the app is publicly available and that journalism about it is protected by the First Amendment. “There is nothing illegal about reporting the existence of this or any other app, nor does such reporting constitute promotion or endorsement,” the network said in a statement. The original story included an interview with developer Joshua Aaron and was later updated with criticism from Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, who contended the app “paints a target on federal law-enforcement officers’ backs” amid what he says is a 500% rise in assaults on agents.

Legal scholars say the administration would face steep constitutional hurdles: prior cases have made it difficult for the government to criminally charge media outlets for publishing publicly available information. The White House has not specified a timeline for any decision, leaving uncertainty over whether its threats will progress beyond political rhetoric.

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#Donald Trump #Homeland Security #Kristi Noem #Justice Department #CNN #iPhone #Immigration and Customs Enforcement #Alligator Alcatraz #Florida #Noem #Trump #Pam Bondi #First Amendment #Joshua Aaron #Todd Lyons #White House

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The Donald Trump administration is studying whether it can prosecute CNN for offering information about an iPhone application that alerts users to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in their area. For its part, the network pointed out that its reporting was not illegal. The IceBlock app