New York (CNN) — Joshua Aaron has worked in and around the tech industry for around two decades. He built his first app — a blackjack game — at computer camp when he was 13.
His newest app is designed for a very different purpose: to let users alert people nearby to sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in their area.
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.
By Clare Duffy
