Removal of ICE trackers by Trump administration illegal: US judge
What's the story
A US federal district court judge has ruled that the Donald Trump administration violated the First Amendment by pressuring Facebook and Apple to remove ICE-tracking groups and apps. The ruling was made by Judge Jorge L. Alonso of the Northern District of Illinois, who granted a preliminary injunction in favor of Kassandra Rosado, operator of the ICE Sightings - Chicagoland Facebook group, and Kreisau Group, developers of Eyes Up.
Legal reference
Ruling references Supreme Court decision from a 2024 case
Judge Alonso's ruling references a unanimous Supreme Court decision from a 2024 case between the NRA and current New York Department of Financial Services superintendent Maria Vullo. The court had ruled that "[g]overnment officials cannot attempt to coerce private parties in order to punish or suppress views that the government disfavors," when Vullo pressured companies into cutting ties with the NRA.
Government pressure
Judge's rebuke of Trump's team
In his ruling, Judge Alonso noted that then Attorney General Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem had done exactly what the Supreme Court had warned against. He said they reached out to Facebook and Apple, demanding rather than requesting, that these companies censor the plaintiffs' speech. This was in direct violation of the First Amendment rights guaranteed by the US Constitution.
App removals
DOJ involved in removal of ICE-tracking apps
The Department of Justice (DOJ) was also involved in the removal of ICE-tracking apps from app stores. Apps like Eyes Up, ICEBlock, and Red Dot were taken down after pressure from the DOJ and public threats of prosecution. This included CNN for simply reporting on these apps' existence. The move has drawn criticism for potentially infringing on First Amendment rights by restricting access to information about immigration enforcement activities.