Judge Rules Trump Administration Violated First Amendment Over ICE-Tracking App Censorship

Federal Judge Jorge L. Alonso of the Northern District of Illinois ruled that the Trump administration violated the First Amendment when former Attorney General Pam Bondi and former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem pressured Apple and Facebook to remove apps and groups that allowed users to track ICE activity. The court found the administration's demands — rather than mere requests — constituted unconstitutional government censorship under the Supreme Court's 2024 NRA v. Vullo precedent on government coercion. The ruling restores the 'ICE Sightings – Chicagoland' Facebook group and the 'Eyes Up' app by Kreisau Group LLC.