Meta has taken down a Facebook page that monitored Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in Chicago, following intervention from the Justice Department (DOJ). Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on X that Facebook removed a significant group page accused of doxxing and targeting ICE agents. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone confirmed that the group was removed for violating policies against coordinated harm. This action comes on the heels of Apple and Google also blocking apps designed to track ICE activities, a move prompted by government requests.
The DOJ did not elaborate on Bondi’s statement, and ICE has not provided a response regarding credible threats related to the Facebook page. The DOJ’s involvement appears linked to a post by Laura Loomer, a right-wing influencer, who highlighted a Facebook group called “ICE Sighting- Chicagoland,” which she claimed provided updates on the locations of ICE raids and agents in Chicago. Although the group’s name was not verified by the DOJ or Meta, Loomer suggested that a source within the DOJ informed her that the agency contacted Meta about these pages.
As immigration enforcement has intensified under President Donald Trump, various tools and community organizations have emerged to alert individuals about ICE operations. The ICEBlock app, once popular for reporting ICE sightings, was similarly removed by Apple after pressure from the DOJ, with Bondi asserting it endangered ICE agents. The app’s developer disputed these claims.
Bondi’s remarks raise questions about the potential legal implications of government pressure on private companies regarding content removal. While businesses like Apple and Meta have the right to make such decisions, it remains unclear what communications transpired between the DOJ and these platforms. There is ongoing debate about the nature of speech that may be considered supportive of domestic terrorism, a topic that has seen scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum. Concerns persist about the actual link between tracking tools and violence aimed at ICE, with scant direct evidence supporting government assertions regarding their impact on safety.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/799473/facebook-meta-ice-jawboning