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New tool tracks ICE agents across U.S.
There's a new tool tracking ICE agents across the country, and its developers are from western Washington, all self-funded.
SEATTLE, Wash. - A new tool designed to track the presence of ICE agents across the U.S. has launched — and its creators are based right here in western Washington. The digital toolset, called ICE Tea Tools, is the latest technology aimed at alerting communities to immigration enforcement activity.
The developers say the tools are self-funded and community-driven, with the goal of protecting vulnerable populations — not obstructing law enforcement.
The backstory:
FOX 13 previously reported on ICE Block - an app designed to track ICE activity.
New ICE reporting app sparks national debate over safety, free speech
A new app designed to alert users about nearby immigration enforcement activity is drawing both praise and criticism across the country.
"ICE Block was designed to be an early warning system," Joshua Aaron, the developer said. "It was not designed to obstruct law enforcement. It was not designed to incite violence."
ICE Tea Tools differs from ICE Block by incorporating a dispatcher system, which helps verify anonymous user reports of ICE agent sightings. Developers say the tool emphasizes location awareness — not confrontation.
"It’s about presence, not activity, having the understanding of where they are will help allow people to prepare people for what they are doing," T, the developer of ICE Tea Tools and a former Marine, said.
According to the creator, dispatchers were activated just this week after reports emerged of multiple detentions at the ICE office in Tukwila.
FOX 13 reached out to ICE for confirmation and is still awaiting a response.
"When that started to happen, we began to mobilize to show up on the ground at the Northwest Detention Center to show solidarity and be a presence to document and observe," Cal, a member of the ICE Tea Tools team, said.
"From there you’re able to ensure that everybody who showed up to protect the community got home, and if they didn’t get home, you know who to start looking for immediately," T said.
ICE Tea Watch
Dig deeper:
Developers launched ICE Tea Watch – part of ICE Tea Tools — a progressive web app that functions even offline or with poor connectivity. It allows users to anonymously report sightings of ICE, police, military, or Border Patrol agents within a 9-mile radius — all in under seven seconds.
"That allows communities to see a heatmap of activity across mainly the U.S., but really it’s built to scale across the world," the developer said.
Recent reports submitted through ICE Tea Watch include sightings in Tacoma near J Street within the last 24 hours, off Steilacoom Boulevard in Lakewood on Monday, and an unmarked ICE vehicle parked last Thursday near Northeast 8th Street in Bellevue.
Because the apps are self-funded, it doesn't collect personal data, it isn't hosted through traditional app stores, so they don’t send push notifications. Still, support has trickled in from donors — including one with a deeply personal connection to the project.
"Their aunt survived the Holocaust, so that was the motivation," the developer said.
In the past, ICE officials have expressed concern that tools like these can endanger agents or undermine enforcement efforts. Back when ICE Block gained attention, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said:
"What they’re doing is actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement, activities, operations."
So what do the creators of these tools have to say in response?
They stand by their mission: to inform saying their actions are protected by the first amendment. They reiterate they don't report activity only presence and ICE Tea Watch doesn't target a specific law enforcement agency as it allows the user to submit information on all.
This is a developing story. FOX 13 will update this story with response from ICE officials regarding recent activity reports.
The Source: Information in this story came from the ICE Tea Tools team, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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