White House press director criticizes CNN over ICE app coverage

On Monday, White House press director Karoline Leavitt accused CNN of “encouraging violence” in response to coverage of a new app called Iceblock. The app, designed to track and notify users about the locations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, has raised concerns amid reports of rising attacks on ICE agents.

During a discussion, Daily Wire reporter Mary Margaret Olohan questioned Leavitt about CNN’s portrayal of the app, noting a reported 500% surge in violence against ICE officers. Leavitt mentioned that while she hadn’t seen the segment, she firmly criticized CNN for airing it.

“This indeed seems to incite further violence against our ICE officers,” Leavitt remarked. “As you pointed out, there’s been a drastic increase in violence toward these agents. They’re simply doing their jobs to maintain public safety.”

Leavitt continued, pointing out that many CNN journalists reside in areas where undocumented individuals are sheltered, suggesting a disconnect in understanding the challenges faced by law enforcement.

In defense of their reporting, a CNN spokesperson explained that the network covered a publicly available app that has gained attention nationwide and sought comments from ICE before publishing the story. Following the report, ICE provided a response that has been included in the coverage.

The comments from ICE came from acting director Todd Lyons, who argued that the app “essentially puts a target on the backs of federal law enforcement officials.”

A segment aired on CNN featured an interview with Joshua Aaron, the app’s creator. He expressed his motivation for developing Iceblock as a way to challenge deportation efforts, drawing a parallel to historical events. “We’re literally watching history repeat itself,” Aaron stated.

While he acknowledged that it’s impossible to verify every report, Aaron emphasized that the app includes measures to mitigate misuse, such as updating sightings every four hours and limiting reports to a 5-mile radius, while keeping users anonymous.

Aaron also stated that the app comes with a warning clarifying that it is intended solely for informational purposes and isn’t meant to provoke violence. “Please note that use of this app is for information and notification purposes only. It should not be used to incite violence or interfere with law enforcement,” the warning says.