Trump DHS Secretary Says CNN Journalists ‘Could Be’ Prosecuted for Reporting: Attorney General ‘Is Looking Into It’
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said journalists at CNN may have committed “prosecutable” offenses by doing basic reporting.
On Monday, CNN reported on an app that allows users to report sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Since President Donald Trump took office, ICE has carried out scores of raids to search for undocumented immigrants. In response, Joshua Aaron, a developer, created an app called ICEBlock. In addition to publishing a straightforward news article about ICEBlock on its website, CNN also reported on the app on air.
On Tuesday’s Hannity on Fox News, Sean Hannity suggested that both the app and reporting about the app are illegal. Before doing he aired a snippet of CNN’s segment about it.
“I talked with Joshua Aaron, the longtime tech worker who developed this platform,” CNN’s Clare Duffy said in the segment. “And he said he wants it to be an early warning system for people about the location of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. So, he says he does not want people interfering with those officers’ activity, but he does want people to be able to avoid them altogether… You open the app, it looks like a map and users can tap the map to report an ICE sighting in their area, and then everybody who uses the platform within five miles of the sighting will get a push alert. This is a free iPhone app. It is anonymous. Aaron said he does not collect any user data.”
Hannity responded by citing ICE statistics claiming that assaults against ICE agents have risen nearly 700% in the last year. It is unclear how many of the alleged assaults are being prosecuted.
Donning a gaudy “Make America Great Again” hat with gold-colored lettering, Noem joined the program, where the host asked, “Are they not aiding and abetting in their law-breaking? Are they not responsible for obstructing justice?” He also added that Attorney General Pam Bondi told him she is examining whether the app and reporting about it are illegal.
“Yes, absolutely,” Noem replied. “I believe, in my opinion, that they are, and that’s why I’m so thrilled that Pam is willing to be proactive and go after those individuals that would perpetuate that kind of activity against our law enforcement officers.”
Noem went on to praise ICE and Border Patrol agents before pivoting to slam CNN.
“And to have someone like CNN openly describing how to use technology to reveal the activities and the operations that these law enforcement folks are trying to conduct, it’s shameful and it could be prosecutable,” she said. “So, I’m glad Pam is looking into it.”
Earlier in the day, Noem and Trump said they are looking into whether they can criminally charge CNN for its reporting on ICE and also Trump’s bombing of Iran last month.
Watch above via Fox News.
