An app meant to archive video of actions taken by ICE has been removed from the App Store, with Apple still under pressure by the Department of Justice.

First, the ICEBlock app was removed from the App Store after Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed it placed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in danger. Now it seems, any and all records of the actions performed by ICE, live or historical, are being targeted by the United States government contrary to the first amendment.

According to a report from 404 Media, Apple has removed the Eyes Up app from its App Store. Unlike ICEBlock, it was an archival app that saved videos and articles that showcased the actions taken by ICE under the Trump administration.

"Our goal is government accountability, we aren't even doing real-time tracking," the administrator of Eyes Up said in a statement. "I think the [Trump] admin is just embarrassed by how many incriminating videos we have."

There are no laws that would require Apple to take down either app, nor any legal framework to force Apple to take the apps down. Instead, the full force of the United States Department of Justice and the presidential administration are requesting these takedowns.

Apple could say "no thanks" like it did following the 2015 San Bernardino shootings, and start a legal battle. If it did, the result would inevitably be the same with far reaching implications for Apple.

After months or years of legal challenges in the 2025 court system, Apple would either lose or draw out an expensive battle until a new administration took over. Either way, it would mean incredible attacks from the administration on Apple via punitive measures and sanctions that would distract from Apple's ability to serve its customers.

This isn't quite like the San Bernardino case where Apple told the FBI that it couldn't provide a back door to iPhone encryption. At the time, Apple had the ability to challenge the FBI on legal and technical grounds on the impossibility of the request, and the argument that the back door would weaken encryption for everyone.

That's not the case today, even though former Apple executives wish it were.

Apple's actions have been categorized as cowardly, as many have stated in regard to CEO Tim Cook's other actions taken to appease the President. Arguable, the actions Apple is taking are made in self-preservation in front of an unbeatable force of what has been legal actions that favor the administration, rather than any precedent or standing laws.

Other companies have capitulated as well, like Google also taking down ICE-related apps or paying millions to settle a nonsense lawsuit to appease the administration. Meta's entire company rebuilt itself in Trump's and Musk's image to curry favor on top of paying additional millions in questionable legal payouts.

So, it's not as if you can switch to another product or service in hopes of escaping these issues or voting with your wallet without going totally off grid. The problem doesn't lie with the companies — it lies with those in power taking the actions, and making the "requests."