After IceBlock’s launch in April, Kristi Noem attacked developer Joshua Aaron and his wife was fired from the DoJ. The attention has only led to more raids being reported
Noem’s intervention ensured the app topped the charts for a number of days (although it has since fallen out of the top 100). Then last month Aaron’s wife, Carolyn Feinstein, was fired from her Department of Justice job in Austin, Texas. The couple believe it was clear “retaliation” for the app, despite Feinstein not being involved in the app’s creation or promotion.
Aaron is an unlikely figure in this space – he has a brash, rock’n’roll demeanor and not much experience in immigration activism. His background has led to some questions about how well the app protects its users, especially as it asks you to keep your location data on at all times. But a number of independent investigations have shown he is managing to keep users anonymous.